Czapek & Cie Quai des Bregues Emerald Green L Watch Review

The release of two new envy-inducing Quai des Bregues watches from Czapek & Cie not only points to a mark of respect to the company’s heritage but signifies the revisiting of the brand’s first calibre. I hereby declare the story of the Quai des Bregues watch collection and its significance for enthusiasts around the world today with the release of the new Czapek & Cie Quai des Bregues Emerald Green L watch

The two new Czapek & Cie Quai des Bregues watches boast a Sapphire Blue dial and an Emerald Green dial. Both models feature the letter L in their title, referring to their larger size of 42.5mm compared to their much smaller ancestors measuring 38.5mm (S letter in their title). The company skips a medium size in this range, though it would be interesting to see how this would bridge the gap between the two. This 4mm size increase is a vast step up from its smaller siblings, yet the new Emerald Green L watch somehow manages to balance its proportions on the wrist nicely, thanks to lugs that pull the strap neatly towards the wrist and the smooth rounded flow of its stainless steel case.

The new Emerald Green L model from the Quai des Bregues collection features the familiar flinqué enamel dial, executed with an eye-catching and intricately detailed “ricochet” pattern. The technique is taken from a watch released by Francois Czapek in the 1850s. The intense emerald green colour of the dial in this watch is met with two sub-dials equally placed side-by-side at the bottom half of the dial against a wave-like interference. The two flinque enamel sub-dials offer the running seconds at 7 o’clock and a power reserve indicator with a days-of-the-week scale on the other side – their ricochet centres adding a touch of vibrancy to the dial. These sub-scales, balanced and in harmony with one another, are framed by an hour track represented by delicate Roman numerals in silver tones, as well as a set of Fleur de Lys style central hour and minute hands – a design inspired by the elegant shape of the lily flower.

The history and modification of the Calibre SXH1

After Francois Czapek had collaborated with Antoni Patek for around six years, both went their own way. Antoni went on to found Patek Philippe in 1851 and Francois founded the company Czapek & Cie with Juliusz Gruzewski where he enjoyed years of success, creating watches for an elite clientele. What happened after Czapek’s death, however, remains a bit of mystery, until the brand was revived once more in 2011. To raise funds for the company upon its revival, three directors along with some private investment raised capital by creating a small-run chronograph using a historic calibre. The C73 manual winding movement was used in the Czapek Design Study Chronograph. Selling this chronograph propelled the Quai des Bergues watch project and its subsequent Calibre - the SXH1. The same movement has continued to power the watches from this popular collection today.

Here is where the design of the new Czapek & Cie Quai des Bregues Emerald Green L watch gets interesting, because it is one thing to produce an entirely new movement for a watch, but to tweak and improve an already existing movement is even trickier. To simply cut away a section of a movement (considering each engine built for a watch is uniquely balanced and instils a practice of equilibrium amongst its parts and components) can be detrimental to its strength and performance. The stability of the bridges can be weakened, for example. In turn, this can affect the watch’s accuracy or prove to be completely unsuccessful. It, therefore, becomes much easier to appreciate how the modification of Czapek & Cie’s Calibre SXH1 movement has been painstakingly achieved through hours and hours of workmanship and craftsmanship. Whilst the old movement has a traditional rack and index system, the new one operates on a weight-controlled variable-inertia balance, as well as a Breguet overcoil hairspring. The SHX1 is a proprietary movement made by Czapek & Cie in collaboration with Jean-François Mojon – designer at the Le Locle-based Chronode company. It operates at 21, 600 vibrations per hour and delivers a power reserve of 168 hours. A Breguet terminal curve balance spring can also be seen through the caseback, along with extra detail such as an annular balance wheel and a small triangular hole that has been cut into the mainplate for added detail. All of this can be seen through a piece of sapphire crystal glass, revealing the twin barrels, symmetrically and uniquely positioned like a pair of eyes through the back of the case. These are paired with spoked ratchet wheels with a frosted finish that adds a deep sense of character to the movement and watch.

The new Czapek & Cie Quai des Bregues Emerald Green L watch is completed on a brown leather strap that secures with a stainless steel fastening. If you’d like more information on the new model, you can check the details out here, or explore the new Sapphire Blue L watch here. Alternatively, you can call and speak to a member of our Jura watches sales team on 01335 453453