We’re thrilled to introduce our third collaboration with the trailblazing Chinese brand: Atelier Wen × Revolution Perception ‘粹 Cùi’. Similar to the earlier two releases, ‘粹 Cùi’ is based on the brand’s integrated bracelet, sports-chic piece named Perception. Its matte brushed, high polished grade 5 titanium case and bracelet features all the wonderful trimmings we’ve come to expect from the brand, including 100-meter water resistance and polished inner angles on all the links that give off a real sparkle as it catches light.

All this, of course, is to support the main act: a stunningly intricate silver guilloché à main dial meticulously crafted by Master Cheng’s workshop. It is, in fact, the most challenging guilloché pattern ever crafted by the brand — a true high-water mark for the six year old brand that we have the pleasure to be a part of.

Purity in vision

It’s remarkable to consider Atelier Wen’s trajectory in the six years since its inception. Founders Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, both self-professed Sinophiles who met while studying at Peking University, aimed high with the brand. Their goal? To put Chinese watchmaking on the map, and introduce to the watch industry a hidden artistry waiting to be discovered in the East. The name Atelier Wen was, suitably, derived from the French word for “workshop” and the Chinese word for “culture” (文).

Tallendier, a horological enthusiast since age 14, left such a lasting impression in China that the appointment of “Execution Expert” was bestowed unto him by the Chinese government. This allowed him exclusive access to the legendary Mainland watch companies, including the renowned Dandong/Peacock company, whose movements now power Atelier Wen’s creations. Formerly a private equity star in the French capital, Tallendier eventually pivoted to solely focus on Atelier Wen.

Buiron, born and raised in Hong Kong, boasts degrees from both Peking University and Tsinghua University. His impeccable Mandarin skills have made him a familiar face on Chinese television. Moreover, he founded Zaapi, a thriving start-up that develops digital commerce infrastructure for Southeast Asian MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises).

The brand made its debut in 2018 with the Porcelain Odessy, where Chinese porcelain was exquisitely crafted for its dials. All five editions, unsurprisingly, sold out quickly.

Atelier Wen’s next hit was their integrated bracelet sports watch, the Perception. Its striking case design, influenced by traditional Chinese architecture, combined with a distinctive bracelet set the stage for the ace up its sleeve: extraordinarily finished guilloche dials.

In that package, what they’ve managed to offer is incredible value for money, with outstanding finishing and attention to detail. The Perception was, and continues to be, the categorical proposition of what Chinese horology should be.

Our first collaboration with Atelier Wen last year on two Perception models kick-started a cherished partnership with founders Robin and Wilfried. Now, we’re proud to present the Perception ‘粹 Cùi’.

Purity in execution

Atelier Wen × Revolution Perception ‘粹 Cùi’ returns to the well-loved blueprint of its predecessors. Housed in the Grade 5 titanium Perception case measuring 40mm × 9.4mm, the bracelet features individually polished inner angles on all the links that dazzle against the light.

‘粹 Cùi’, translating into purity or essence, is a fitting name for this monochromatic release as it finds multiple meanings in the story of Atelier Wen — purity in its founders’ intention, purity in a vision of Chinese watchmaking, and a purity in craft that makes the end product possible.

The case itself, architectural in nature with its rounded octagonal shape, is inspired by the concave outline of traditional Chinese pagoda rooftops.

Says Tallendier, “We took inspiration from the shape of ancient pagoda rooftops for the case sides, and from the windows of pagodas for the center links of the bracelet. We were both fascinated about a type of traditional building construction method called Sunmao (榫卯), which doesn’t use nails or cement but uses complex interlocking joinery. Our dial is actually two layers that are 0.5mm and 0.4mm in thickness. The top level is made of the special copper compound and has the guilloché pattern engraved on it. The bottom features the indexes which fit through slots cut into the upper dial. Both levels are locked in place by the chapter ring without using any screws or soldering or glue. We wanted to express what we love about Chinese culture in a more complex way.”

Its alternating finishing creates a wonderful visual nuance; the vertically and horizontally brushed case is traced with highly polished chamfers that extend through the sides of the bracelet, topped with a similarly high polished bezel.

Purity in craft

All these considered details frame the amazingly exquisite silver guilloché à main dial, which, like every other dial put out by the brand, have been meticulously handcrafted by Master Cheng Yucai’s studio.

Drawn to the traditional English and Swiss rose engine turning technique — where hand-driven gear reduction transforms large patterns into intricate engraved dials — Cheng faced a major hurdle: the antique machines needed for this were out of reach. His solution? To design and build his own rose machine, even securing a patent for it.

This achievement came after years of grueling, solitary effort in his workshop in Xinmi, Henan province. Master Cheng’s dedication to the craft is truly remarkable for no effort was spared in his pursuit of absolute perfection.

Where our first two collaborations saw dazzling primary colors contrast against a silver case, with ‘粹 Cùi’ we decided to follow through with a monochromatic palette with a similarly silver dial showcasing the ravishing ‘diamond’ guilloché pattern — the most challenging ever created by the brand.

The creation of this pattern set a new standard in complexity and required up to 36 hours of undivided attention by artisans in Master Cheng’s atelier; while the pattern is being worked, the rose engine can only be left unattended for 15 minutes at a time before calibration goes out of sync. The precision required is extraordinary: a cutting error exceeding 0.002 millimeters becomes glaringly obvious with this intricate design. Any visible mistake meant a do-over; with a consequent failure rate of 50%, the result is nothing short of spectacular.

The monochromatic theme is punctuated by three heat-blued hands that provide a brilliant pop of color, all of which receive finer finishing than the last version. Thoughtfully, the seconds hand has also received upgrades — the counterbalance has been enlarged to improve weight distribution, resulting in improved amplitude and overall accuracy. The hour and minute hands along with the outer minute track are filled with Super-LumiNova for legibility in low-light conditions.

The Perception’s caseback showcases a stylized depiction of the stone guardian lions, which have long stood sentinel at the entrances of significant Chinese landmarks such as palaces and temples. Historically, these lions, believed to ward off evil spirits, have been integral to Chinese architecture since the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Initially, their creation was a privilege of the affluent due to the high cost of stone and marble carvings, later evolving to include bronze and iron castings.

This motif is a thoughtful nod to Perception’s architectural inspirations. The lion’s open mouth, revealed when the rotor swings away from the sapphire window, offers a glimpse of the intricate côtes and chamfers of the movement’s bridges within.

On the practical front, the bracelet has seen a significant improvement in usability. A new micro-adjustment system is triggered by a push of the logo, allowing four increments of adjustment. Ingeniously, a push-pull sliding system is used to keep the clasp blade short, allowing the bracelet to easily slip over the fist.

Also new is the upgraded partial caseback, clasp shell and crown, which receive a full-titanium construction over the titanium-plating of our first collaborative pieces. Visible through the back is the self-winding extra thin Dandong caliber SL1588, which keeps the thickness of the watch at just 9.4mm.

As with the last two collaborative Perception releases, there are multiple ways of wearing 粹 Cùi. It comes with an intuitive quick-change system fitted to the spring bars that gives the customer the option of switching to the accompanying additional rubber strap.

The essence of Atelier Wen shines through with this release, as the name ‘粹 Cùi’ suggests. The achievement of complexity in dial-making, perhaps the brand’s hallmark in its current era, combined with the value proposition in an ultralight Grade 5 titanium case and bracelet, presents a compelling offer for the connoisseur looking outside Switzerland.

Atelier Wen × Revolution Perception 粹 Cùi is limited to just 50 pieces and will be available on Shop.RevolutionWatch.com on 15 August 2024, 7pm SGT / 1pm CET / 7am EST. To register your interest, please email [email protected].

Technical Specifications
Atelier Wen × Revolution Perception “粹 Cùi”

Movement: Self-winding extra thin Dandong caliber SL1588; 41-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds
Case: 40mm; grade 5 titanium; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Silver guilloché with ‘diamond’ structure; rhodium-plated applied indexes
Strap: Titanium bracelet (upgraded, polished inner angles of center links) and additional gray rubber strap with folding buckle
Price: USD 3,800 (excluding taxes)
Availability: Limited to 50 numbered pieces