Swiss watchmaker Czapek has introduced a new timepiece, Promenade L’Écume des Jours, which reinterprets the surrealist French novel "L’Écume des Jours" by Boris Vian. Published in 1947, the novel tells the story of Colin and Chloé, and Czapek's watch brings this narrative to life through intricate details. The watch is part of Czapek's Promenade collection, which serves as a platform for creative expression.
The Promenade L’Écume des Jours features a compact 38mm stainless steel case with a 10.8mm thickness, making it suitable for formal wear. The case has a polished finish on the main surfaces and a satin finish on the sides, creating a contrast between shiny and discreet areas. The watch is protected by a curved sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating and has a water resistance of 50 meters.
The dial of the Promenade L’Écume des Jours is a work of art, featuring Czapek's signature "Goutte d'Eau" motif, created by Donzé Cadrans. The motif is inspired by the ripples caused by a drop of water on a calm surface, giving the impression of movement around the small seconds at 4:30. The small seconds counter takes the form of a jade leaf engraved with a laser, supporting the seconds scale. A laser-cut and hand-painted titanium water lily flower rotates at the same rate as the seconds.
The watch also features a piano keyboard surrounding the dial, paying homage to the "pianococktail" from the novel. This element is realized using a white nacre ring representing the piano keys, with black keys painted by hand. The hour and minute hands have a skeletal arrow shape, allowing for a clearer view of the dial. The artistic elements were created by MD'Art, a specialist in artistic dials.
The Promenade L’Écume des Jours is powered by the SXH5.1 automatic movement, developed in-house by Czapek. This movement has a contemporary architecture with historical references to 19th-century pocket watches by François Czapek. The movement measures 30mm in diameter and 4.2mm in thickness, with a platinum micro-rotor. It has a 60-hour power reserve and a frequency of 4Hz.
The movement features 127 components, 26 rubies, and seven bridges with a black satin finish. The balance bridge is reminiscent of historical pocket watches associated with François Czapek. The watch is limited to 18 pieces and is priced at 26,800 CHF, 28,800 euros, or 37,700 US dollars, excluding taxes.
Czapek's Promenade L’Écume des Jours is a unique blend of high-end watchmaking and artistic storytelling, transforming a French literary classic into a mechanical timepiece for collectors. The watch comes with a dark blue nubuck strap and a steel Milanese bracelet option.
Key points
- The watch features a unique dial with a water lily and piano keyboard design.
- The watch is limited to 18 pieces and is priced at 26,800 CHF.
- The watch is powered by the in-house SXH5.1 automatic movement.
