Quai Des Bergues No.17 - Double Soleil - Deep Blue

One size never truly fits all – and with this in mind, Czapek presents its Quai des Bergues model in a new, 40.5mm case. The steel case retains all of the stylistic signatures of the Quai des Bergues case – with a slight refinement of the case-side recesses in order to incorporate the movement (Calibre SXH1) – and a subtle change to the slope of the lugs to ensure a perfect fit on the wrist.

“The two existing sizes of the Quai des Bergues have always been well received,” says Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel. “But, among our community of enthusiasts, we’ve had many comments and discussions about creating a perfect ‘Goldilocks’ size in between – one that is adaptable and elegant, looks both dressy and sporty and has a great presence on wrists of all sizes. The design of the case is very organic and fluid – and for that, I pay tribute to the biomechanical style of the artist H.R.Giger (designer of Alien) whose work has always fascinated me.”

To complement the new case size, Czapek, together with its dial-making partner Metalem, has developed an entirely new guilloché pattern. They have named it Guilloché ‘Double Soleil’, after the parhelion phenomenon, an optical illusion that appears under certain atmospheric conditions as a luminous spot on one or both sides of the sun. Also known colloquially as ‘sun dogs’, parhelia occur when the sun shines through thin cirrus clouds composed of hexagonal ice crystals, which refract the rays, rather like the effect of a prism. This spectacular and rare phenomenon most often occurs in winter, when the sun is low in the sky.

The starting point for the new pattern was a discussion about the Maison’s proprietary Ricochet Guilloché. Through a process of iteration, with greater emphasis on vertical symmetry and straighter, deeper cuts, the new Double Soleil pattern achieves a bolder and more contemporary look. And it plays an intriguing visual trick: are the lines radiating outwards like sunrays from behind the sub-dials or are they being drawn inwards? The dial is offered in a choice of Deep Blue or Tuxedo Black.

In addition to the new guillochage, the SXH1 movement (manually wound, with a 7-day power reserve) has been given a careful make-over last year. The most visible change on the SXH1 is the extensive openwork, which clearly delineates a full-fledged three-quarter plate and exposes the gear train. The bridge plate and balance bridge have also been hollowed out and seem to face each other like two shooting stars about to cross paths. This gives the movement a more dynamic look.

The reworked calibre differs from its predecessor in other ways, too. The original balance had a classic rack and index for regulation, for example. The new SXH1, on the other hand, has an annular balance wheel with weights for variable inertia and a Breguet terminal curve balance spring. The balance cock has also been finely skeletonised and streamlined to give the whole balance greater transparency.

The finishing has also been developed further. All the edges of this outstanding movement have been softened by deeper chamfering. And on the advice of one of the best independent watchmakers and friend, the regular jewels were replaced with “mi-glace” rubies. These have a rounded relief that improves lubrication on the point of contact with the axes. They also give the movement a more fluid look and can, occasionally, catch incoming rays of light.