Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Jade-Green & Titanium Atelier Wen Perception x Wristcheck
Luxury watch platform Wristcheck and independent watchmaker Atelier Wen announce a new take on the already successful watch.
One of the rare watchmakers to claim its pride to be Chinese, Atelier Wen has been under our radar since its very inception. From the original watches with porcelain dials to the very successful sports watch earlier this year, the watchmaking company run by Frenchman Robin Tallendier has gained impressive traction. Today, it announces its first collaboration model, made together with Austen Chu (a.k.a Horoloupe), founder of Hong Kong-based platform Wristcheck. And their new take on the brand’s integrated sports watch, the Perception, brings lightness, craftsmanship and Chinese elegance. Let’s have a look at the new Atelier Wen Perception x Wristcheck.
This new watch is the result of the encounter of two young men, part of the new generation of watchmakers and collectors. On one side is Robin Tallendier, founder of Atelier Wen, and on the other is Austen Chu, one of the most active collectors of the upcoming generation. The watch that was created by them is representing this spirit… Young, casual, sporty and at the same time carrying great respect for traditional craftsmanship and local culture. And yes, it has proper Chinese roots, and these have been implemented in a very elegant way.
The Atelier Wen Perception has been revealed earlier this year and has been a great success for the brand. A rather personal take on the luxury sports watch with an integrated bracelet, it managed to integrate Chinese culture without the often-seen gimmicks. On the contrary, the Chinese elements were actually adding a lot to the personality of this watch. With the new Atelier Wen Perception x Wristcheck, Austen Chu is adding yet another layer of Chinese culture, yet seen through the eyes of a young, internationally-oriented man.
As such, the watch has been updated with a new material and a new dial. The case, which retains the same design and proportions as before, is now made of grade 5 titanium instead of 904L steel. Known to be lighter and resilient, this will only add to the overall comfort on the wrist. The proportions of the case are near-perfect, with a modern yet relatively compact 40mm diameter and pleasant slenderness, with a 9.4mm height. The case is nicely shaped, with scalloped sides and a smooth round bezel. It retains the same elegant finishes as the steel model, with a combination of vertically brushed surfaces and strong, contrasting polished accents. It includes a sapphire crystal on top with an anti-reflective coating, a screw-down crown and 100m water-resistance.
In addition to this new titanium case, the Atelier Wen Perception x Wristcheck stands out thanks to its stunning dial. Proudly hand-made in China, on a rose engine by China’s sole master guilloché craftsman, Master Cheng, it shows here a new pattern and a new colour. The new pattern is combined with an unprecedented colour, which is once again a tribute to the watch’s country of origin. Obtained by PVD plating, the dial is now jade green-coloured and framed by a grey flange with classic motifs found on ancient architectural masterpieces.
The back retains the deeply embossed pattern – a shishi motif – with a partial sapphire crystal revealing some of the movement. The rotor is plated in green and the rest of the movement is known to be a customised extra-thin Dandong SL1588. Beating at 4Hz, this movement is boasting a 41h power reserve and is adjusted in 5 positions and to heat and cold. The finishing includes Geneva stripes, perlage and polished bevels.
The Atelier Wen Perception x Wristcheck is worn on a grade 5 titanium bracelet and a grey FKM rubber strap is also included. The watch is a limited edition of 100 pieces, only available from wristcheck.com at a price of USD 3,400 or HKD 26,700. And even though it’s a rather significant increase compared to the original model (priced at around 2.8k), it remains a competitive price for a full-titanium watch with a hand-made guilloche dial.
For more details, please visit atelierwen.com.
5 responses
Wonderful dial!
Nice execution, clean dial, great color, titanium case, original-looking metal bracelet. The whole package looks great except for the movement choice. I respect the founder’s wish to make the product home origin as much as possible but the extra thin Dandong SL1588 sounds the alarm in my head.
stunning dial!
I use this watch since a few days and find it increasingly interesting. The dial is a stunner, especially in sun light and it really is an eye catcher. The watch itself is very light and easy to wear, the sapphire glass is anti-reflective and shows the hand made guilloche dial in all its beauty. Finishing of the watch is superb by all standards. What surprised me too, was that the lume is lasting a whole night. Therefore it is very easy to know the time (minutes and hours, seconds don’t have lume) and that is really highest standard. At the price point sold it was really an absolut bargain and largely undervalued. Don’t mind the movement, it works very well and surprisingly accurate – even that has been well mastered as to any Swiss or other international standard.
Have you tried winding it? Feels absolutely rough and lumpy. Hacking too feels odd and inconsistent. Complete letdown on an otherwise amazing piece. $99 on exterior $1 on movement