A Sports Watch with Soul

Since its relaunch only a few years ago, Czapek has found a loyal fan base, drawn to the brand not only for its historical connections, but also for its unique combination of traditional watchmaking, uniquely modern movement design, as well as transparency about and reverence for their production partners.

From the start, we've admired the Czapek Antarctique for its distinct position in haute horlogerie sports watch category. While many can be austere, the Antarctique offers a romantic – and decidedly Czapek – take on the format.

Our goal with this project was to amplify what makes the Antarctique so distinct, which led us to explore the age-old craft of enameling. And when considering how to approach a sports watch with an enamel dial, we were immediately inspired by Hawaiian water sport.

Lanikai Beach on the island of O‘ahu in Hawaiʻi.

P.04 Lanikai

The P.04 takes its inspiration from the legendary Lanikai Beach on the island of O‘ahu. Our goal was to create a sports watch that honors Hawaiʻi’s rich tradition of water sport – from surfing to outrigger canoeing – by evoking the unique quality of its waters. As a result, the watch's aquamarine enamel wave dial and sand-colored seconds hand recall Lanikai's shore.

The P.04's dial is the result of three years of design, development and prototyping.

A Three-year Journey of Water, Light and Shadow

The P.04 is the result of three years of creative development, design, and prototyping among Collective, Czapek and their production partners.

For the dial in particular, Czapek turned to legendary enamelers Donzé Cadrans. Together, the group began a years-long process to develop a dial that would capture not just the color but also the texture and motion of Hawaiʻi’s waters.

To do so, the dial has several unique qualities: First, the watch uses concave gold dial base to achieve the impression of variable depth. Next, the dial blank is stamped from a mold of hand-engraved waves. Finally, the dialmaker layers on and fires the enamel, based on a color palette evocative of the Pacific Ocean.

The combined result of the concave dial shape, waves and enamel finish creates the effect of light and shadows dancing through the water.

Given this new, complex approach to enameling, the process of developing and prototyping the dial alone took over a year, with countless samples rejected along the way until the final product met Czapek's high standards.

The P.04 features a no-date version of the Calibre SXH5.

Specifications

MOVEMENT

• Calibre SXH5: Czapek's in house self-winding mechanical movement
• Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds
• Diameter: 30 mm – 13 lines ¼
• Height: 4.2 mm
• Number of parts: 193
• Jewels: 28
• Swiss lever escapement, variable-inertia balance fitted with four gold inertia-blocks
• Frequency: 4 Hz – 28800 VpH
• Power winding system: Micro rotor with an 100% recycled platinum mass
• Power-reserve > 60 hours on one single barrel
• Barrel torque: 8.8 Nmm
• Finish: Open ratchets, sandblasted black bridges, bevelling, straight-grained sides, six hand-chamfered inward angles

CASE

• Stainless steel case 
• 40.5 mm diameter 
• Height: 10.6 mm 
• Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment ARDur© 
• Sapphire crystal case-back with anti-reflective treatment 
• Water-resistance: 120 meters (12 atm) 
• Screwed-down crown

BRACELET

• New integrated bracelet with screw-through links and updated case integration
• Czapek exclusive "Easy Release" system and micro-adjustment device 
• Additional rubber strap

DIAL

• Enamel wave dial by Donzé Cadrans

HANDS

• Luminescent, steel "Sword" hands

Acknowledgements

First, we want to thank all Collective members – both current and new – for supporting these projects and contributing to our community. Without you, none of this is possible. We of course want to thank the team at Czapek – especially Xavier de Roquemaurel and Mike Margolis – for believing in Collective and teaming up with us on this creative endeavor. We must also acknowledge Czapek's incredible artisan partners who worked with us over years to perfect this watch – Claude-Eric of Donzé Cadrans and master engraver Michèle. Thanks as well to our incredible team without whom we would not have been able to bring this project into the world: Zach Piña (photography), Ed Rhee (video), Geoff Allen (design), Mike Margolis (import) and Laetitia Hirschy (communications). Finally, we'd be remiss not to acknowledge the friends and mentors who have supported Collective from the very start: Josh Shapiro, Danny Goldsmith, Thierry Collot, Romain Marietta, Mike DiMartini, Josh Licht, Mike Margolis, and especially Rob Caplan of Topper Jewelers. Thank you. Collective is our labor of love, and you make that a reality.