Austen Chu, Wristcheck’s founder and a keen businessman with an eye for opportunities, saw potential in these rejected dials. Recognizing the chance to breathe new life into them, Mr. Chu teamed up with Romaric André of Seconde/Seconde, known for his skill in redesigning existing dials. The result of this collaboration is the 36-piece limited edition, the Perception “锔瓷”.

How can you mend a broken dial?

While not technically shattered into pieces, the cut guilloché dials were restored using an age-old porcelain mending technique called 锔瓷 or Juci. This involves drilling tiny holes into shattered pieces of porcelain and then connecting the broken pieces together with metal pins. Originally developed to prevent the waste of porcelain or ceramic ware, this technique has evolved into an artisanal practice, where the application of more elaborate pins turns into a form of decoration.

That’s in stark contrast to the traditional Juci, and as expected because the dial isn’t naturally shattered in the first place. Therefore, the dial lacks the natural shatter pattern and also the organic distribution of pins. Moreover, traditional Juci doesn’t typically involve stacking the pins to create a cross pattern. Nevertheless, the application of these pins showcases a creative and effective approach to resolving the situation, resulting in a visually appealing outcome.

Unbranded dial

While the idea of an unbranded dial appears attractive as it seems to create one less interruption to the guilloché dial, the placeholder for dial text at 12 o’clock remains from when the guilloché dial was created. The only difference between this version and the usual version is the lack of text. It’s unusual, but in addition to the Juci details, makes for a dial with a sense of story.

Our verdict

But from a philosophical standpoint, ultimately the Perception “锔瓷” represents a roundabout solution to the problem. But rather than discard these beautiful, hand-crafted dials for their perceived lack of uniformity, this limited edition allows that individuality to shine, and even celebrates it. 

Additionally, it’s worth noting the price increase of almost 50% compared to the earlier Wristcheck x Atelier Wen Perception “传承”  – especially since it’s now in steel instead of titanium.  This is true even when taking into account the smaller production run, the unconventional design, and the increased manual labor involved.

Wristcheck x Atelier Wen x Seconde/Seconde Perception “锔瓷” specs and price