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The standard bearer of Chinese watchmaking, Atelier Wen, has just announced an ongoing series of limited editions that will begin with a dial color sure to catch the eye. Atelier Wen has hit its stride with the Perception series, its collection of integrated bracelet watches with strikingly ornate hand-turned guilloché dials. Proudly Chinese-made, the Perception has allowed the brand to cultivate a community of enthusiasts. To celebrate that community, it is launching the Millésime project, which will include an annual community-driven, limited-format release. It all starts with the Atelier Wen Perception Millésime Mù, and three very lucky buyers are in for quite the surprise.
The Perception serves as Atelier Wens flagship model, and the brand has used it as a platform to champion Chinese watchmaking, from dials to movements and beyond. The brand has shown us how each of its guilloché pieces is from the workshop of China’s sole Master Guillocheur, Cheng Yu Cai, and how its movement manufacturer exceeds expectations and defies the stereotypes that surround Chinese manufacturing. With the Millésime editions, it shows us how much it values the enthusiast community.
The idea for a recurring limited-release project came from frustrations with previous limited editions that restricted access to those fast enough to secure one of a limited number of watches; Atelier Wen listened to the community and made the choice to create a limited-edition watch that was easier for enthusiasts to get. The decision to debut the Millésime with the purple dial of the Mù — or “睦,” meaning amity, kinship, or closeness — came when the brand showed off tantalum prototypes fitted with a similar color dial at this year’s Watches and Wonders in Geneva. The response to the dial was so positive and immediate that there was only one path forward. And that path was emphatically purple.
The Perception Millésime Mù is the first non-collaboration model to feature a case made entirely from grade 5 titanium. It measures 40mm at its widest point and just 9.4mm thick, including its anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The screw-down crown is signed and helps to achieve 100m of water resistance, While the integrated bracelet style is not new, Atelier Wen incorporates lines and forms throughout the watch that recall traditional Chinese design motifs. The finishing is remarkable, with a polished concave bezel giving way to a refined vertical brushing on the mid-case with an elegant polished chamfer tracing its edge along the 47mm case length.
The case transitions seamlessly to the fitted, titanium bracelet, creating an uninterrupted presence around the wrist. The brushing is matched on the angular links, and each has its edges finished with polished chamfers, complementing the watch case. Most notably, the bracelet is equipped with the Perceptions novel clasp. The bracelet tapers from 22mm to 18mm and features quick-release pins for easy removal. As an added bonus, the first 88 orders and all pre-orders at the brand’s upcoming exhibitions will receive a fitted salmon leather strap. This is the first leather strap the brand has offered for the Perception, and it will not be available for sale beyond the first 88 orders.
The foldover clasp includes Atelier Wen’s proprietary, patent-pending on-the-fly micro-adjustment system activated by pushing on the brand’s logo and providing 7mm of extension. Extending the comfort beyond the thin case and articulating bracelet, the clasp also has a telescoping folding blade that allows it to expand as it goes over the hand before being fastened. Together, these two implementations delivered unrivaled ease of use and comfort. For those looking for even more versatility, Atelier Wen also offers FKM rubber straps that offer ideal comfort and durability without sacrificing the Perception’s sophistication. The rubber straps’ clasp goes beyond convention and is enhanced by a finely finished buckle in the form of the brand’s logo and the same convenient telescoping blade as the bracelet’s clasp.
Atelier Wen is and has always been known for its dazzling dials, and the Perception Millésime Mù is no exception. Each Perception dial is hand-turned in Master Cheng Yu Cai’s studio using rose engines of his own design and takes eight hours to complete. The dial’s four-layered construction is inspired by the ancient Chinese architectural tenets of Sunmao. The purple you see was almost an accident. Those prototypes from Watches and Wonders had purple dials to make clear that they were not part of the regular collection; the response was so overwhelmingly positive that the choice for this new model was made for the brand. In deciding on the precise shade of purple for the Perception Millésime Mù, Atelier Wen undertook multiple rounds of testing before finding the perfect tone that would enliven the already dynamic dial. The result is a color that exhibits a mysterious shift depending on the light, from a deep, regal purple to dancing hues of violet. On the wrist, the hue is far more wearable than most would expect from a purple watch; the varying tone and distinct texture allows this watch to be worn for almost any occasion.
The écaille de poisson or fish scale pattern has become the brand’s signature and is accented with applied rhodium-plated indices and matching leaf-shaped hands which have a fullness and dimensionality that reinforces the texture of the dial and the sophistication of the Perception series. The hands are filled with the highest grade of Super-LumiNova for an even brightness that brings the dial to life even in the darkest environments. Surrounding the dial is a chapter ring decorated with a fully lumed Chinese hui wen pattern that reaffirms the watch’s origins.
The caseback is secured with screws and adorned with a raised stone lion motif surrounded by a hammered texture surface. The rim of the caseback is enhanced with three-dimensional lettering and a small, lacquer Atelier Wen seal that calls to mind the hallmarks seen on the finest Chinese crafts. This seal will be the mark of the Millésime initiative, creating a visual indication of this special series on each watch, with each seal color-coordinated to every iteration’s dial.
Atelier Wen employs a customized 32-jewel Dandong SL1588A automatic caliber manufactured by renowned Chinese movement manufacturer, Peacock. Seen through a partial sapphire window in the intricately decorated caseback, the movement is regulated to -/+ 10 seconds per day in 5 positions and has a 41-hour power reserve at 28,800 vph. No detail has been overlooked, as the caliber features blue screws, perlage, anglage, and Côtes de Genève, and is fitted with a purple rhodium-plated tungsten rotor.
Here’s the twist: While every person who orders a Perception Millésime Mù during the limited order window will receive one, three lucky individuals will be chosen at random to instead receive an unworn, brand-new prototype of the same watch in full tantalum, pictured above. Why three? Why tantalum? Why purple? When the brand showed off its tantalum samples in Geneva, it brought three pieces. The dials, as mentioned, were purple solely to distinguish them from the existing blue, salmon, and grey production pieces. In essence, Atelier Wen wanted to make sure people had an “Oh! What’s this?” reaction as they saw something new and different. To pay tribute to those pieces and their role in inspiring the Perception Millésime Mù, it was decided to three of them away.
Delivered in the same purple packaging as the titanium models (including a purple carrying case), the lucky three who are chosen will only discover their fortune upon opening the watch box. The tantalum models will have the share the titanium model’s vivacious purple dial, and each will be accompanied by a commemorative ticket milled from solid tantalum, a wink to purple-loving Willy Wonka and the tickets from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.As a way of expressing appreciation for the Atelier Wen community, existing owners will receive an additional chance to win for each Atelier Wen watch they own. What’s more, the trio of tantalum Perceptions will lay the groundwork for an upcoming Atelier Wen first: a non-limited full tantalum timepiece that will establish an entirely new collection.
A demonstration of its commitment not just to Chinese artisanship but to the community that has allowed it to flourish, the new Millésime editions continue Atelier Wen’s artistic flair and exceptional quality. Starting with the captivating purple dial of the Mù, this novel series and the three tantalum models are sure to delight enthusiasts of all stripes. The Atelier Wen Perception Millésime Mù is priced at $3,588 USD, offering exceptional value for a watch that cuts no corners and delivers design and quality usually priced multiples higher. Each watch will be delivered in a luxurious purple watch box that opens to reveal the watch, a branded carrying case, a polishing cloth, and a small screwdriver to size the bracelet. The Tantalum edition is limited to three pieces and is only available by raffle through the purchase of the Atelier Wen Perception Millésime Mù. The pre-order window will open on October 7 at 9:00 PM SGT/9:00 AM EST and runs through October 21; pre-orders can also be placed in person during any of the upcoming exhibitions listed below. For more information, please visit the Atelier Wen website.
Upcoming Exhibitions
October 12, Paris — WeLoveWatches
October 18-20, New York City — WindUp Watch Fair
October 18-20, Singapore — Spring, Sprang, Sprung
October 22-24, Hong Kong — Dubai Watch Week Horology Forum 10
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