The new Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue

Independent watchmaking brand Czapek introduced the Promenade collection in 2024 as a more classic and elegant vision of its contemporary watchmaking. Since then, the model has been used for several creative dial executions, such as the Plissé, Diamond Drops, and Goutte de Rosée editions, as well as the Promenade Transparencies Viridian Green, made in collaboration with Fratello. Now, the same idea returns in a new colour and as part of Czapek’s current collection. 

The new Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue stainless steel case measures 38mm in diameter, 10.8mm thick and 42mm from lug to lug. With its curved lugs and hollowed case flanks, the design is relatively compact and slender. Sapphire crystals on the front and back, both with internal anti-reflective treatment, offer an uninterrupted view of the movement. Water-resistance is 50m.

The Aqua Blue dial, as with the earlier green Transparencies model, isn’t a conventional coloured dial but a sapphire disc with a graduated smoked effect. The blue fumé appearance is created by metallisation on the underside of the sapphire, using a vapour-deposition process. Microscopic metallic dots are applied with varying density, becoming more concentrated towards the outer edge and gradually thinning towards the off-centred small seconds display at 4:30.

The dial is transparent at its centre while becoming more opaque around its periphery, revealing the movement underneath without leaving the entire dial completely exposed. Instead of metallic applied indices used for the Viridian Green version, Czapek uses hand-applied blocks of light blue Super-LumiNova for the Aqua Blue, which glow blue in the dark.

The watch is powered by Calibre SXH7, a fully skeletonised evolution of the brand’s in-house SXH5 movement. The movement was specifically redesigned to be displayed from both sides of the watch. Its seven openworked bridges span the movement and reference the multi-bridge architecture of François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches.

To create a movement that could be viewed from the dial side, Czapek reversed the escapement and reworked the layout of several components, including the crown and keyless works. The small seconds was placed at 4:30 and is driven directly by the fourth wheel. The automatic winding system relies on a micro-rotor with a mass made from 100% recycled platinum. The finishing is visible on both sides, with openworked ratchets, sandblasted rhodium-plated bridges, straight-grained flanks and hand-chamfered angles. The SXH7 operates at 28,800 vibrations/hour and stores 60 hours of power reserve.

The Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue is worn on a dark blue nubuck leather strap, with a stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet offered as an alternative. This new version is limited to 38 pieces and priced at CHF 28,800, EUR 31,700 or USD 40,300, before taxes. For more information, please visit www.czapek.com.