Czapek opens its Geneva flagship at Quai des Bergues 27 and marks the occasion with two limited editions. Full details for GCC collectors.
A Considered Look
- Limited to 18 pieces each — a production constraint that echoes the address of Czapek’s first modern Geneva boutique, Rue de la Corraterie 18 — both editions mark the opening of the new Geneva Watch Days flagship at Quai des Bergues 27.
- The Quai des Bergues “Midnight in Geneva” moves to a new 40.5mm stainless steel case, presenting the dark blue aventurine dial in this diameter for the first time, powered by the hand-wound Calibre SXH1 with a seven-day power reserve.
- Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue is a 10-piece Pt 950 platinum edition carrying Calibre 8, with two independent balance wheels, opposing escapements, and a differential at 12 o’clock.
- Both pieces are available at the new boutique and through authorised retailers worldwide, with immediate delivery on the Quai des Bergues edition.
The Founding Address
At Quai des Bergues 29, in 1839, François Czapek established the atelier that shaped his reputation as one of the defining watchmakers of the nineteenth century. The maison states that this quayside workshop produced some of the most prestigious haute horlogerie pieces of the era. When Czapek & Cie was formally founded on 1 May 1845, the Quai des Bergues remained its point of origin. The revival in 2015 named its inaugural collection after the address; the new boutique at number 27 completes what CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel describes as “an obvious dream that we have had for a long time.”
Design & Mechanics
The 40.5mm case of the new Quai des Bergues “Midnight in Geneva” preserves the curved silhouette and characteristic lug geometry of the original 42.5mm reference, with the lug slope adjusted for fit across a wider range of wrist sizes. The aventurine dial construction demands particular attention at this diameter: rather than carving recesses into the aventurine for the small seconds and power reserve sub-dials, the main dial is cut through entirely, and the sub-dials sit on the underlying base plate at a depth of just 0.4mm. The sapphire caseback remains, exposing the Calibre SXH1.
Complicité Glacier Blue: Movement & Materials
Calibre 8, comprising 293 parts, drives the Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue with a 72-hour power reserve. Two sapphire bridges set with six rubies in gold chatons expose the full gear train. On the reverse, 18 inward angles are hand-chamfered and the bridges and main plate hand-bevelled, finishing that master watchmaker Bernhard Lederer — a founding member of the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) — introduced to this model. The light blue PVD-treated, grainé main plate carries the two opposing balance wheels, each fitted with four adjustment screws, four weights, and a Breguet terminal curve tuned in concert with its counterpart.
Availability & Edition Details
The boutique opened to the public in July 2026, with an inaugural evening on 1 September on the eve of Geneva Watch Days. The Quai des Bergues “Midnight in Geneva” 40.5mm is limited to 18 pieces; the Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue to 10. Both are available at Quai des Bergues 27 and through authorised retailers worldwide. For Gulf collectors, the immediate-delivery status of the Quai des Bergues edition is a practical consideration worth noting early.
| Movement | Quai des Bergues: Calibre SXH1, hand-wound, 7-day power reserve. Place Vendôme Complicité: Calibre 8, manually wound, 293 parts, 72-hour power reserve, double escapement with differential |
| Case size | Quai des Bergues: 40.5mm |
| Case material | Quai des Bergues: stainless steel. Place Vendôme Complicité: Pt 950 platinum |
| Dial | Quai des Bergues: dark blue aventurine glass with cut-through sub-dials on 0.4mm base plate. Place Vendôme Complicité: light blue PVD-treated grainé main plate, rhodium-plated indexes, partially skeletonised sword hands |
| Availability | Czapek Geneva flagship, Quai des Bergues 27, and authorised retailers worldwide; immediate delivery on Quai des Bergues edition |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many pieces of the Czapek Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva 40.5mm are being made?
The edition is limited to 18 pieces, a figure that references the address of Czapek's first modern Geneva boutique at Rue de la Corraterie 18, where the Midnight in Geneva story originated in 2019.
What makes the Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue different from a conventional watch movement?
Calibre 8 features two independent balance wheels beating in opposite directions, each with its own escapement. A differential at 12 o'clock reconciles any rate variation between the two oscillators, creating a self-regulating architecture fully visible on the dial side.
Where can collectors in the Gulf region acquire these Czapek limited editions?
Both pieces are available at the new Czapek flagship at Quai des Bergues 27 in Geneva and through a selection of authorised retailers worldwide; the Quai des Bergues edition offers immediate delivery.
What is the significance of the Quai des Bergues address for Czapek?
François Czapek founded his first Geneva company at Quai des Bergues 29 in 1839, making the quay the original site of the Czapek story. The new flagship at number 27 is the Maison's return to that founding location, nearly two centuries later.
