EXPLORING NACRE: THE ANTARCTIQUE S ICE CLOUD AND PROMENADE MIDNIGHT PEARL
Geneva, February 2026 – Czapek & Cie is introducing two limited edition timepieces that showcase the artistry and technical mastery of mother-of-pearl dial craftsmanship: the Antarctique S Ice Cloud and the Promenade Midnight Pearl. These remarkable watches celebrate the natural beauty and luminous qualities of mother-of-pearl, each employing distinctive techniques that push the boundaries of traditional dial-making.
Mother-of-pearl, or nacre, has long captivated watchmakers and collectors with its iridescent shimmer and organic depth. This natural material, formed from the inner shell layer of molluscs, reflects light in constantly changing patterns, ensuring that no two dials are ever identical. In these new releases, Czapek partners with GT Cadrans, a specialist dial manufacturer near Lausanne, to realize two distinct approaches to mother-of-pearl decoration—each requiring exceptional skill and precision.
Antarctique S Ice Cloud: Clouds Captured in Nacre
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud presents a poetic interpretation of cloud formations in an icy landscape through a rare technique known as nacre brouillée, or scattered mother-of-pearl. This uncommon decorative method, rarely seen in contemporary watchmaking, creates an ethereal effect reminiscent of wisps of clouds drifting across a pale sky.
The process begins with a base of polished white mother-of-pearl, which is then worked to an incredibly thin 0.2mm—roughly the thickness of two sheets of paper. The artisan then applies varnish to the underside of the nacre using a horsehair brush, creating random, cloud-like patterns by hand. Each brushstroke is unique, ensuring every dial possesses its own distinctive character. For the Ice Cloud, a cool, blue-tinted varnish evokes the icy atmosphere of Antarctic skies, perfectly complementing the watch’s sporty-elegant aesthetic.
The technical challenges are considerable. The varnish application requires exceptional control—too little and the effect is lost; too much and the dial becomes too thick for proper assembly. The artisan must also ensure visual consistency across the series while embracing the inherent uniqueness of each piece. Once the decoration is complete, the dial is fired in an oven at over 100°C for hours to permanently set the varnish. Prior to this curing process, mistakes can be corrected by cleaning and restarting; afterward, the work becomes irreversible.
At GT Cadrans, only one specialist artisan possesses the skill to execute this delicate nacre brouillée technique among their workshop of specialized craftspeople. The rarity of this expertise underscores the exclusivity of these timepieces.
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud will be limited to 10 pieces.
Promenade Midnight Pearl: A Patented Innovation
The Promenade Midnight Pearl represents an even more complex achievement—a patented sandwich construction that layers aventurine glass over Tahitian mother-of-pearl. This innovative technique, protected by a patent and executable by only two specialists at GT Cadrans, creates a dial of extraordinary depth and mystery.
The foundation is Tahitian nacre, chosen specifically for its distinctive grey colouring and naturally occurring violet and green iridescent reflections. This 0.2mm-thick mother-of-pearl is then overlaid with blue aventurine glass—a man-made material containing fine metallic particles that create a starlit sparkle. The aventurine is thinned to approximately 0.2mm as well, creating a total dial thickness of around 0.4mm—thinner than a standard credit card.
Achieving this delicate balance presents formidable technical obstacles. The assembly of these two fragile materials must be done entirely by hand, with extraordinary precision. The subsequent machining—cutting the dial’s outer diameter, centre hole, and appliqué positions—demands careful programming on CNC equipment to avoid damage. The greatest challenge comes during the creation of the small seconds subdial at 4:30, where a groove must be precisely milled into the aventurine layer without compromising the underlying nacre or the tight thickness tolerances.
The aventurine layer’s extreme thinness makes it highly susceptible to breakage during the thinning process, requiring patient skill and experience. The reward for this painstaking work is a dial that glows with an otherworldly luminescence—the Tahitian nacre’s natural shimmer filtered through the starry aventurine creates an effect evocative of midnight skies reflected in still waters.
Within the 38 pieces limited edition, each of the Promenade Midnight Pearl dial is unique, as both the aventurine’s sparkle distribution and the mother-of-pearl’s iridescence vary from piece to piece. While the artisans ensure that the nacre’s fire—the angle at which its luster becomes most visible—remains consistent across watches, natural variations in the materials guarantee that no two dials are identical.
“These two timepieces represent Czapek’s commitment to creative craftsmanship and artistic innovation,” says Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek. “The Antarctique Ice Cloud and Promenade Midnight Pearl each showcase different facets of mother-of-pearl’s captivating beauty, transformed through techniques that demand patience, skill, and an intimate understanding of natural materials. The expertise of the master artisans at GT Cadrans then brings our creative vision to life.”
Alexis Chevalier of GT Cadrans adds: “Working on these projects for Czapek has been both challenging and immensely rewarding. The nacre brouillée technique requires a delicate touch and years of experience, while our patented mother-of-pearl and aventurine sandwich construction pushes the limits of what’s technically possible. Each dial is a testament to the skill of our specialized craftspeople, and we take great pride in creating these unique pieces.”
Independent Manufacture Excellence
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud, presented in a 38.5mm stainless steel case, is powered by Czapek’s acclaimed in-house Calibre SXH5. This automatic movement, entirely conceived and developed by Czapek, features a distinctive off-center micro-rotor crafted from 100% recycled platinum 950. The movement’s seven skeletonized bridges—inspired by François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches—reveal an architecture of remarkable visual harmony and transparency. Beating at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) with a variable-inertia balance wheel fitted with four gold adjustable weights, the SXH5 delivers exceptional precision and an impressive 60-hour power reserve from a single barrel. The movement showcases haute horlogerie finishing throughout, including hand-chamfered inward angles, bevelled edges, straight-grained bridge sides, and sandblasted black bridges.
The Promenade Midnight Pearl in 38mm stainless steel is driven by the Calibre SXH5.1, a refined variant of the manufacture movement that features a small seconds display at 4:30 rather than center seconds. This modification perfectly complements the asymmetric dial design while maintaining the same exceptional technical specifications: 30mm diameter, 4.2mm height, 127 components, 26 jewels, and the same 60-hour power reserve. Both movements embody Czapek’s commitment to creating visually stunning calibers that inspire both the heart and the intellect—movements that are as captivating to observe through the sapphire caseback as they are technically accomplished.
Since 2022, Czapek has established itself as a fully independent manufacture, developing its movements in-house while collaborating with Switzerland’s finest craftspeople for cases, dials, and specialized components. This approach allows the brand to benefit from the highest levels of expertise across all aspects of watchmaking while maintaining complete creative control and independence. With the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds and headquarters in Geneva, Czapek stands as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary independent watchmaking.
