Sold Out: Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green
When we introduced the watch last week, the reception was overwhelming. The Czapek love is real, and today I’m super excited because the watches are available to pre-order over on the Fratello Shop. The Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green is a limited edition of only 50 pieces, so pre-order now to avoid disappointment!
If you’ve been following along the pages of Fratello, you’ll know about our adoration of the Czapek Antarctique. You may recall its domination during March Madness, where we watched on in shock as it romped its way to victory. I had expected the Speedy Tuesday gang to fight its way to the top, so I was pleasantly surprised by the final outcome, knowing that the Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green Limited Edition was on its way. I knew just how excited the Fratelli would be when they found out what we had in store for them!
Getting flinqué with it
Let’s get one thing straight here, the Antarctique Terre Adelie and Passage de Drake dials are wonderful. The texture, the finish, and the colors are superb. That said, we wanted to make something unique for our Fratello edition and didn’t want to simply change a color (we’re better than that). So take a look at the Passage de Drake Viridian Green dial. You’ll notice that it’s a mashup of the best bits of the Terre Adelie and Passage de Drake — it is simply glorious.
The three-dimensional “flinqué” pattern and minuterié of the Passage de Drake feature here, but the hour markers are the longer, extended versions we see from the Terre Adelié. Gone is the Arabic “12” from the Passage de Drake. It is replaced with a more traditional double claw index. You may notice too that all the indices are set further back and cut into the minuterié. What may seem like a simple and easily achieved tweak actually required an entirely new component to be manufactured, especially for Fratello.
The color of the dial was no accident either. Green may be the “in” color at the moment, but this shade — “Viridian Green” — was chosen very much independently of this trend. The deep teal perfectly complements the orange options for the second hand, giving rise to our behind-the-scenes nickname for the watch — the “clurichaun”. For those wondering what on Earth a clurichaun is, it’s a mischievous relative of the leprechaun! Either way, the “Viridian Green” fliqué dial is, in my opinion, of the finest yet to walk out the doors of Czapek’s atelier. I hope you’ll agree!
A gorgeous and futuristic heart
Powering the Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green is the SXH5. Just take a moment to look at it and appreciate it. It’d be a horological crime to have hidden this caliber behind a closed case back. For a brand with such rich history, I love that the movement construction is modern or perhaps even slightly futuristic in design. Maybe something more classical and traditional may have been the easy choice. Still, Czapek went with sharp angular lines and a combination of frosted and brushed black surfaces. The final result is stunning.
It is an aesthetic that works very well alongside the angular, scalloped case, and the recycled platinum micro-rotor is another visual delicacy. The movement offers a 56-hour power reserve, beats at 4Hz, and comprises 193 parts.
You don’t mess with perfection
The case and bracelet remain unchanged from the core Antarctique collection. We only change and tweak things that we think make sense on any limited edition model we work on. Having seen and held the Antarctique case and felt the incredible bracelet upon the wrist, it was evident that nothing needed changing. You can feel the quality of the machining and the superb finishing. If it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it.
The 40.5mm case sits nicely on the wrist despite what looks like a flat case. This is helped by the slimline 10.6mm height. The integrated bracelet glides on the wrist, and strap changes are effortless thanks to a unique system: a small, rotating button on the underside of the bracelet rotates 180 degrees to release it from the spring bar.
Changing the bracelet for the strap
The button has a lip on one side and a chamfered edge; the lip sits over the spring bar, holding it in place. However, the chamfered side allows the end link to pull away from the spring bar, facilitating a quick switch whenever desired.
Should you wish to change things up a little bit, we have an option for you right out of the box. Included with every Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green Limited Edition is an additional black rubber strap. As excellent as the bracelet is, sometimes it’s nice to have another option to turn to.
To orange or not to orange…
As one final little bit of coolness, if you decide to make one of the 50 pieces your own, you’ll have the choice of seconds-hand finish. That’s right, you can choose how to make that overall aesthetic a little more personal. There is a choice of three finishes available:
- A full steel seconds hand
- A steel seconds hand with a fluorescent orange tip
- Full orange seconds hand (for the very bold among you)
Be quick or miss out!
As such, I urge you to take a look at the Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green Limited Edition in more detail on our special landing page, right here. You can read more about how the watch came to be and see some more tantalizing images. Suppose you’re interested in reserving a piece for yourself? We expect these pieces to move VERY quickly, so I recommend getting your pre-order in place as soon as possible! You can do so at the Fratello Shop right here.
The Fratello × Czapek Antarctique Passage de Drake Viridian Green Limited Edition will cost €20,820 (including 21% NL VAT). To reserve yours, you will need to place a pre-order with the balance to be collected towards the end of October. Delivery will start shortly thereafter. Czapek aims to deliver all 50 pieces by the end of November 2021.
