Czapek & Cie enriches its collections with the Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green chronograph. This short-time measuring instrument, produced in steel in a limited edition of 18 pieces, boasts a dial combining a clever guilloché pattern with an “English green” whose elegance underlines its uninhibited sportiness. Powered by the SXH3 integrated high-frequency automatic chronograph caliber, it embodies the entire philosophy of the maison: the intelligent interweaving of watchmaking arts with the spirit of an era resolutely focused on a tireless race toward modernity and innovation.

In fact, this chronograph, with its rare elegance and sporty accents, is produced in 316L surgical steel. Its 41.5 mm-diameter case is both timeless and particularly well-suited to this active complication, appealing to lovers of “versatile sportiness” and adaptable to literally any situation — “from marathon to evening wear,” as Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie, likes to say. To achieve this, the 5-atmosphere water-resistant case is lightened by the presence of lugs and flanks refined by delicately sandblasted recesses, and by the integration of the two chronograph pushers into the extension of the crown guard.

For this urban collection with a sporty-chic accent, the choice was made to place the tachymeter scale on the periphery of the dial, where the flange is usually located. Once the timing has been started, this discreet scale allows the average speed over a distance of one kilometer to be read. Very useful at the dawn of the twentieth century, it enabled the pilots of the first automobiles and aircraft to determine the speed of their “strange machines,” which were not yet equipped with modern instrument panels.

Today, despite the widespread use of electronic aids, this display remains one of the most appreciated by enthusiasts. Its presence required the diameter of the dial on which the guilloché is applied to be reduced. However, to preserve its harmonious proportions, the 30-minute and 12-hour counters have been reworked. Recessed in relation to the surface, their periphery has been diamond-polished and their centers have been given a discreet circular azurage treatment. These treatments, which are complex to execute — especially on a guilloché dial — provide both a strong presence and excellent legibility. Also present at 6 o’clock is the very sober small seconds indicator, which blends into the decor, as does the date aperture featuring a semi-instantaneous jumping date.

The Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green chronograph dial is once again engineered by one of the company’s historic dialmakers and partners: Metalem. As with the last two versions of this chronograph, a reinterpretation of the “Double Soleil” guilloché created for the Quai des Bergues 40.5 mm models has been favored here. For the Faubourg de Cracovie collection, however, the motif is straighter and more deeply engraved to evoke the “profile” of a sports car tire.

This decoration is also a subliminal allusion to Czapek’s position at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. This guilloché, with its “Victory Green” tint obtained by PVD treatment, allows the contemporary design to evolve according to different angles of observation, helping to enhance legibility by reducing incident light reflections.

The Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green chronograph is powered by an integrated high-frequency (5 Hz) self-winding chronograph caliber. This movement, bearing the reference SXH3, was developed in 2018 by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and adapted to Czapek’s specific requirements. The fruit of more than six years of research and development, it incorporates the very best technical solutions for both the movement and the chronograph functions.

Visible through the transparent sapphire crystal caseback, the movement is 30 mm in diameter (13 ¼ lines) and 6.95 mm thick. This ensures that the chronograph maintains a strong yet relatively contained presence on the wrist. In addition, the plate and bridges — sandblasted, anthracite-treated, and widely openworked — feature hand-beveled finishes designed to emphasize their profile.

The 22-carat pink gold oscillating weight is widely skeletonized and features a bi-directional winding system ensuring nearly 65 hours of power reserve. Moreover, the skeletonization of the oscillating weight reveals various components such as the circular-grained wheels, polished flat screws, the polished column wheel, and the high-frequency regulating unit.

The latter features a variable-inertia balance (with 4 gold adjusting screws) that oscillates at a rate of 36,000 vibrations per hour (5Hz). It uses a classic flat balance-spring made of a stable metal alloy with an unlimited service life. Compared to the vast majority of today’s mechanical movements, this high speed ensures 1/10^th of a second timekeeping accuracy, better chronometric performance in action, and greater resistance to shocks. This chronograph proudly carries COSC chronometer certification.

Finally, to offer owners of these 18 pieces an exceptional experience, a vertical clutch has been integrated into the mechanism. This prevents the hand from “jumping” at the start of a measurement and allows the user to leave the central chronograph hand running permanently without affecting timekeeping accuracy. It also features efficient linear hammers which ensure the perfect return of the chronograph hands to zero.

The Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green chronograph can be worn on a hand-sewn calfskin or Alcantara strap with a deploying buckle. Priced at CHF 32,000 (exclusive of tax), it will be available at official Czapek retailers worldwide, at the Czapek & Cie boutique in Geneva, and at czapek.com.