Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao – Review (Live Pics & Price)

Today I want to tell you about a project that truly matters to me. It’s the story of the brand Atelier Wen, which just unveiled its latest model — a timepiece I was lucky enough to handle ahead of its official release. But before presenting the watch itself, let me share a bit more about the journey of Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, the two founders behind this brand launched in 2018.

Robin Tallendier is a collector of vintage Chinese watches who first fell in love with horology at the age of 14, when his parents gifted him a Seiko chronograph powered by a quartz movement. From there, he started researching on various forums and quickly developed a passion for Chinese timepieces. Around the same time, his family — who shared a strong obsession with travel — began exploring Asia. This sparked Robin’s curiosity about the world and led him to buy his first Chinese watches: very affordable, high-quality pieces produced in large numbers by the Chinese Communist Party. What fascinates Robin most is discovering the unusual stories behind these watches.

It was at the University of Warwick in the UK that Robin Tallendier crossed paths with Wilfried Buiron, a true entrepreneurship enthusiast born and raised in Hong Kong to French parents. They first met during a university trip to Beijing and later reconnected during a year-and-a-half exchange program at Peking University. During that time, thanks to his mentor at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Robin had the opportunity to visit every part of China’s watchmaking ecosystem. But upon returning to Europe, he found that no one seemed open to hearing about Chinese watchmaking or craftsmanship. That’s when the idea of synergy between these two individuals emerged: Wilfried Buiron suggested launching a mass-market watch project on Kickstarter. At that moment, Robin revealed his desire to create a higher-end brand that would showcase China’s centuries-old artisanal know-how. The idea was planted.

As they each continued their Master’s degrees — Robin in the UK and Wilfried in China — they developed the project step by step. They were fortunate to bring on board Li Mingliang and Liu Yuguan to design what would become their first model. After completing their studies, they launched the inaugural piece: the Porcelain Odyssey, released in four colorways, each limited to 250 units on Kickstarter. This was a series of 39mm steel watches featuring porcelain dials with subtle 1950s-inspired Chinese design codes. Instead of a classic railroad track, the dial’s outer edge displayed the Chinese “Hui Wen” motif, while the small seconds subdial paid homage to the eight trigrams. The watches were powered by a customized Dandong SL-3006 automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve. Five versions of the Porcelain Odyssey were produced, each limited to 250 units — and all sold out.

They hadn’t really anticipated what would come next, but the project quickly became a success. Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron decided to move to Hong Kong to dedicate themselves fully to the brand. Since the watches had been released in limited editions, they found themselves in a position where they had to deliver existing orders without being able to sell more. The development of the second model took longer than expected, and the Kickstarter funds began to dry up. Robin went back to work for two years in Paris at an investment fund, while Wilfried continued other projects from Singapore, quietly working on the brand behind the scenes.

At the end of 2022, the duo returned to the watchmaking scene by launching the Perception — a collection that evolves with time and, in fact, now holds a place in my own collection. The dials are hand-crafted by Master Cheng Yucai, the only guilloché master in China, based in Xinmi. Atelier Wen aims to break free from the oversimplified mindset that “Made in China” equals low quality or cheap goods. The name “Atelier Wen” means “cultural workshop,” combining the French word “atelier” with the Chinese word “wén” (文), which means “culture.” The brand is dedicated to exploring Chinese culture through timepieces. Its mission is to celebrate and elevate Chinese craftsmanship and cultural heritage on an international stage.

The Atelier Wen Ancestra, 蛟 (JIĀO), the first model of a new collection, reinterprets ancient Chinese mythology through a modern take on the classic dress watch. Inspired by the captivating story of the Hongshan jade dragon — the earliest known depiction of a dragon in human history — 蛟 (JIĀO) blends contemporary design with deep cultural significance. Now, let’s explore the watch in detail.

What are the features of the Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao?

Case

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao features a 38mm stainless steel 904L case, water-resistant to 10 ATM, with a thickness of 11.3mm — a perfect size for a refined dress watch. Its sinuous shape draws inspiration from the oldest known dragon depiction: the jade-carved dragons of the Hongshan culture (猪龙 zhū lóng). The lugs are slightly curved and secured by internal screws and finely engraved external bolts, adorned with the traditional Chinese pattern 回纹 (huí wén). Designed by Sifan Guo and Alfred Chan, the case showcases a striking contrast of brushed and polished surfaces. This segmented construction allows for sharp transitions between finishes. Special mention goes to the new crown, which offers excellent grip, and the refined finishing on the lugs, which enhances the visual separation from the main body of the watch.

Dial

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao showcases a breathtaking hand-hammered dial with multiple layers of grand feu enamel. These layers create a visually rich texture, reminiscent of ocean depths — a nod to the mythical underwater palaces of Chinese dragon kings. Due to the artisanal nature of each dial, the gradient of this “sea” varies slightly from one watch to another, making every piece unique.

The dial is accented by custom calligraphy indexes designed by Hong Kong calligrapher Elaine Wong. These appear at all odd-numbered hour markers and alternate with baguette-cut diamonds, creating visual rhythm and a touch of elegance. Another dial version is available featuring Western Arabic numerals at the even-numbered positions. These alternate once again with diamonds and are executed in a custom font designed by Lee Yuen-Rapati, inspired by traditional Chinese bamboo scroll paintings.

Crafted by the workshop of Kong Lingjun — one of China’s most renowned enameling ateliers — the dial displays a smoky gradient, fading from pale silver at the center to deep cobalt at the edges. The base is made of 925 silver and carefully hammered by hand. The enamel layers themselves consist of an unrefined mix of quartz, feldspar, borax, and other minerals. These are melted in a high-temperature kiln, then rapidly cooled in water to form glassy fragments. The shards are ground by hand into fine powder, mixed with water, and applied as a paste onto the dial base.

Extreme care is taken to ensure uniform granularity and paste distribution — otherwise, the enamel is prone to cracking. Each layer is dried and fired between 750 and 850°C, repeated five times until the desired color gradient is achieved. The hammered silver base and its irregular deformations add complexity to the process. Achieving consistent color bands and hues is particularly challenging due to the unpredictability of the materials. Once the final color is reached, the dial is polished to a glossy, flat surface — the hallmark of true grand feu enamel. Each dial takes about two days to complete, with a high failure rate of around 50%.

A discreet yet elegant touch: the rhodium-plated hour and minute hands, shaped like leaves, have a frosted central plane and wide, concave mirror-polished bevels that catch and play with light.

Movement

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao introduces a brand-new, high-performance, highly customized movement made by French manufacture Pequignet (JIĀO). This marks the first time Atelier Wen ventures beyond the Chinese watchmaking ecosystem, housing the fully customized Pequignet EPM03 automatic calibre. It offers a 65-hour power reserve, 21 jewels, and chronometer-level accuracy (-4/+6 seconds per day, with an average deviation of just ±2 seconds), fully compliant with the standards of the Besançon Chronometry Observatory.

For this launch edition, the movement features a deeply micro-engraved main bridge reinterpreting the ancient Chinese manuscript 天问 (Tian Wen — “Questions to Heaven”). Attributed to poet Qu Yuan 屈原 (340–278 BCE), it poses a series of poetic questions to the heavens, exploring early Chinese shamanic myths, the balance of yin and yang, creation myths, and celestial phenomena — all of which echo the foundational themes of the Ancestra Jiao’s design.

Technically, the movement includes a patented gear tooth profile in its winding system, where the specific incline of the winding pinion’s teeth enhances efficiency and reduces wear. It also uses a bidirectional “Pellaton” ratchet winding system instead of a purely gear-based system. This substantially improves energy transmission and long-term durability.

In terms of finishing, the three-quarter bridge is paired with a black-polished ratchet wheel and balance bridge that strongly contrast with the surrounding engraved text. The skeletonized tungsten rotor maximizes visibility through the sapphire caseback. It is coated with a 1.5-micron thick layer of 5N rose gold, offering a warm contrast to the rest of the components.

Strap

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao comes with a soft, hand-stitched full-grain leather strap featuring an Epsom grain and Zermatt calfskin lining sourced from Tanneries Haas. The accompanying stainless steel buckle is beautifully finished, with hand-applied mirror-polished bevels, fine brushing, and a traditional lacquered seal engraved on the inside.

How much does the Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao?

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao is available now during a 7-day limited order window for a price of US$5,850 (excl. taxes & duties).

Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao: A dress watch celebrating Chinese craftsmanship and culture

The Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao is a compelling value proposition, blending refined Chinese craftsmanship with a fully customized French movement — surely a nod to the founders’ heritage. Once again, the attention to detail is evident in every aspect of this piece. All components come together seamlessly to create a watch with a genuine narrative — unlike certain creations that rely solely on artistic decoration applied to a dial.

It’s worth remembering that geography is not the sole marker of quality in watchmaking — it all comes down to the expertise and talent of the artisans involved. In this case, it’s clear that the execution and price positioning of this watch are both exceptional. Still, pricing is only part of the story. These are watches we choose for moments, memories, and milestones in our lives. They’re not about speculation, but about joy.

A heartfelt thank you to Robin for giving me early access to this piece. I also want to use this article to congratulate this entrepreneurial journey — one that’s often far from easy, yet rich in encounters and unforgettable moments.

Atelier Wen Ancestra Jiao – Watch Specifications

• Brand: Atelier Wen
• Model: Ancestra Jiao
• Case Material: 904L Stainless Steel
• Dial: Hand-hammered silver dial with fumé grand feu enamel in a radial gradient ranging from near-white to deep cobalt
• Functions: Hours, Minutes
• Movement: Heavily-customised Pequignet Calibre EPM03, Self-Winding, 28’800vph frequency (4Hz), 21 jewels
• Power Reserve: 65 Hours
• Water Resistance: 10 ATM
• Crystal: Sapphire
• Caseback: Sapphire
• Case Dimension: 38 mm (Diameter) × 11.3 mm (Thickness)
• Lug to lug: 46 mm
• Strap: Full-grain leather strap with Epsom upper and Zermatt lining with 904L Stainless Steel Pin Buckle
• Availability: 7-day limited order window
• Retail Price: US$5850 (Excl. taxes & duties)

What do you think of this new value proposition from Atelier Wen? Were you already familiar with the brand before this article? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.

For more information about Atelier Wen, click here.