Atelier Wen Inflection - References, Prices and Owners' Reviews

Atelier Wen Inflection is a collection launched in 2025, combining a fully integrated case and bracelet made from 99.9% pure tantalum, grand feu enamel dials crafted by Kong Lingjun’s Beijing workshop, and a deeply customised Girard-Perregaux GP03300 automatic movement. Positioned as Atelier Wen’s most ambitious project to date, this 40 mm by 45 mm, roughly 10.2 mm-thick integrated sports-chic watch blends concave and convex curves, brushed and mirror-polished finishes, 100 m water resistance and on-the-fly clasp micro-adjustment, with three main dials: the fumé green Yōu launch edition (limited to 30 pieces), plus the obsidian-black Mò and midnight-blue Yuān, both part of the permanent range.

Design & legibility: the model’s identity

The Inflection’s design builds on the brand’s earlier integrated concepts but pushes curves and volumes far further: a 40 mm tantalum case with slightly flared flanks, concave polished bezel, softened lateral “ears,” and an integrated bracelet where every link alternates concave and convex profiles, strong vertical brushing and mirror-polished facets that bounce light dramatically, such that the dense bluish-grey tantalum gives the watch almost jewelry-like presence on the wrist while remaining coherent and readable as an everyday object.

On the dial side, the signature lies in the trio of grand feu enamels on hand-hammered 925-silver bases: fumé green for Yōu, deep black for Mò, and midnight blue for Yuān, each colour fired repeatedly then polished to an extremely pure surface, set with custom Arabic numerals by Lee Yuen-Rapati inspired by bamboo-leaf calligraphy and volumetric leaf-shaped hands in rhodium or gold tone, so despite the dial’s sophistication, hours-minutes-seconds remain instantly legible thanks to the contrast of the markers and the curvature of the hands.

Case, bracelet and everyday comfort

The case measures 40 mm across, 45 mm lug-to-lug and about 10.2 mm in thickness, with a box-style double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, and a domed sapphire display back; the whole assembly, including crown, bracelet links, clasp body and micro-adjust pushers, is machined from 99.9% pure tantalum, water-resistant to 100 m, and delivers a heft comparable to 18-karat gold yet in a darker, more discreet tone, while this mass is offset by the short lug-to-lug and careful weight distribution, allowing the watch to sit surprisingly securely even on average wrists.

The integrated bracelet magnifies the Inflection’s curve-driven brief: outer links with pronounced vertical brushing, separate polished centre links, concave mirror-polished chamfers and a 22 mm width at the case tapering to 18 mm at the clasp, which houses a four-position, on-the-fly micro-adjustment triggered by the embossed round logo and a telescopic folding blade; alternative integrated sailcloth-on-FKM and pure FKM rubber straps with tantalum clasp are also offered, so the watch can move from a “full precious metal” feel on tantalum bracelet to a lighter, more casual personality on textile or rubber without losing its core character.

Movement: architecture, performance and care

Inside, the Inflection uses a heavily customised Girard-Perregaux GP03300 calibre: automatic, 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, a stated 48-hour power reserve, hacking seconds and adjustment in five positions and to temperature, all in a movement thickness of about 3.3 mm that helps keep overall case height in check despite the substantial rotor with tungsten outer mass and five rose-gold-plated spokes echoing the dial’s wind-inspired motif, and this slim, high-grade architecture is designed to deliver both comfortable ergonomics on the wrist and the timing stability expected from haute horlogerie.

The bridges visible through the back are skeletonised and ruthenium-plated, decorated with radiating wave-like côtes, broad anglage and sharp inward corners, complemented by black-polished screws and a rotor whose wind-shaped spokes in 5N rose gold align visually with the bridges as it turns; Atelier Wen’s signature and movement text are engraved and filled, reinforcing the impression of thorough attention to detail, while the brand communicates a classic high-end service rhythm (roughly every 5 to 7 years) backed by a five-year warranty, so under normal use, regular water-resistance checks and periodic servicing should be enough to preserve both accuracy and the calibre’s refined finishing.

Timeline & main models (2022–2025)

(2022) Atelier Wen Inflection Tantalum Concept:

In the years following the Perception’s success, Atelier Wen begins development of a far more ambitious integrated watch, defined by a fully tantalum case and bracelet, artisan-made dial and high-horology Swiss movement, intended to prove that the brand’s Franco-Chinese ecosystem can stand alongside established luxury makers; early design studies explore concave and convex curves, a concave bezel profile and full tantalum links, laying the groundwork for collaborations with Kong Lingjun’s enamel workshop and Girard-Perregaux.

(2023) Atelier Wen Inflection GP03300 Prototypes:

Functional prototypes introduce the GP03300 calibre into an Atelier Wen case for the first time, with bridges re-sculpted around a wind motif inspired by traditional Chinese painting, an openworked rotor with tungsten mass, dual sapphire crystals and early full-tantalum bracelet mock-ups; testing highlights the industrial challenge of machining and finishing such a dense metal yet confirms that low-volume serial production is achievable, paving the way for a full collection.

(2024) Atelier Wen Inflection Grand Feu Development:

Parallel to case work, Kong Lingjun’s workshop in Beijing develops grand feu enamel dials on hand-hammered 925-silver bases, with a steep learning curve around gradients and defect control (high rejection rates); the fumé green, obsidian black and midnight blue palettes are finalised together with bamboo-leaf-inspired Arabic numerals, and validated prototypes show perfectly smooth surfaces despite multiple firings.

(2025) Atelier Wen Inflection:

At launch, Atelier Wen announces an annual capacity of around 100 pieces for the whole Inflection line, including 30 Yōu launch edition pieces and roughly 70 Mò and Yuān in the first year, with allocation managed via an application process and direct conversations with the founders; this deliberately scarce production, combined with the demanding metal and high-horology movement, positions Inflection firmly among high-end independent offerings.

Conclusion

Atelier Wen Inflection is aimed at enthusiasts willing to embrace a very dense, highly detailed and resolutely high-end watch that fuses full tantalum construction, Chinese grand feu enamel artistry and a beautifully dressed Girard-Perregaux movement; you choose it first as a potential centrepiece of your collection, then by dial colour (limited green versus serial black or blue), and finally by whether you prioritise the full tantalum bracelet experience or prefer to balance weight and comfort with strap use, and to refine that decision with honest feedback on comfort, legibility and day-to-day experience, it makes sense to rely on Dialicious customer reviews.

(Updated November 2025)