27 September 2024
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen
Perception Tantalum ‘鸿 Hóng’
Our latest Grail Watch sets a new benchmark in Chinese watchmaking. Crafted entirely from tantalum — from the case and crown to the integrated bracelet — the Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” proudly stands as the first serially produced tantalum watch of its kind.
WORDS by BRYAN TAN
We’re thrilled to introduce our fourth collaboration with trailblazing Chinese brand Atelier Wen. At a passing glance, the Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” might seem similar to our past three sold-out collaborations, and in many ways it is. The well-loved Perception integrated bracelet watch returns with the intricate diamond-structured guilloché à main dial of “粹 Cùi,” in the jubilant shade of red found on “喜 Xǐ,” but now with an ace up its sleeve.
It’s fully crafted in 99.99 percent pure tantalum, from the case, bracelet, crown, solid caseback to clasp, with the same level of beautiful mixed finishing that collectors have come to expect from the brand. This use of tantalum is a remarkable first for the brand, whose previous offerings have been exclusively in stainless steel or titanium. For its first exotic metal execution of the Perception, Atelier Wen has eschewed more traditional materials and gone straight for the moonshot, crafting its latest limited edition in what’s been referred to as the “diabolical metal,” as tantalum is notoriously difficult to work with.
German silver takes on a warm gold hue as it develops patina, reflecting the time spent with its wearer
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng”
In fact, such is the rarity of tantalum in watchmaking that Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” lays claim to be the world’s first integrated sports watch in tantalum serially released. The limited edition of 25 pieces is priced at USD 10,000 (excluding taxes and handling fee) and available to purchase through the link below. Read on to learn about the journey that culminated in the Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng.”
Super-LumiNova fills the hour and minute hands, along with the outer tracks
Vastness in Ambition
If you’re an upstart watch brand that has achieved runaway success just six years into the business, and spearheaded the advancement of Chinese watchmaking with craftsmanship showcased at a previously unheard-of price point — what’s next? Upward, of course.
It’s remarkable to consider Atelier Wen’s trajectory since its inception. Founders Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, both self-professed Sinophiles who met while studying at Peking University, aimed high with the brand. Their goal? To put Chinese watchmaking on the map, and introduce to the watch industry a hidden artistry waiting to be discovered in the East. The name Atelier Wen was, suitably, derived from the French word for workshop and the Chinese word for culture, “文 wén.”
Atelier Wen co-founders Wilfried Buiron (left) and Robin Tallendier (right)
Tallendier, a horological enthusiast since age 14, left such a lasting impression in China that the appointment of “Execution Expert” was bestowed unto him by the Chinese government. This allowed him exclusive access to the legendary Mainland watch companies, including the renowned Dandong/Peacock company, whose movements now power Atelier Wen’s creations. Formerly a private equity star in Paris, Tallendier eventually pivoted to solely focus on Atelier Wen.
Buiron, born and raised in Hong Kong, boasts degrees from both Peking University and Tsinghua University. His impeccable Mandarin skills have made him a familiar face on Chinese television. Moreover, he founded Zaapi, a thriving startup that develops digital commerce infrastructure for Southeast Asian MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises).
Atelier Wen X Revolution Perception '粲 Càn'
The brand made its debut in 2018 with the Porcelain Odyssey, where Chinese porcelain was exquisitely crafted for its dials. All five editions, unsurprisingly, sold out quickly.
Atelier Wen’s next hit was its integrated bracelet sports watch, the Perception. Its striking case design, influenced by traditional Chinese architecture, and combined with a distinctive bracelet, set the stage for the ace up its sleeve: extraordinarily finished guilloché dials.
In that package, what the brand has managed to offer is incredible value for money, with outstanding finishing and attention to detail. The Perception was, and continues to be, the categorical proposition of what Chinese horology should be like.
Atelier Wen's permanent Perception collection offers the model in 904L steel
The permanent Perception collection offers the model in wonderfully finished 904L steel. Our first three sold-out partnerships with Atelier Wen saw ultra lightweight renditions in grade 5 titanium. Now, we’re pleased to present the first exotic metal take on the Perception completely crafted from 99.99 percent pure tantalum.
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng”
The Holy Grail of Metals
The use of tantalum stands in stark contrast to other materials used in watchmaking. While not a precious metal per se, the rarity of its implementation derives less from its physical scarcity but more from the technical challenges watchmakers have to surmount working with the metal. So, what exactly is it?
Tantalum (chemical symbol: Ta) has a relatively short history as far as its elemental discovery is concerned. Unlike gold, which has been used as a store of value for millennia, tantalum was only discovered in 1802 by the Swedish chemist Anders Gustaf Ekeberg, and was named after the Greek demigod Tantalus to reflect its resistant nature.
A platinum-palladium ore from Stillwater Mine, a well-known platinum and palladium mining site located in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana, USA. (Image: Wikipedia)
Tantalum is distinguished by its dark blue-gray tone, reminiscent of titanium, as well as its surprising heft, with a density close to that of gold. It combines this substantial weight with impressive resistance to scratches, corrosion and overall wear, boasting a Mohs hardness of 6.5 — about 30 percent harder than platinum. Additionally, tantalum is biologically inert, making it an excellent choice for wearers with metal allergies.
Tantalum's specialized use and complex supply chain limits the breadth of its market. As a result, it does not have a futures market and is typically traded through direct long-term contracts or niche markets, rather than major commodity exchanges.
As Revolution’s editor-at-large Cheryl Chia explains in her deep dive into this metal, “Tantalum’s unique characteristics and how they relate to one another present significant challenges in machining. It exhibits a ‘sticky’ behavior during cutting and tends to adhere to the cutting tool instead of being cleanly sheared away. As a result, instead of producing small, manageable shavings, the cutting action generates thick chips.
“Additionally, its high melting point generates substantial heat during machining due to the larger cutting forces required. In contrast, metals with lower melting points are generally easier to shape and mold. The excessive heat, in turn, leads to rapid wear and damage to standard machining tools, which must withstand these extreme conditions. Furthermore, tantalum has relatively low thermal conductivity (~57 W/m-K while platinum is 71 W/m-K), meaning that while it can conduct heat, it does not dissipate it effectively. This results in localized heating, further exacerbating tool wear.”
The F.P. Journe Chronomètre Furtif Bleu, a unique piece that sold for CHF 2 million at Only Watch 2024, is one of the few integrated bracelet watches produced in tantalum
Anecdotally, tantalum is said to be three times more difficult to work with than even platinum, itself a notoriously demanding metal to machine. Equally, achieving a high polish on tantalum is as laborious, requiring the metal to be in a specific hardened state to receive a cleaner polish.
As such, most tantalum watches released have only been produced in one-off or extremely small production runs, and often at an eye-watering price point that can occasionally surpass platinum and gold.
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng”
A world first
Grail Watch 12: Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” is the culmination of two years of work for Atelier Wen. The journey started with identifying a manufacturing partner that, firstly, understood the immense challenge that lay ahead and, secondly, wanted to help Robin and Wilfried surmount this challenge.
“They are a large industrial supplier who typically work on production runs in the order of tens of thousands. This order of 25 tantalum watches wasn’t a huge money making opportunity for them, especially given the very long R&D time required,” Tallendier explains. “But we told them that we could actually be the first brand that pulls this off — and a Chinese one, at that. I think that was what motivated them into taking this on.”
At 40mm x 9.4mm, Grail Watch 12 maintains the elegant proportions of the Perception
Crafting the Perception in tantalum was far from straightforward. While the case dimensions have remained in the same elegant dimensions, measuring 40mm × 9.4mm, major changes had to be made to the bracelet in order to maintain its smooth articulation. The bracelet pins, for example, had to be rethought to support the immense weight of both the bracelet and case. Ceramic sleeves, like those used by Rolex, were considered but ultimately dropped due to the slimness of the links. Increasing the thickness of the bracelet wasn’t an option either — the Perception’s svelte, sports chic aesthetic would otherwise be compromised. The brand eventually settled on a higher grade of steel alloy, and upsized to twice the diameter. The heavier bracelet also necessitated the use of heavier duty springs within the on-the-fly adjustment system and quick release bars.
The tantalum bracelet is finished to the same standard as the titanium and stainless steel variants, with highly polished inner angles and beveled edges
Despite the increased challenges of working with tantalum, Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” exhibits the same beautiful mixed finishing that collectors have come to expect from the brand. The concave bezel features the same high polish found on the 904L steel and titanium variants, along with similarly polished edge bevels. The bracelet’s brushed H-links minimize the appearance of scratches, while the polished edges catch the light with a subtle gleam, creating a delightful visual nuance.
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng”
The result is an understated yet impressive heft. Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” weighs a mighty 237g with full links — more than double the titanium version at 110g.
As with all of Atelier Wen’s releases, the dial isn’t an afterthought either. The diamond-structured guilloché pattern found on “鸿 Hóng” takes after our last collaborative release with the brand, the Perception “粹 Cùi,” which is meticulously handcrafted in Master Cheng Yu Cai’s workshop and is the most complicated work ever put out by the brand. Creating this pattern demanded the synchronized efforts of three artisans, and the precision required is extraordinary: a cutting error exceeding 0.002 millimeters becomes glaringly obvious with this intricate design. Any visible mistake meant a do-over; the spectacular result justified the high rejection rate.
The intricate diamond-structured guilloché is the most complicated pattern put out by the brand
The name “鸿 Hóng” or “Great Vastness,” speaks to the sheer ambition of the six-year old Chinese brand. With this first execution of the Perception in exotic metal, we’re proud to share this high-water mark moment with them. Priced at USD 10,000, Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” offers an incredible value proposition for a tantalum vision of Atelier Wen’s cult favorite model.
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng” is available to the public for purchase now through the link below. Available in a limited edition of 25 pieces, it is priced at USD 10,000, excluding taxes.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Grail Watch 12: Atelier Wen Perception Tantalum “鸿 Hóng”
Movement: Self-winding extra thin Dandong caliber SL1588; 41-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes and seconds
Case: 40mm × 9.4mm; 99.99 percent pure tantalum; water resistant to 100m
Dial: Red guilloché with “diamond” pattern; Super-LumiNova filled, Chinese “回纹 huí wén” patterned chapter ring in raw brass; rhodium-plated applied indexes
Strap: 99.99 percent pure tantalum bracelet (polished inner angles of center links) with stainless steel bracelet pins and sliding mechanism
Price: USD 10,000, excluding taxes and handling fee
Availability: Limited and numbered edition of 25 pieces
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