The Story of the Antarctique – EPISODE 3

One of the most distinctive elements in the Czapek’s in-house movement, the SXH5, are the bridges. For the decoration of this precious piece, Czapek’s team decided to do a “blind-testing” by having different craftsmen do samples of their polishing. Without knowing the names of any of the companies or individuals, the team selected one winner. And it comes with no bias and no surprise that one of Czapek’s “historical” first partners, Chronode, triumphed. 

Chronode is no stranger in the Czapek family, in fact they are one of its first members. We met them back in 2015 when they were working on the movement of Czapek’s first ever modern watch, the Quai des Bergues. A few years later, Czapek’s atelier is housed in the same building as theirs. Because of this, the ambiance is always friendly and familiar in Chronode’s workshop, just as you would expect at your long-time neighbour’s house. 

What Chronode does is make every gear and element in the watch more beautiful by creating perfectly polished angles which capture light reflections. They specialize in beveling, chamfering, metal drawing and other finishings, all done manually by hand. 

Episode 3 is dedicated to Chronode’s extreme attention to detail and their consistency in achieving excellence to contribute to the legacy of the SXH5.