Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The New Czapek Antarctique Mount Erebus with Stone Dials
Harvesting Mother Nature's bounties, the Mount Erebus displays an irresistible mix of solid gold and natural stone.
Just five years after its launch, Czapek responded to a request from friends and shareholders for a luxury sports watch. Released in 2020, the elegant Antarctique sports watch, featuring an integrated bracelet and powered by the brand’s first in-house calibre, was a fresh face on the scene. Responding to yet another request from clients, Czapek applied the Midas touch to the Antarctique and dressed it from head to toe in gold with the release of the Mount Erebus in 2024. The name of the watch is taken from Mount Erebus, an active volcano in Antarctica that emits microscopic gold particles in its plume. The latest adventure for the gold Antarctique is the incorporation of natural stone dials.
It’s fair to say that the watchmaking industry is enjoying a second Stone Age as brands, high and low, warm to natural stone dials. Czapek, no stranger to textures and colourful dials, embraces the stone dial trend with gusto. For the new trilogy of stone dials, Czapek turned to Gemmes-Tech, which sourced the hard stones from around the world. The intense blue lapis lazuli is from Afghanistan, the falcon’s eye is from South Africa, and the green meteorite is from Namibia. All three editions feature applied indices and hands that match the case, filled with luminescent material. Notably, the date window has been eliminated due to the difficulty involved in working with hard stone.
First seen on the stainless steel 40.5mm Antarctique in 2024, the green meteorite looks even more spectacular on board the yellow gold model. Using a slice of the Gibeon meteorite, the crystalline Windmanstätten patterns are revealed by acid etching and covered with a translucent green lacquer.
Combined with a warmer rose gold case, the electric blue lapis lazuli edition sparkles – discreetly – with the golden flecks of pyrite. Working with lapis lazuli is a delicate process, and shaping it without fracturing it is an art. Falcon’s eye is an opaque gemstone distinguished by its chatoyance or shimmering cat’s eye optical effect produced by the fibrous inclusions. Also paired with a rose gold case, the stones selected display orangish stripes and inclusions.
Sharing identical specifications with earlier editions, the sleek 40.5mm gold cases have a lean height of 10.6mm, 120 metres of water-resistance and superb finishes. Delivered with an integrated brushed gold bracelet featuring polished C-links and an easy-release system, the watch can also be paired with a rubber strap and gold deployant buckle.
The in-house calibre SXH5 is wound by a platinum micro-rotor and features seven bridges, including the openworked transversal bridge securing the variable inertia balance wheel. It beats at 28,800vph and delivers a robust 60-hour power reserve on one barrel.
The Lapis Lazuli and Falcon Eye are limited to 10 pieces per year; the Green Meteor is a limited edition of 8 pieces. Prices vary from CHF 66,000 for the Lapis Lazuli, CHF 63,000 for the Green Meteor and CHF 62,000 for the Falcon Eye. For more information about the Czapek Antarctique Mount Erebus Rare Stones, please visit czapek.com.
