A standout addition to Czapek’s growing chronograph line-up. The “Victory Green” offers something different for collectors looking beyond the usual.
Czapek & Cie. breathes new life into its chronograph collection with a vibrant new “Victory Green” dial. With a limited production of just 18 models, this new Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green chronograph brings the brand’s vision of creating a contemporary haute horology timepiece to light, with the stunning green dial highlighting what makes this piece so distinctive.
With its modern revival, Czapek & Cie. marks its 14th year of production this year. The brand’s first modern chronograph collection, the Faubourg de Cracovie, appeared in 2018, and since then has seen limited-edition models and stunning dial variations. The chronograph collection takes its name from the Rue de la Paix / Faubourg Saint-Honoré area in Place Vendôme, referencing Czapek & Cie.’s historic boutique in Paris during the 19th century.
Aside from the various dial designs, one of the highlight features of this collection is its high-end integrated chronograph movement. Instead of using an off-the-shelf calibre, Czapek & Cie. worked closely in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier to create the SXH3 movement.
The Faubourg de Cracovie collection often takes inspiration from the world of motorsport, with design cues such as tachymeter scales and racing-style dials forming a core part of its identity. This latest watch fits perfectly within that theme, with the new Victory Green colourway not only defining the piece’s character, but also reflecting a colour long associated with motorsport.
Case Design
The Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green Chronograph is presented in the collection’s signature 41.5mm 316L stainless steel case, which has been thoughtfully designed to deliver a comfortable wearing experience, with elegant finishes and a sporty aesthetic.
I do personally like how Czapek & Cie. have designed the chronograph pushers to be neatly integrated with the crown, making the whole case feel like one coherent design. The case also features a sandwich-style construction, with the top surface, bezel, and caseback all showcasing a beautiful polished finish, while the case middle features sandblasted recesses.
This creates a nice contrast between the two finishes, while also allowing the polished surfaces to stand out more, adding to the luxury appeal of the timepiece. While the case design does feature a sporty aesthetic, it also incorporates curved and smooth surfaces, giving it a slightly more elegant profile. This adds to the versatility of the timepiece, even with its rather complex-looking dial.
Dial Design
This chronograph features Czapek & Cie.’s signature Crossroads guilloché pattern. As this is one of the more sporty models in the collection, Czapek & Cie. turned to their dial-making partner Metalem to create a brand-new guilloché design. This pattern was first introduced into the chronograph collection in 2020, with the initial dials showcasing this intricate weaving in both a stunning blue and a white finish.
Aptly named the Crossroads guilloché pattern, this signature design was created to reflect the tyre treads of a sports car, which is fitting for a timepiece inspired by the world of motorsport. While the previous blue dial variant was, in my opinion, the version that showcased this pattern best, this new Victory Green, achieved through PVD treatment, now takes the spotlight. Not only does it reference motorsport history, but it also allows the pattern to shine, as different lighting angles reveal varying shades of green thanks to the dial’s sunburst effect.
while the time piece has a Triconograph counter layout from it feels like a dual design with the 3. 30 minute counter and the 9. o’clock 12 hour sub counter having a polished steel design with the centre a snail engraved pattern.m The third sub counter located at 6. o’clock has been executed with a more transparent design with only the hand and Quay second increments visible. within this subdial is the date window with the date wheel being colour matched to the dial.
Personally, if it were any other dial design, it would have been nice to see the 6 o’clock subdial finished in the same way as the other two. However, in this case, the transparent design makes sense, as it allows more of the stunning Crossroads guilloché pattern to be visible.
Movement
Since the Faubourg de Cracovie collection’s introduction, the timepieces have all been powered by the Calibre SXH3. This is a high-frequency (5Hz, 36,000 vph) automatic chronograph movement, COSC-certified, which has been developed alongside Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier to Czapek & Cie.’s specifications.
The movement features an integrated column-wheel design along with a vertical clutch, which allows for smoother operation of the pushers. It also features a linear hammer design, providing tactile feedback when resetting the chronograph to zero. Even with the high-frequency movement, Czapek & Cie. has been able to achieve a 60-hour power reserve, which is more than sufficient for daily wear.
The caseback of the Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Victory Green Chronograph doesn’t feature traditional finishing techniques such as Côtes de Genève, but instead showcases anthracite-coloured bridges, which contrast beautifully against the skeletonised 22-carat gold winding rotor featuring the Czapek logo.
Initial Thoughts
Czapek & Cie.’s Faubourg de Cracovie chronograph collection has always been the more sporty offering within the brand’s core range. That said, it still features an elegant and luxurious design, making it versatile. Over the years, the collection has evolved from simpler aesthetics, with dial designs that used single colours or a panda-style layout, as seen on the “TAO” model.
In 2024, however, this changed, and it now seems that the collection will continue to move in the direction of the Crossroads design. This intricate pattern has been thoughtfully created to mimic the tyre tread of sports cars, and with the collection being inspired by the world of motorsport, it makes perfect sense for this design to be integrated into the watch.
While the blue dial variant of the Faubourg de Cracovie “Crossroads” Chronograph offers a beautiful, coherent look, the Victory Green provides a more vibrant, fresh, and lively approach. It not only makes the watch feel more fun and playful, but also allows the intricate Crossroads guilloché pattern to stand out even more. This Victory Green edition is a confident addition to a line that continues to grow in both character and appeal.
Reference: Czapek & Cie. Faubourg de Cracovie Crossroads ‘Victory Green’ Chronograph
Specifications
- Dimensions: 41.5mm x 13.59mm thickness. Lug-to-Lug: 49mm
- Case Material: 316L Stainless steel with polished finish surfaces. Case middle recessed with sandblasted finish.
- Dial: Handcrafted Czapek guilloché “Crossroads”dial in ‘Alloy 401’ (AuPtPdAg) in a vivid victory green colour
- Movement: Calibre SXH3: haute horlogerie integratedautomatic chronograph movement with aCzapek bespoke execution.
- Power Reserve: 65 hours
- Beat Rate: 5Hz (36,000 VpH)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5 bar)
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment.
- Strap: Alcantara or calf strap with a deploying clasp.