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Czapek and Moser Glassworks let time slide by

Geneva, March 2019 – Czapek & Cie is unveiling more than just watches at this year’s Baselworld trade fair. The Swiss brand joined forces with Moser Glassworks, a historic Czech glass manufacturer, to create an outstanding sculpture of Bohemian crystal that doubles as a device to measure time.

 

The hourglass is one of the first instruments invented by man to measure the passage of time. And like all time-tellers, it has its own way of expressing itself. It represents the inexorable flow of time, and also balance. The hourglass invites us to watch each moment slip by and to seize it. Czapek and Moser Glassworks, two companies with roots combining a mid- 19th century birth with a Czech-born founder, chose this emblematic object to launch an unusual collaboration imagined by a common friend and shareholder.

«The relationship goes even deeper,» explains Czapek & Cie CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel. «For Czapek and Moser craftsmanship is a fundamental value, as well as the search for absolute beauty and aesthetic perfection. So with Moser, it was mutual love at first sight!” The dialogue between the two brands began with the idea of exploring the concept of the beauty of time. The initial thought of producing a collection of crystal clocks blossomed into a collaboration on an hourglass, a pure, original and refined product. «The magic of watchmaking and glassmaking lies in the human touch of extremely talented artisans with years of training, hard-work and experience,» explains Moser Glassworks CEO František Schneider.»

Czapek and Moser designers worked closely to create this crystal marvel whose very shape appears timeless. Various elements are conjoined to make this fine 20-centimeter tall object of eternal beauty. Earth is represented by the glassmaking sand, the silica crystals (Si O2) in their purest form, quartz, which Moser is famous for and remains among the very few to use it in the world. A combination of oxides are used to colour the Moser crystal, which is not leaded and therefore ecologically sound. The base mixture is then fired, melted into enamel, and then cast into hand-crafted wooden moulds. The final object is shaped by air blown by Moser’s skilled Masters. Water, finally, is used to cool down the mould and the hands of the glassmaker.

The hourglass was built to count out five minutes that flow with a slight whisper from top to bottom. «In today’s hectic life, it is important to take five minutes, be that to meditate, cultivate self-awareness, breathe, or pray,» explains Xavier de Roquemaurel with a smile. «Five minutes for yourself can put you in just the right spirit for your daily routines.» The Czapek & Cie and Moser Glassworks “Sands of Time” hourglass will be produced in 18 pieces only and will be on sale in the two brands’ boutiques and exclusive retailers at a price of CHF 5’000 from May 2019.

TECHNICAL DETAILS
• Hand-made by Moser Glassworks master glassmakers
• Mouth blown from the pure unleaded ecological crystal glass • Hand cut and hand polished to a high gloss
• Pure un-leaded crystal glass, silica crystals (Si O2)
• Height: 22,5 cm
• Time measured: 5 mins

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