Mosaic of Brilliance: Czapek &Cie.’s Promenade Diamond Drops Illuminates Time

The relevance of haute joaillerie in horology goes far beyond aesthetics. High jewellery timepieces push the boundaries of what is possible in watch design, requiring extraordinary skill not only in gem-setting and metalwork but also in preserving mechanical integrity under the constraints of artistic embellishment. Integrating hundreds or even thousands of precious stones — often custom-cut to exactly fit complex case shapes and dials — demands a high level of precision. The delicate balance between haute joaillerie and technical mastery finds new expression in Czapek & Cie.’s latest creation — the Promenade Diamond Drops.

At Watches and Wonders 2024, Czapek showcased its Promenade Collection. Each dial in the lineup creates an optical illusion of ripples formed when a raindrop falls on the still surface of a pond. The brand collaborated with enamel dial specialist Donzé Cadran to craft this mesmerising watch face. The water drop (goutte d’eau in French) theme continues in the new variant, housed in a 38 mm white gold case. The  bezel and the crown are set with 173 round-cut diamonds. 

The 18 ct white gold snow-set dial gets 679 round-cut diamonds and sapphires, with blued hands for hour, minutes. An off-centred small seconds subdial rests at 5 o’clock. The new dial builds upon the goutte d’eau design of its predecessor. In that original design, the ripples radiated from the off-centred small seconds subdial, symbolising the point of impact. This time, the ripple motif has been reimagined in a dazzling display of diamonds and sapphires, using the intricate snow-setting technique. The entire dial is blanketed with differently sized gemstones.

To bring the Diamond Drops dial to life, Czapek has once again collaborated with its trusted partner, AB Products. Unlike traditional gem-setting with uniform rows and claw settings, snow-setting demands a more organic approach. The gem-setter selected stones of varying diameters — many under 0.5 mm — and set each into precisely hollowed recesses of the 18 ct white gold dial. The stones are set edge to edge, creating the illusion of a delicate, glittering mosaic. The dial’s extreme thinness, combined with the need for a perfectly flat surface, made the stone-setting process extremely demanding; each gem had to be individually measured and its cavity precisely calibrated to ensure an immaculate flush finish.

Powering the watch is Czapek’s in-house Calibre SXH5.1. The calibre has six skeletonised bridges that hold the gear train in place. The plates and bridges feature bevelling, straight-grained sides, and hand-chamfered inward angle finishings. With a micro-rotor made of 100% recycled platinum, the self-winding SXH5.1 provides a power reserve of 60 hours on a single barrel. The barrel has a torque of 8 Nmm. Finishing the watch is a blue Nubuck leather strap.