Get ready for a watch journey like no other at WatchTime New York 2023 ! Set in Manhattan’s Gotham Hall on October 20-22, this three-day celebration of watches will immerse you in the world of watchmaking excellence— offering presentations on brand, enlightening industry discussions and many hands-on meetings with some of the industry insiders. The most special watches of the year. Among the esteemed watchmakers participating in the event is Czapek & Cie, presenting their Place Vendôme Complicité in white and rose gold versions.
The new watch was launched last month as a unique reinterpretation of the double escapement that houses the watch first created in 1930. Its unique name, “Place Vendôme,” comes from inspiration from an iconic square in the first arrondissement in Paris, where François Czapek, a 19th-century Polish-Czech watchmaker who influenced the creation of the brand founded in 2015, opened first watchmaking shop after becoming the official watchmaker to Napoleon III in 1845. The “Complicité” part of the name refers to the engineering and technical collaboration required to create the watch , as the “complicity” between two independent escapements that work together for its movement.
The watch itself comes in two variations, including an 18k rose gold option with a navy dial called the Place Vendôme Complicité Harmony ( featured in this article ), as well as an 18k white gold version with a silver-tone dial called Place. Vendôme Complicité Stardust. Both opt for a 41.8mm case reminiscent of previous models in the larger Place Vendôme collection, notably the use of a stylized, enlarged crown body, integrated with raised and elongated guards delicate. Clever use of brushed and polished surfaces accentuates the style, while an alligator strap secures the watch to the wrist.
The Complicité’s dial is certainly where the watch shines, with its arrangement configured in pyramid-like channels—complete with the collection’s signature subdials used for the escapement. dual and its third sub-dial at the midnight position is used for the difference between them. Between these three spaces and their various mechanical elements, a kinetic sculpture is formed, while the appropriate decorations and hands applied all signify the passage of time.
Other components of Czapek’s in-house Caliber 8 movement are revealed via two sapphire bridges on the dial, protected by a box-style sapphire crystal. Distinctive triangular bridges suspend the balance elements, creating a captivating combination of colors and materials while inviting you to explore the intricacies of the movement. The crown wheel mechanism, characteristic of watchmaker Bernhard Lederer, is delicately integrated into the movement design as a tribute to his contribution to the development of Complicité.
Premium finishing adorns both the dial and back of the movement, with meticulously hand-chamfered 18 inward corners. The caliber is manually wound and offers a generous 72-hour power reserve, with remaining power indicated via a scale at 6 o’clock between the balance wheels.
The Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité is offered in a limited run of 50 pieces per iteration, with a marked price of CHF 85,000, or about $95,000 USD at the time of writing.
