Atelier Wen launches the new Inflection in full-tantalum

1 0 Tuesday, 4 November 2025 Edit this post

Atelier Wen has unveiled the new Inflection, an integrated bracelet watch crafted entirely from pure tantalum, featuring a Grand Feu enamel dial and powered by a customised Girard-Perregaux mechanical movement.

Marking a milestone as the world’s first permanent collection of bracelet watches made entirely in tantalum, this high-end creation represents a bold step for the brand into the sphere of high horology, combining technical mastery with refined design.

Inflection’s case and every individual link of its bracelet are produced from tantalum, a rare and highly corrosion-resistant metal admired for its dark bluish-grey tone, remarkable density, and difficulty in machining. Its use in watchmaking is extremely limited and almost never extends beyond the case.

Achieving such a construction with an exceptionally high level of finishing is a remarkable feat.

Atelier Wen alternates brushed, frosted, and mirror-polished surfaces across a case and bracelet that avoid flat planes, resulting in a captivating interplay of concave and convex curves that reflect light in ever-changing ways.

These flowing shapes are not only an aesthetic choice but also express the idea of harmony through contrast. Every element has a counterpart: brushed and polished surfaces, concave and convex forms, the heaviness of tantalum balanced by the visual lightness of the movement’s wind-inspired bridges.

Each surface was designed to emphasise the natural lustre of tantalum, whose dark, bluish-grey tone is most vivid on the curved and polished sections.

The 40 mm case has also been sculpted to ensure excellent wearing comfort thanks to an ergonomic and fluid fit on the wrist. Aided by a screw-down crown, it ensures water resistance up to 100 metres / 330 feet.

The Inflection is introduced in two permanent versions and a launch edition limited to just 30 pieces.

Each model features a Grand Feu enamel dial crafted on a 925-silver base by the workshop of Kong Lingjun, one of China’s most renowned enamel artisans.

The launch edition, Yōu (幽), meaning Serene or Tranquil, expresses a quiet sense of beauty and calm. It features a fumé enamel dial that transitions from a pale green centre to a deep viridian edge, with a hand-hammered base, white Arabic numerals, and rhodium-plated hands.

The two permanent models are Mò (墨), translating as Ink, with a black enamel dial, gilt Arabic numerals, and 5N gold-plated hands; and Yuān (渊), meaning Abyss or Deep Waters, featuring a midnight-blue enamel dial with white Arabic numerals and rhodium-plated hands.

The enamel process begins with a raw mixture of quartz, feldspar, borax, and other minerals, melted at high temperature and quenched in water to form glass-like fragments. These are ground by hand, sifted into a fine powder, and applied as a paste onto the silver dial blanks.

Each layer is fired at 750–850°C, cooled, and reapplied up to six times until the desired depth of colour is achieved. The surface is then polished to the smooth, glossy finish typical of Grand Feu enamel. Despite the expertise involved, around half of the dials do not survive the process.

The numerals were created by watch designer Lee Yuen-Rapati, whose refined typography enhances the watch’s balanced proportions.

The leaf-shaped hands, with their subtle curvature, catch the light beautifully and add a sense of movement to the dial.

Powering the Inflection is a customised Girard-Perregaux GP03300 calibre, known for its accuracy and refined construction. One of the few manufactures open to external collaborations, Girard-Perregaux partnered with Atelier Wen to adapt this movement to the project’s vision.

Designed by Alfred Chan with Sidoine Lescauville and the Girard-Perregaux team, the bridges feature sweeping curves inspired by wind motifs in classical Chinese art.

They are partially skeletonised and finished in ruthenium, with polished bevels, sharp angles, and wave-like côtes radiating from the centre. Black-polished screws and rose-gold-filled engravings complete the detailing.

The two-part rotor combines a tungsten weight with five rose-gold-plated skeletonised spokes that mirror the bridge decoration.

As it rotates, the alignment of these elements creates a dynamic visual effect that can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.

Just 3.36 mm thick, the automatic GP03300 offers stop-seconds functionality, a 48-hour power reserve, and regulation in five positions and to temperature, running at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour).

Due to the complexity of the Inflection’s production, from the challenge of finishing tantalum to the crafting of its sophisticated Grand Feu enamel dials, Atelier Wen will produce just 100 pieces per year. The first year will see a total of 100 watches: 30 of the launch edition Yōu and 70 shared between Mò and Yuān.

Allocation will be managed through an application process. Prices are set at US$29,800 on the full-tantalum bracelet and US$19,800 on a strap, with the latter also included with the bracelet version. atelierwen.com