The Past Reimagined, The Future Reclaimed: Czapek Marks 10 Years of Defiance
Czapek & Cie.’s revival was not merely an exercise in nostalgia; it was an audacious endeavor to channel the spirit of its namesake while charting an entirely new course. We recently spoke with Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel to learn more.
By Ash Longet
PR & Business Development
When I cast my mind back to Czapek & Cie., tracing its journey through time, I see it as a brand reborn, not as a mere revival but as a deliberate act of defiance against oblivion.
Founded in 1845 in Geneva by François Czapek, a Czech-born Polish watchmaker of singular vision, the brand once stood alongside the greatest names in watchmaking history. Yet, Czapek’s legacy was consigned to the shadows of time, a dormant entity awaiting rediscovery. That rediscovery came in 2015 when a visionary resurrection led by Xavier de Roquemaurel and his partners took place.
Now, as the company marks both its 10th anniversary since its revival and the 180th anniversary of its founding, it is evident that the fusion of past and future has become Czapek’s raison d’être. Join me for a strikingly frank and inspiring talk with Xavier de Roquemaurel.
A Renaissance Born of Collaboration
The rebirth of Czapek was the culmination of an alliance between three individuals: Xavier de Roquemaurel, seeking his next great project; Sébastien Follonier, a watchmaker longing for creative freedom beyond the confines of the workbench; and Harry Guhl, an art consultant, bringing his strategic mind to the table.
“It was the three of us, sitting around a table, imagining the future,” de Roquemaurel reminisces. “But there was always a fourth chair - reserved for François Czapek. We asked ourselves: If he were alive today, what would he create?”
Their first challenge was securing funding, and they did so in an unconventional manner for the industry. Before opening their doors to a broader investor base, they turned to what in startup culture is known as the “FFF” round - family, friends, and fools.
“Each of them plays a critical role,” says de Roquemaurel. “Family is your foundation, your core believers. If you can’t convince them, something is wrong. Friends are a litmus test, revealing who truly supports you. And fools? Well, they’re the ones with an entrepreneurial spirit, the business angels who spot potential before the rest of the world does.”
With their initial round raising half a million dollars, the team could create their first prototypes. This laid the groundwork for their ambitious crowdfunding equity campaign in November 2015, which brought in an additional $1.1 million.
By the time the dust settled, Czapek had raised over $5.5 million across six fundraising rounds.
Defining a Distinctive Identity
Czapek’s resurgence was not a mere bid for financial survival; it was about staking a claim in one of the world’s most competitive luxury markets. “The key,” says de Roquemaurel, “was not to follow our egos but to serve a greater vision.” That vision revolved around continuity and evolution – timepieces that whispered their origins while embracing the pulse of contemporary design.
Initially conceived as a limited-edition homage to a historical pocket watch, the Quai des Bergues, Czapek’s flagship timepiece, embodies this philosophy and became an unexpected icon. “It was supposed to be a nod to the past,” de Roquemaurel explains, “but when people saw it, they understood – it was a modern watch with historical soul.”
In watchmaking, consistency is often mistaken for rigidity. However, between utilizing ancient métiers d’art, such as enameling or guillochage, and reinterpreting them in innovative ways, as they did for the Promenade Goutte d’Eau model, Czapek treads a fine line between coherence and reinvention. “The real pinnacle is to be both creative and consistent,” de Roquemaurel muses. “Surprising people is essential. If you fail to do that, you fail to create an emotional connection.”
A Collector’s Watch, A Collector’s Brand
From its inception, the revived Czapek was about creating a dialogue with collectors. The brand’s earliest investors were often passionate watch lovers, many of whom evolved into dedicated collectors through their engagement with Czapek.
“These were people who maybe had a handful of watches – perhaps even one or all of the ‘Holy Trinity’ pieces – but who hadn’t yet fallen into the true depths of horology,” de Roquemaurel explains. “Czapek was their gateway. And once they fell in, they never looked back.”
This intimate engagement with collectors has remained a cornerstone of the brand; Czapek’s watches are not created in a vacuum. They are shaped by an ongoing exchange with those who wear them. “The market dictates trends, but true collectors dictate taste,” de Roquemaurel notes. “We listen. We iterate. And sometimes, we invite them into the process entirely.”
That’s how the Antarctique line, the brand’s best-selling and iconic watch, was born in 2020 – by listening to collectors who were missing an ultimate haute horlogerie sports watch, a “daily banger” with an authentically outstanding and beautiful micro-rotor caliber.
(Fun Fact: The Antarctique’s SXH5 was the first caliber to be entirely conceived and developed in-house, starting from a blank page. It is now produced in Czapek’s manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds.)
This philosophy extends to rarity as well. Czapek has intentionally limited production to just 1,000 watches per year – a figure dictated not by manufacturing constraints but by a desire to maintain a size that allows for freedom and profitability and a belief that true luxury is in scarcity. “We don’t just collect watches,” de Roquemaurel says with a smile. “We collect rare people.”
The Future: Innovation and the Pursuit of Universal Beauty
With ten years of rebirth behind it, Czapek stands at an inflection point. The brand is now poised to explore new frontiers in both design and complication. “At first, we had to survive,” de Roquemaurel acknowledges. “Now, we are in a different phase of life and have the freedom to dream bigger.”
The next frontier? Complexity – both mechanical and conceptual. Collectors, ever the arbiters of ambition, are calling for more intricate mechanisms, and Czapek, ever the quiet provocateur, may well answer with horology that transcends mere function.
And beyond that? Perhaps something even more unexpected – something that doesn’t just tell time but challenges our perception of it. A concept watch, perhaps? Only time will whisper the answer.
But perhaps the grandest vision is a new home, “a manufacture of the future where people will stop by the parking lot and look at it. They will connect immediately with the origins of Czapek.” The brand already orbits the realm of near-total integration and is now preparing something bolder: a space where craftsmanship and philosophy intertwine and past and future meet in quiet conversation.
“I cannot say it is an objective because if the market collapses for three years, forget it. But if we can, I think we should, because in this way we can demonstrate how it can be nice for sustainability and well-being of the people working,” adds Xavier.
Finally, Xavier de Roquemaurel leans in, his words charged with conviction: “We shouldn't limit ourselves in anything, especially in dreaming. In terms of collections and products, I think the strength of Czapek allows us to go way beyond watches.
“So, clubs, of course, or time measurement instruments, accessories of all types. But perhaps it’s not something to do today. It’s too early. We have to consolidate. We have to make sure that everyone inside the watchmaking arena clearly understands what Czapek stands for. Then we can expand a bit, get plenty of ideas and designs, and embrace possibilities.”
To learn more about the brand or check out its collections, visit the Czapek website.