Czapek Promenade L’Écume des Jours: A Tribute to Boris Vian
An 18-piece limited edition brings together literary imagination, decorative craftsmanship and contemporary Swiss watchmaking.
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Photo Courtesy: Czapek & Cie
Czapek & Cie introduces the Promenade L’Écume des Jours, a limited edition of 18 stainless steel watches inspired by Boris Vian’s 1947 novel of the same name. Combining blue enamel, mother-of-pearl and jade with a titanium water lily seconds hand, the timepiece translates the novel’s surreal imagery into a finely detailed dial.
A Literary Inspiration
Boris Vian was a French novelist, jazz musician, songwriter and trained engineer known for his surrealist imagination. L’Écume des Jours follows the love story of Colin and Chloé, blending romance with fantastical inventions and increasingly poignant imagery.
Two motifs from the novel shape the watch’s design: the pianocktail, a fictional instrument that creates cocktails inspired by music, and the water lily associated with Chloé. Czapek translates these references into distinctive dial details, connecting literary expression with traditional decorative watchmaking.
A Dial Inspired by Music and Nature
The dial centres on a blue enamel base, complemented by a mother-of-pearl ring and a jade disc beneath the seconds display. A circle of piano keys around the flange references the novel’s pianocktail, while a miniature water lily marks the seconds at 4:30, a signature position of the Promenade Goutte d’Eau design.
Created in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans and MD’Art, the dial combines enamel work, laser engraving, hand-painted details and carefully assembled decorative elements. The mother-of-pearl keys are individually finished, while the jade is laser-worked to form the seconds track.
The water lily seconds hand is laser-cut from titanium, selected for its light weight, and finished with miniature painting. Positioned over the jade disc, it brings the watch’s botanical inspiration into motion.
Calibre SXH5.1: Technical Specifications
The watch is housed in a 38mm stainless steel case with a domed sapphire crystal and sapphire caseback, both treated with an anti-reflective coating. Water resistance is rated to 50 metres.
Powering the timepiece is Czapek’s automatic Calibre SXH5.1, featuring a Swiss lever escapement and a variable-inertia balance with four gold inertia-blocks. Operating at 4Hz, or 28,800 vibrations per hour, the movement delivers a 60-hour power reserve.
Its micro-rotor is crafted from recycled 950 platinum and works with a single barrel. Measuring 30mm in diameter and 4.2mm in height, the movement comprises 127 components and 26 jewels.
Seven skeletonised bridges draw inspiration from François Czapek’s nineteenth-century pocket watches. Open-worked ratchets, sandblasted black bridges, bevelled angles and straight-grained sides complete the movement’s finishing.
A Special Presentation
Ahead of its release, Czapek will present the Promenade L’Écume des Jours to international press at the Moulin Rouge in Paris. The programme includes a visit to Boris Vian’s former apartment, guided by Nicole Bertolt, who oversees the writer’s heritage, followed by a conference and lunch.
Each of the 18 watches will be delivered in a special presentation box containing a copy of the novel that inspired the edition.
Availability
The Czapek Promenade L’Écume des Jours will be available through authorised Czapek & Cie retailers worldwide, the brand’s boutique in Geneva and the official website.
For further information, visit: https://www.czapek.com/
