Atelier Wen Inflection
There are watches that are ambitious. And then there are watches that are audacious. The Inflection belongs to the latter category. It is not an iteration of an existing concept; it is Atelier Wen's first watch to measure up to the best that haute horlogerie has to offer, without compromise.
Tantalum: a metal almost never used
The case and every single link of the Inflection bracelet are made of 99.9% pure tantalum. Tantalum is a transition metal with a characteristic dark bluish-grey tone, exceptional resistance to corrosion and chemicals, and almost hypoallergenic properties. It is denser than steel, significantly rarer, and incomparably more difficult to machine. It is used in watchmaking only exceptionally.
The design of the Inflection further complicates this machinability on purpose. Neither the case nor the bracelet has a single flat surface, only fluid transitions of convex and concave curves. These curves are a direct reference to the Chinese philosophical concept of yin and yang, complementary opposites whose meeting creates a harmonious whole. The combination of strong vertical brushing, frosted surfaces, and concavely mirror-polished chamfers captures and amplifies the material's natural luster in a way that cannot be achieved with other metals.
Dial: grand feu enamel by Kong Lingjun
All three Inflection variants feature grand feu enamel dials from the workshop of Kong Lingjun in Beijing, China's leading watch dial enameller. Each dial undergoes repeated firings in a kiln at temperatures of 750 to 850 °C, and the rejection rate is high. The result is a surface with a depth and luster that no lacquer or resin finish can replicate.
The base of the dial is a plate of pure 925 silver. The hour markers are the work of designer Lee Yuen-Rapati, inspired by the morphology of Chinese bamboo calligraphy.
The 幽 Yōu variant is limited to 30 pieces. Hand-hammered silver under transparent enamel creates a transition from pale green in the center to deep emerald at the periphery. A tonal gradient, which is technically the most challenging of all three variants. The 墨 Mò variant features an ink-black enamel, whose perfect surface level had to be achieved through repeated polishing. The 渊 Yuān variant, midnight blue, dramatically changes tone depending on the angle of incident light.
Movement: Girard-Perregaux GP03300
The Inflection is the first Atelier Wen model with a movement from the Swiss haute horlogerie manufacture Girard-Perregaux, one of the oldest continuously operating manufactures ever. The GP03300 caliber has been extensively customized and decorated for the Inflection.
The bridges are shaped into fluid curves that echo the visual motifs of wind from historical Chinese painting and were designed by Alfred Chan together with Sidoine Lescauville and the Girard-Perregaux technical team. The surface of the bridges is covered with a ruthenium coating and decorated with prominent anglage, sharp external chamfers, and laser-engraved wavy Côtes de Genève radiating from the center of the movement. The screws are black polished, the wind-inspired rotor features a 5N rose gold coating. The movement has a power reserve of 48 hours, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour, and a stop-seconds function.
Case and bracelet
Diameter 40 mm, lug-to-lug length 45 mm, thickness 10.2 mm. Screw-down crown, water resistance 100 m. Both front and back crystals are double-domed box-dome sapphire with 5 layers of anti-reflective coating. The case back is fully transparent.
The bracelet, made of the same tantalum, tapers from 22 mm at the case to 18 mm at the clasp. The outer links feature vertical brushing, the center links are mirror-polished, and the chamfers are concavely polished. The clasp features a patented on-the-fly micro-adjustment in four positions and a telescopic deployant blade mechanism. Quick-release spring bars. Optionally, an integrated sailcloth strap with an FKM rubber backing and a tantalum folding clasp is available.
Availability
Annual production capacity is 100 pieces across all three variants. Allocation is based on an internally reviewed application to ensure even distribution. Payment is divided into two parts: a 50% deposit upon allocation and a 50% balance upon shipment.
Technical details:
