QUICK SUMMARY
The new Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R. by Czapek is a watch with a skeletal dial. But more than that, it's a split-second chronograph with a robot whose eyes change colour to indicate the status of the timing function.
A highly unusual timepiece, the watch is limited to 77 examples and priced around £60,000.
If you’re in the market for a new watch that's complex, rare and unusual, then Czapek has you covered with its latest creation.
Called the Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R, the watch looks at first glance like a fairly typical chronograph with a skeletal dial. But inspect it more closely and you’ll spot a robotic head at the 12 o’clock position. What’s more, the eyes of the robot change colour as the chronograph function is activated.
Start the complication, and the eyes turn yellow. Press stop and they change to red, then to blue once the function is reset. It’s a bit of fun on the surface, but the watch’s movement is impressive in its own right, regardless of the colour of the robot’s eyes.
The Calibre SXH6 automatic mechanical movement has a split-second monopusher chronograph, with the minutes displayed at the 4:30 position, small seconds at 7:30 and a discrete split-second pusher at 10:30. The rattrapante on/off indicator suits at 6:00, and of course the status of the function is shown by the robot’s eyes at 12:00. The movement uses 292 components, 49 jewels, a recycled rose gold rotor with Czapek logo visible through the exhibition case back, and a power reserve of 60 hours.
“When we launched the Antarctique Rattrapante in 2021, one of our shareholders immediately suggested incorporating a robot into the movement, as a way of celebrating the beauty of the mechanism,” said Czapek boss Xavier de Roquemaurel.
“Since the pursuit of mechanical and aesthetic beauty is central to our philosophy of watchmaking at Czapek, and we are always thinking about different ways of approaching it, we loved the idea of a robot – a playful mix of aesthetics and mechanics – but the real impetus for the robot idea came from further away…”
The watch uses a 42.5 mm stainless steel case, with a sapphire crystal on the front and rear, and a screw-down crown. Water resistance is 12 ATM, or 120 metres. An integrated stainless steel bracelet is included, along with a rubber strap, while an additional leather strap is available separately.
Other details include a set of blue sword hands for the hours and minutes, each with SuperLuminova treatment for nighttime illumination, and a white main seconds hand with a blue tip.
Limited to just 77 examples, the Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante R.U.R is priced at 58,000 CHF (£53,780) before taxes.
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