Czapek

Based in Geneve.

François Czapek and Antoine Norbert de Patek, both Polish emigrants, survivors of an insurrection that had forced them to flee, met in 1836. This encounter changed their lives. Czapek invited his countryman Patek to delve into the realm of watchmaking. Together they founded the company Patek, Czapek & Cie on May 1. 1839.

Francois Czapek led the watchmaking side of the partnership while Patak managed the sales and business details. However, at the world’s fair held in Paris in 1844, Antoni met with Adrien Philippe who, on that occasion, had won the first exhibition medal for his watch winding mechanism. By 1845 Philippe had partnered with Patak, allowing Czapek to form a new partnership with Juliusz Gruzewski, and as a consequence, the company of Czapek and Cie was established. Juliusz died in Paris in 1865 and Czapek and Cie disappeared from watchmaking in 1869. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

In 2011 the reformation of Czapek and Cie had begun and reached a major milestone in 2015 with a successful crowdfunding campaign, supported by watch enthusiasts and investors around the world, marking a unique achievement in the arena of high-quality watchmaking. A significant point of merit is that the first two Czapek movements, SXH1 and SXH2, were designed in partnership with the illustrious Jean-Francois Mojon.