Swiss luxury watchmaker Czapek & Cie presents Place Vendôme Complicité “Courage Every Second”, a unique timepiece created to support the Only Watch 2023 charity auction.
Czapek & Cie has been a supporter of the prestigious biannual charity event since 2017. For its debut appearance, the brand created the Quai des Bergues ‘Courage every second’ watch in collaboration with the acclaimed dial maker Donzé Cadrans. It features a one-off enamel dial with a hidden secret phrase in the form of Czapek’s special words: ‘Courage every second’. Since then, Czapek has combined the Only Watch rules with its secret phrase.
Subsequently, brand created unique timepieces for the Only Watch 2019 and 2021 editions. Now, for the 10th edition of the event, Czapek & Cie is presenting a one-of-a-kind timepiece from its Place Vendôme Complicité collection.
In accordance with the official colours of Only Watch 2023, Czapek has played with all of the ingredients, uniting outstanding enamel work with an exceptional new dual-escapement movement featuring a massive differential gear at 12o’clock. The brand is also taking this occasion to reveal the first execution of the timepiece that will become the newest addition to its Place Vendôme Complicité collection.
The unique piece created for Only Watch 2023 comes in a stainless steel case rather than the precious metals that will be used for the production models. The dial is encircled by a strikingly colourful champlevé enamel ring created by its partner Donzé Cadrans .
Bringing together all of the Only Watch 2023 colours, the lozenge pattern of the enamel work was inspired by ripples on the surface of Lake Geneva, while also giving a subtle nod to the Only Watch graphics.
While the ‘Courage every second’ motto discreetly signs the dial on the minutes rail-track, a second aphorism ‘A friendship story’, is engraved on the wheel bridge on the reverse side.
The Czapek & Cie Place Vendôme Complicité “Courage Every Second” watch is equipped with the Calibre 8, an open-worked double escapement created in collaboration with acclaimed Swiss master watchmaker Bernhard Lederer.
Technical details
Model: Czapek & Cie Only Watch 2023 Place Vendôme Complicité “Courage Every Second” Unique Piece
Movement
Calibre 8 created in collaboration with Bernhard Lederer
Open-work Double escapement with open differential gearing
Power-reserve: 72 hours
Variable inertia balance wheels
2 Sapphire bridges
6 gold settings
Hand-beveling on bridges and main plate
18 inward angles hand-chamfered
Functions
Hours, Minutes, Seconds & Power reserve indicator
Open-work Double- escapement with differential gearing at 12 o’clock
Case
Stainless steel case with domed sapphire
Diameter: 41.8 mm
Height: 12.4 mm
Sapphire glass with double anti-reflective treatment
Dial
Multi-color Champlevé enamel ring created in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans
Color palette of Only Watch 2023
Circular satin-polished brass flange (réhaut) with Czapek’s Only Watch “Courage every second” signature
Partially skeletonized sword hands
Bracelet
Alligator strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Estimate
CHF 80,000 – 100,000
