Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Czapek Antarctique with a Frozen Meteor Dial in Two Case Sizes
A slice of prehistoric meteorite treated with blue lacquer conjures Antarctica’s polar landscapes.
Launched in 2020, the Antarctique is Czapek’s distinctive take on the integrated luxury sports watch powered by the brand’s first in-house calibre. Although the Antarctique has embraced complications, the go-to model is the more straightforward time-only reference, often featuring textured dials, like the successful Passage de Drake editions. Following the Antarctique Green Meteor, Czapek proposes limited editions with icy cool Frozen Meteor dials in 40.5mm and 38.5mm stainless steel cases, featuring the new V2 integrated bracelet.
With no complications to distract from the display, the time-only Antarctique has become a canvas for different dial finishes. Since its debut in 2020 with the shimmering lamé textures of the Terre Adélie, the collection offers a wide spectrum of options – from the signature “Stairway to Eternity” stamped pattern of the Passage de Drake to more sober interpretations such as the Titanium Dark Sector. Along the way, it has incorporated stone dials like the Royal Onyx with baguette-cut sapphire markers, as well as poetic executions like the Polar Sky with its glittering blue aventurine. More recently, Czapek unveiled the Mount Erebus with vibrant coloured stone dials and the soft, iridescent dial of the Ice Cloud, crafted from light blue mother-of-pearl.
The name Antarctique naturally lends itself to polar landscape colours and the blue tonalities of the dial might evoke polar ice at dusk or, conversely, raw denim. Produced for Czapek by dial specialist GT Cadrans, the dial is made from a sliver of Gibeon meteorite that crash-landed on Earth (in what is now Namibia) approximately 600 million years ago. The natural silvery-grey surface of the meteorite is acid-washed and hand-polished to reveal the Widmanstätten lines, then light blue lacquer is applied and eventually polished. The applied indices and sword-shaped hands have a luminescent inlay.
The distinctive flat, brushed, barrel-shaped case of the Antarctique, with its round, polished, sloping bezel and crown guards, remains unchanged. The new Frozen Meteor is available in 38.5mm and 40.5mm stainless steel cases with a shared height of 10.6mm and a depth rating of 120 metres. Both are fitted with a glassbox sapphire crystal over the dial and a sapphire crystal on the caseback.
The new V2 generation of the integrated steel bracelet, also outsourced to bracelet specialists STL Swiss and RD Manufacture, features the signature C-shaped polished central links and contrasting brushed outer surfaces. However, the tighter machining tolerances lead to greater consistency link to link, sharper transitions at edges and angles, and reduced play between components for a more solid and defined feel on the wrist. The redesigned clasp replaces the rotating locking mechanism with a tool-free, quick-change system activated by a push button.
The view from the reverse reveals Czapek’s in-house automatic calibre SXH5 wound by a platinum micro-rotor. Distinguished by seven black openworked and sandblasted bridges, including the transversal bridge securing the variable inertia balance wheel, it beats at 28,800vph and delivers a robust 60-hour power reserve on one barrel.
It’s worth noting that two emblematic Passage de Drake models – the Black Ink and Ice White in 40.5mm and 38.5mm cases – will be discontinued today (30 June 2026). The 40.5mm edition of the Frozen Meteor is limited to 38 pieces, while the more compact 38.5m is limited to 25 pieces. Both share a retail price of CHF 25,000 / EUR 27,500 (excl. tax) and are now available to order, with deliveries slated for September 2026.
More information at Czapek.com.
