One of the most successful launches of the Geneva Watch Days 2021 event was that of the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante, a limited edition of 77 pieces that has already completely sold out. Why are we talking about it then? Because it’s a horological masterpiece and it would be wrong not to give you an insight into why models like this are worth keeping an eye out for in the future.
It’s hard to believe that it was only last year when the Czapek Antarctique collection was launched, not just because of the persistent pandemic, but because it has become such a staple in the luxury watch brand’s portfolio. Twelve months ago, the Czapek Antarctique marked the manufacturer’s debut into the world of luxury sports watches with a successful introduction of time-only designs. Now, the series expands with a new split-seconds chronograph movement. Suitably named the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante, the watch completely polarizes it’s time-only counterparts with a stunning skeletonised movement visible on the dial side.
“The Antarctique line was released in 2020 as the epitome of sporty elegance,” says CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel. “It was calling for a complication that would amaze our aficionados.”
A split seconds chronograph, otherwise known as Rattrapante, is a rare and complex complication. It roughly translates from the French word for “catch up” and is ultimately characterised by its two chronograph seconds hands superimposed over each other. This means you can time two events of different lengths simultaneously. How does it work? With the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Limited Edition, you would press the pusher at 2 o’clock to allow the start of both chronograph seconds hand. Then, the 10 o’clock pushers allows you to stop and read an intermediate time while the other hand continues to run. A second push and the Rattrapante hand will catch up with the moving one.
Powering the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante is Czapek’s proprietary calibre created in collaboration with Chronode, the SHX6. The 292-part movement has been carefully designed from both a mechanical and aesthetic standpoint allowing for optimal levels of performance and precision while also ensuring a slender, streamlined finish of the stainless steel case. Its construction is also wonderfully finished so that it can be admired through both the exhibition case back and the dial, the latter being an unmissable feature of the limited edition. The dial of the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante watch showcases the movement’s two column wheels, horizontal clutch and rattrapante clamp alongside the two subsidiary dials for the minute totalizer and small seconds. At the very centre, a tripod bridge holds together the patented satellite minute train and the patent-pending split-seconds mechanism.
Turning the watch over and you can continue to enjoy the mastery of the SHX6 automatic winding movement including its inertia balance held under a full bridge and a pink gold oscillating rotor engraved with the Czapek logo. The calibre also impresses with a power reserve of 60 hours and a frequency of 28,800vph. The rest of the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Limited Edition follows in the footsteps of it’s time-only predecessors with an integrated stainless steel bracelet, matching stainless steel case, box-sapphire crystal glass and a water resistance of 120 metres. The case measures to 42.5mm in diameter and 15.3mm in height.
As we said, the 77 limited edition pieces of the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante watch has already sold out, but you can still shop other pieces in the Antarctique collection on the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, if you’d like to be informed when novelties like this are released in the future, get in touch with our team by calling 01355 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
Specifications: Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante Limited Edition Watch
- Case Size: 42.5mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Fixed
- Glass: Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Case Back: Exhibition
- Water Resistance: 120 metres
- Movement: Proprietary calibre SXH6, automatic
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, split-seconds Monopusher chronograph, chronograph minutes
- Power Reserve: 60 hours
- Jewels: 49
- Frequency: 28,800vph
- Dial: Skeleton, blue sword hands with Superluminova
- Strap: Integrated stainless steel bracelet
- Buckle: Folding
- RRP: £44,600
- Limited Edition: 77 pieces
