Mother-of-pearl, or nacre, has long captivated watchmakers and collectors with its iridescent shimmer and organic depth. This natural material, formed from the inner shell layer of molluscs, reflects light in constantly shifting patterns, ensuring that no two dials are ever identical. In these new releases, Czapek & Cie. partners with GT Cadrans, a specialist dial manufacturer near Lausanne, Switzerland, to realise two distinct approaches to mother-of-pearl decoration — each requiring exceptional skill and precision.
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud presents a poetic interpretation of cloud formations in an icy landscape through a rare technique known as nacre brouillée, or scattered mother-of-pearl. This uncommon decorative method, rarely seen in contemporary watchmaking, creates an ethereal effect reminiscent of wisps of clouds drifting across a pale sky.
The process begins with a base of polished white mother-of-pearl, which is then worked down to an exceptionally thin 0.2mm. The artisan then applies varnish to the underside of the nacre using a horsehair brush, creating random, cloud-like patterns entirely by hand. Each brushstroke is unique, ensuring every dial possesses its own distinctive character. For the Ice Cloud, a cool, blue-tinted varnish evokes the icy atmosphere of Antarctic skies, perfectly complementing the watch’s sporty-elegant aesthetic.
The technical challenges are considerable. The varnish application requires exceptional control—too little and the effect is lost; too much and the dial becomes too thick for proper assembly. The artisan must also ensure visual consistency across the series while embracing the inherent uniqueness of each piece. Once the decoration is complete, the dial is fired in an oven at over 100°C for hours to permanently set the varnish. Prior to this curing process, mistakes can be corrected by cleaning and restarting; afterward, the work becomes irreversible. At GT Cadrans, only one specialist artisan possesses the skill to execute this delicate nacre brouillée technique among their workshop of specialized craftspeople. The rarity of this expertise underscores the exclusivity of these timepieces.
The Antarctique S Ice Cloud, presented in a 38.5mm stainless steel case, is powered by the brand’s acclaimed in-house Calibre SXH5. This automatic movement features a distinctive off-center micro-rotor crafted from 100% recycled platinum 950. Its seven skeletonized bridges — inspired by François Czapek’s 19th-century pocket watches — reveal an architecture of remarkable visual harmony and transparency. Beating at 4Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour) and equipped with a variable-inertia balance wheel fitted with four gold adjustable weights, the SXH5 delivers exceptional precision and an impressive 60-hour power reserve from a single barrel.
The Promenade Midnight Pearl represents an even more complex achievement—a patented sandwich construction that layers aventurine glass over Tahitian mother-of-pearl. This innovative technique, protected by a patent and executable by only two specialists at GT Cadrans, creates a dial of extraordinary depth and mystery. The foundation is Tahitian nacre, chosen specifically for its distinctive grey colouring and naturally occurring violet and green iridescent reflections.
This 0.2mm-thick mother-of-pearl is overlaid with blue aventurine glass — a man-made material containing fine metallic particles that create a starlit sparkle. The aventurine is thinned to approximately 0.2mm as well, resulting in a total dial thickness of around 0.4mm. Achieving this delicate balance presents formidable technical challenges. The assembly of these two fragile materials must be performed entirely by hand with extraordinary precision. Subsequent machining — cutting the dial’s outer diameter, centre hole, and appliqué positions — requires careful CNC programming to avoid damage.
The greatest challenge arises during the creation of the small seconds subdial at 4:30, where a groove must be precisely milled into the aventurine layer without compromising the underlying nacre or the tight thickness tolerances. The aventurine’s extreme thinness makes it highly susceptible to breakage during the thinning process, demanding patience, skill, and experience. The result is a dial that glows with otherworldly luminescence — the Tahitian nacre’s natural shimmer filtered through the starry aventurine, evoking midnight skies reflected in still waters.
The Promenade Midnight Pearl dial is unique, as both the aventurine’s sparkle distribution and the mother-of-pearl’s iridescence vary from piece to piece. While the artisans ensure that the nacre’s fire—the angle at which its luster becomes most visible—remains consistent across watches, natural variations in the materials guarantee that no two dials are identical.
The timepiece, housed in a 38mm stainless steel case, is driven by the Calibre SXH5.1 — a refined version of the manufacture movement featuring a small seconds display at 4:30 rather than centre seconds. This modification complements the asymmetric dial design while maintaining identical technical specifications: a 30mm diameter, 4.2mm height, 127 components, 26 jewels, and a 60-hour power reserve.
Discover Czapek & Cie. timepieces at Sincere Fine Watches, Takashimaya S.C., Singapore, or at SHH boutiques at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.