Two years after the successful launch of the Antarctique line, the sporty chic style enters new territories with a 38.5 mm case and a selection of new dials.

During Watches & Wonders 2022, Czapek & Cie presented the Antarctique S, an elegant new case size for slimmer wrists. Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of the maison explained, "Our biggest challenge was the level of perfection the original model had reached, it wasn't just a matter of reducing the case: we had to make something as excellent as the original."

Creating a 3 mm smaller case was not just a matter of reducing the measurements; starting from scratch, it required a complete redesign and rewriting of the codes to ensure that all the proportions matched perfectly. In particular, the overall thickness in relation to the new diameter.

The 38.5 mm case features the same taut lines as the original Antarctique, but now the sides are flat instead of open. These are some simplifications that achieve better visual balance on a smaller scale.

 

 

However, Czapek's attention to detail was not limited to visual aspects: the weight of the watch on the wrist had to be appropriate in relation to its small size.

Like the strap of its predecessor - with brushed steel links joined by gleaming polished Czapek C-shaped links - it is fitted with a quick-change system that allows the wearer to change it easily and quickly.

The result is fresh, sporty and chic. All the creativity is in the details and the dials.

The Antarctique S will initially be offered with a choice of three dials, all created in collaboration with theme specialist Mesalem: Czapek's signature Stairway to Eternity motif appears on the Passage versions of Drake Glacier Blue and Salmon. The Frozen Star dial is crafted from the rarest precious metal on Earth: osmium.

The watch is powered by the caliber SXH5, the first movement conceived entirely in-house by Czapek and launched with the original Antarctique in May 2020.