Strap in for an in-depth discussion on the decade-long adventure that the revived Czapek brand has driven. In a comprehensive and wide-ranging interview on the latest episode of The Business of Watches, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Xavier de Roquemaurel opens up about the incredible highs, the dark periods, and where he ultimately hopes to take the historic independent marque next as it enters its second decade.
This week, the podcast sits down with the business leader who has headed the reborn Czapek & Cie. brand for more than a decade now. Xavier de Roquemaurel did not come from the traditional watch industry when he co-founded Czapek alongside fellow entrepreneur Harry Guhl, with the invaluable help and expertise of watchmaker Sébastien Follonier, back in 2015. Stepping into the Swiss watchmaking heartland without a lifelong pedigree in horology meant that de Roquemaurel had to learn the intricacies of the industry entirely on the job.
Despite being an outsider to the tight-knit Swiss watch establishment, Czapek burst onto the global scene with immediate and resounding success. In its debut year in 2016, the brand won the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Public Prize, signaling to the industry that a serious new player had arrived. However, the journey since that triumphant introduction has been far from straightforward.
Throughout the conversation, de Roquemaurel discusses the plenty of challenges he and the company have faced along the way. From the novel financing and shareholder model they ingeniously created to fund the startup in its infancy, to reckoning with a massive surge of back orders for their wildly popular Antarctique integrated bracelet sports watch model during the hyper-inflated boom times of the post-pandemic era, the CEO has navigated extraordinary commercial pressure. Alongside these corporate hurdles, he also opens up about serious health and medical ordeals that tested his resilience both personally and professionally. Reconsidering all the tests he and the company have faced over the last ten years, de Roquemaurel shares a hard-earned philosophical perspective, stating that he now truly believes "adversity gets the best out of you."
That resilience has recently translated into major physical milestones for the independent manufacturer. Today, Czapek has officially opened a brand-new boutique on the historic Quai des Bergues in Geneva. Situated directly on the same picturesque banks of the Rhône River where François Czapek himself established his very first workshop and atelier back in the 1800s, the new location represents a poetic homecoming for the marque.
During the interview, the Czapek CEO traces both the fascinating historical path of the reborn brand and how it has continuously found inspiration in the legacy of its namesake. François Czapek was a visionary of his era, famously opening what is widely believed to be the first-ever watch boutique on the illustrious Place de Vendôme in Paris, while simultaneously producing exceptional timepieces for Napoleon III and the elite members of the French Imperial court. By tethering modern independent watchmaking principles to this rich historical foundation, de Roquemaurel and his team have carved out a distinct and respected identity in the contemporary horological landscape.
Looking ahead, the conversation also provides a tantalizing glimpse into the mechanical future of the independent marque. Staying tuned to the very end of the podcast episode reveals an exclusive preview of what high-end complication the brand might take on next, building upon recent releases like the Czapek Time Jumper, which was produced specifically to celebrate the brand’s milestone 10th anniversary.
There is plenty of watch business, strategy, manufacturing philosophy, and entrepreneurial insight to unpack in the discussion, and listeners are encouraged to engage with the episode and share their thoughts. For those looking to follow the ongoing series, the show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, ensuring that enthusiasts can subscribe and listen wherever they regularly find their favorite podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn.
