Czapek & Cie has introduced the Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue, a 38-piece limited edition featuring a 38mm stainless steel case and a vapor-deposition sapphire dial. Retailing at CHF 28,800, the watch showcases the skeletonized in-house Calibre SXH7, pairing transparent design with modern mechanical architecture.
The Vapor-Deposition Sapphire Dial and Fumé Gradient
Expanding on the aesthetic framework established by earlier variants, the independent watchmaking brand has returned to the translucent sapphire dial concept. Rather than using a conventionally pigmented crystal, the brand applies a microscopic metallic coating to the underside of a clear sapphire disc through a precise vapor-deposition technique. Microscopic metallic dots, measuring approximately eight microns wide, are metallized with varying density across the dial surface. The density increases near the outer edge while remaining sparse toward the small seconds sub-dial located at 4:30. This process creates a fumé gradient that shifts from transparent clarity at the center to deep opacity around the periphery.
The dial execution differs from previous iterations in its selection of hour markers. While the earlier green edition utilized wedge-shaped metallic markers, the Oracle Time version adopts solid batons of light blue Super-LumiNova applied directly to the sapphire crystal. These slimmer profiles blend into the sapphire coloration and glow blue in the dark, giving the markers a floating visual effect over the exposed movement.
Inside the Calibre SXH7 Skeletonized Movement
The mechanical core of the watch is the in-house Calibre SXH7, a fully skeletonized evolution of the foundational SXH5 movement. Designed specifically to be viewed from both sides, the movement features seven openworked bridges that reference the multi-bridge architecture of François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches. To achieve legibility and visual exposure from the dial side, engineers inverted the entire escapement, adjusted the layout of the keyless works, and positioned the small seconds directly onto the fourth wheel.
Powering the automatic system is a micro-rotor machined from 100 percent recycled platinum, featuring intricate engraving on both sides. The movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a 60-hour power reserve. Finishing details include sandblasted rhodium-plated bridges, straight-grained flanks, hand-chamfered angles, and openworked ratchets.
“[The] Transparencies [line] plays with the excitement of seeing some details yet not all of them, letting our imagination figure out the rest of the gearing, like the organs of a beautiful body.”
Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie
Case Dimensions and Exterior Proportions
The mechanical components are housed in a stainless steel case measuring 38mm in diameter, 10.8mm in thickness, and 42mm from lug to lug. The profile utilizes curved lugs and hollowed case flanks, maintaining a compact silhouette intended to slip easily under a dress cuff. Sapphire crystals with internal anti-reflective treatments protect both the front dial and the display case back, while water-resistance is rated at 50 meters.
Worn on a dark blue nubuck leather strap, the watch is also offered with a stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet as an alternative option.
Production Limits, Pricing, and Market Comparison
The Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue is restricted to a production run of 38 pieces worldwide. Pricing is set at CHF 28,800, EUR 31,700, or USD 40,300 before taxes, with approximate regional figures landing at £26,220 to £27,100 depending on the exact currency valuation. This pricing aligns closely with the previous green iteration, which retailed at approximately £26,500.
The release reflects the brand’s manufacturing model, which combines in-house design by movement specialist Dan Martinez and in-house assembly with specialized external partners. These partners include Atokalpa for escapements and regulators, Générale de Ressorts for mainsprings and barrels, AB Product for movement components, Vaucher and Chronode for complications, and Metalam and Donzé Cadrans for dial engineering.
