There are multiple methods with which watch brands can reveal the inner workings of their watches. The most common are skeletonisation and openworking – removing the physical portions of the dial and/or movement to showcase the movement. However, another method is to replace an opaque dial with a translucent one. That’s a method that Czapek have explored multiple times in the past with 2024’s Promenade Transparencies Viridian Green and 2025’s Antarctique Plique-á-Jour. For 2026 they are revisiting that 2024 concept by launching the new Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue.
What’s special about the transparent sapphire dial of the watch is the technique they’ve used to colour it. Instead of producing a sapphire crystal that is itself pigmented, it’s a completely clear sapphire crystal that has a carefully controlled metallic coating applied to its underside using vapour deposition. In simplified terms, it has microscopic dots of blue on the underside that are so small you can see past them but still take in their colour, making the crystal look blue.
Additionally, the density of those dots is purposefully different across the breadth of the dial. They are most sparse around the small seconds subdial at 4:30 and most dense on the opposite side of the display around 10:30 – the effect of which is to create a subtle fumé style gradient across the dial. A smoky, almost transient shifting of tone across the span of the watch.
One of the significant differences between the Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue and the Viridian Green edition (aside from the colour) is the hour markers. The original version used wedge-shaped metallic markers but for the Aqua Blue, Czapek has adopted solid batons of Super-LumiNova. They’re significantly less obtrusive than the metal ones, blending into the colour of the sapphire crystal and taking up less space thanks to their slimmer profile.
The movement that’s visible through the sapphire display is the calibre SXH7, the skeletonised version of the SXH5 which removes material from its bridges to reveal more details of its core mechanisms. The balance wheel at 6 o’clock, mainspring at 1 o’clock, micro-rotor at 9 and winding column at 3. It’s designed to show as much of the movement as possible when viewed from above or below through the sapphire dial or exhibition caseback.
Protecting the movement is a 38mm diameter steel case with 50m water resistance rating. It’s a very understated case design with a smooth, round bezel and matching lugs, all of which brings your attention towards the dial and the main action of the piece. At a thickness of 10.8mm, it falls into the goldilocks zone of dress watch sizing, maintaining a strong wrist presence while being able to slip under a cuff comfortably.
The Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue is limited to 38 pieces at a price of CHF 28,800 (approx. £26,220). That’s almost exactly the same as the 2024 version, which was approximately £26,500. Between the two, I do prefer the Aqua Blue, the blue feels fresher and the updated hour markers help the design feel sleeker even if the overall proportions haven’t changed.
Price and Specs:
More details at Czapek.
