どうもありがとう、ミスターロボット！Czapek have just unveiled a spectacular new timepiece paying tribute to their Czech roots, particularly the first-ever play about robots!
Even if you’re a watch nerd, Czapek may not be the first brand that comes to mind. As an independent watchmaker, they’re already far down the rabbit hole — but those who keep digging are rewarded with a fantastic sight. The Czech-born brand may have been founded in 1845, but a mysterious disappearance in 1871 and a subsequent revival in 2012 by Xavier de Roquemaurel has reinvigorated the new manufacture to make up for lost time.
In that effort, they have devised several remarkable pieces, including the Goutte d’Eau — one of my favourite watches ever — and the Antarctique collection, which houses one of my favourite movements, the Calibre SXH5. Though any Czapek watch effortlessly commands attention, a rattrapante does so even more, which is why they recently added the Antarctique Rattrapante to their roster. In keeping with their exceptional standards and exclusive nature, this model has seen just a handful of limited-edition releases since its debut in 2021.
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With all these admirable efforts to reinvigorate the brand from Switzerland, however, one might question the new Czapek’s connection to its former Czech heritage. After all, founder Franciszek Czapek was from Semonice, Bohemia — now Czechia — and Geneva is a long 12-hour drive from brand’s original homeland. Yet for Geneva Watch Days 2025, Czapek has not only dispelled such doubts, but also added its own adventurous spin to that heritage.
Meet the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R., a brand-new rendition of the rattrapante line that is bound to shake up the watch industry — and the way I present the timepiece to you! Normally, I’d dive straight into dimensions and wearing experience, but let’s address the elephant in the room first: what’s with that robot head at the top of the watch? The answer is that the Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R. pays tribute to the famous 1920 play Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti (Rossum’s Universal Robots) by renowned Czech playwright Karel Čapek. While I won’t go into the plot here, its significance is palpable: this play introduced and popularised the term ‘robot’. The additional fact that ‘Čapek’ and ‘Czapek’ are pronounced the same is a serendipitous coincidence.
Within a stainless steel frame, the Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R. measures 42.5 mm in case diameter, with a 46.6 mm lug-to-lug and a thickness of 15.3 mm. While 42.5mm in width with a 46.6mm length may seem svelte relative to larger wrists, keep in mind that the integrated bracelet of the Antarctique causes it to wear larger than most traditional watches of a similar build. Additionally, the 15.3 mm thickness — comparable to a Breitling Premier Rattrapante — is compounded by the integrated bracelet silhouette, gives it a substantial presence on the wrist. With 120m water resistance, however, there’s no doubt that the wearing experience is as robust as it is striking — standard fare for the outstanding minds behind Czapek.
The dial is entirely openworked, featuring blued hands and subdials crafted from grey fumé sapphire rings, complete with a minute track. Another incredibly fun detail of the Antarctique Rattrapante is the text atop the sapphire registers: not Arabic, not Eastern Arabic, but a unique script inspired by the Yautja alphabet from Predator. Yes, that Predator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, served as a core basis for the Czapek language, alongside the letter ‘X’, representing CEO Xavier’s name. Despite this playful feature, the crowning element of the dial is, of course, the robot at 12 o’clock — which also serves a practical purpose. The titanium head sports a set of micro-painted neon eyes, which change colour depending on the operation of the chronograph complication: yellow while in operation, red while stopped, and blue once reset.
For a watch of this calibre, nothing less than an equally exceptional movement will do. Given that Czapek already houses one of my favourite movements in their standard Antarctique line, it was no surprise that the Calibre SXH6 in the Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R. would exceed expectations. Developed in collaboration with Chronode, led by master watchmaker Jean-François Mojon, the Cal. SXH6 beats at 4 Hz (28,800 vph) with a respectable 60-hour power reserve.
Interestingly, the Cal. SXH6 is a monopusher rattrapante chronograph: all chronograph functions are controlled via the pusher at 2 o’clock, while the rattrapante is activated from the pusher at 10 o’clock, with activation indicated on the dial at 6 o’clock. Though it lacks independent start and stop for the chronograph, the ability to time two separate events simultaneously more than compensates. Also, when you look at it through the transparent caseback, the movement is a spectacle in itself, complete with a 100% recycled rose-gold oscillating weight — how can you even resist?
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My Thoughts
Everyone loves a good robot story. Whether it’s The Iron Giant, I, Robot, or even Short Circuit’s Johnny 5, the secret to a truly great robot tale is the human element. Not necessarily the presence of people — DreamWorks’ Robots showed you don’t need flesh and blood to make a compelling story — but the idea of sentient, automated beings has always sparked fascination in both science and art.
With this release, Czapek has nailed that balance: not just delivering a playful, robot-inspired timepiece, but grounding it in their deep expertise in traditional horology. It’s a clever and timely concept — especially as questions of AI and automation become more relevant in today’s world.
When I first saw the teaser on Czapek’s Instagram, I worried it might veer too far in the wrong direction. After all, it’s easy to take a goofy sci-fi robot watch concept and execute it well — just look at Hautlence’s Retrovision ’85 or even the Czech brand ROBOT. To work, however, it has to carry a certain tongue-in-cheek charm; lean too far either way, and you risk undermining the rest of your serious work.
Czapek, however, has pulled off the improbable: elegantly weaving a not-so-farfetched concept into a refined, robust frame while also paying homage to their Czech heritage. The result is creative, gorgeous, and wildly inventive. I’ve no doubt that everyone lucky enough to see it at Geneva Watch Days 2025 will walk away thoroughly delighted.
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Reference: N/A (Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R. Tribute to Karel Čapek)
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 42.5mm case diameter x 46.6mm lug-to-lug x 15mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Dial: Openworked with blued hands, grey fumé sapphire discs with Yautja (Predator) inspired numerals
- Movement: Automatic Cal. SXH6 with monopusher rattrapante (split-seconds) chronograph (30min) complication
- Power Reserve: 60h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 120m (12bar)
- Strap: Interchangeable stainless steel bracelet with microadjustable folding clasp