Czapek's Promenade L'Écume des Jours: 18 steel pieces with blue enamel, jade and mother-of-pearl dial, Calibre SXH5.1. Available in the Middle East.
The Headline Facts
- Laser-cut from titanium and finished in miniature painting, the water lily seconds hand at 4:30 is the visual centrepiece of this 18-piece limited edition from Czapek & Cie, announced in Geneva in September 2026.
- The dial layers blue enamel, mother-of-pearl and jade, produced in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans and atelier MD’Art.
- Power comes from the in-house Calibre SXH5.1, with a micro-rotor in recycled 950 platinum and a 60-hour power reserve.
- Each of the 18 pieces is delivered with a copy of Boris Vian’s 1947 novel L’Écume des Jours.
Origins: A Novel, a Pianocktail and a Water Lily
Eighteen pieces trace their starting point to a 1947 French novel.
Boris Vian’s L’Écume des Jours gave Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel the first reference. “I have always been an avid reader of Boris Vian,” he states in the press release. “His fantasy and imagination, but also his rebellious and surrealist spirit, ran through my youth.” Two inventions from the novel crossed into the watch: the pianocktail, Colin’s mood-reading musical instrument, and the water lily that takes root in Chloé’s lung, a metaphor for fragile love. Both appear on the dial.
The Making: Three Materials, Two Ateliers
Czapek designer Chloé Desbiolles shaped the brief around the novel’s two central motifs.
Donzé Cadrans produces the blue enamel base dial, its logo applied via a silvered powder decal. From there, craftsmen at MD’Art laser-lower the recesses that receive the mother-of-pearl ring, hand-painting its black keys. A jade disc is then set beneath the seconds display and further laser-worked to form the seconds track. The titanium water lily hand is laser-cut, painted in miniature and positioned at centre over the jade during movement assembly.
The movement beneath holds its own specifics. The Calibre SXH5.1 measures 30mm in diameter and 4.2mm in height, comprising 127 components and 26 jewels across seven skeletonised bridges. The variable-inertia balance carries four gold inertia-blocks and beats at 4Hz. A single barrel delivers 8Nmm of torque for a 60-hour power reserve.
The Watch in Context
At 38mm in stainless steel, the case pairs a domed sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback, both anti-reflective, with 50-metre water resistance. A dark blue nubuck strap ships as standard; a Milanese mesh bracelet in stainless steel is offered as an alternative. Before retail delivery, the 18 pieces will be presented to the international press at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, guided by Nicole Bertolt, who oversees the Boris Vian heritage estate. Each watch arrives in a special edition box containing a copy of the novel.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Movement | Automatic Calibre SXH5.1, 4Hz, 60-hour power reserve, micro-rotor in recycled 950 platinum, 127 components, 26 jewels |
| Case size | 38mm |
| Case material | Stainless steel |
| Dial | Blue enamel, mother-of-pearl, jade; piano key flange; titanium water lily seconds hand |
| Strap | Dark blue nubuck; stainless steel Milanese mesh available |
| Water resistance | 50 metres |
| Price | Not stated |
| Availability | Czapek authorised retailers worldwide, the Geneva boutique and czapek.com |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many pieces of the Czapek Promenade L'Écume des Jours are being made?
The Promenade L'Écume des Jours is a limited edition of 18 pieces, each delivered in a special edition box containing a copy of Boris Vian's novel of the same name.
What movement powers the Czapek Promenade L'Écume des Jours?
The watch houses Czapek's in-house Calibre SXH5.1, an automatic movement beating at 4Hz with a 60-hour power reserve, driven by a micro-rotor in recycled 950 platinum and comprising 127 components across seven skeletonised bridges.
Where can I buy the Czapek Promenade L'Écume des Jours in the Middle East?
The piece is available through Czapek authorised retailers worldwide, the Geneva boutique and czapek.com. Collectors in the Middle East should contact an authorised retailer or the maison directly via czapek.com.
What is the case size of the Czapek Promenade L'Écume des Jours?
The watch is presented in a 38mm stainless steel case with a domed sapphire crystal, sapphire caseback and water resistance to 50 metres.
What materials are used in the dial of the Czapek L'Écume des Jours?
The dial combines a blue enamel base produced by Donzé Cadrans with a laser-worked mother-of-pearl ring, a jade disc beneath the seconds display, and a titanium water lily seconds hand finished in miniature painting, assembled in collaboration with the atelier MD'Art.
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