New arrival Atelier Wen Perception II

Description from their Website

The case of Perception is evocative of shapes found in Chinese architecture. The curved silhouettes of pagodas provide inspiration for its flanks, and the tops of its lugs feature subtler angles reminiscent of roof structures. These characteristics are amplified by the great care taken to accentuate the contrast between the applications of horizontal and vertical brushing, as well as the mirror-polished reliefs and chamfers that frame them. The use of 904L steel lends further emphasis to this visual impression here, possessing a greater lustre than its more common 316L counterpart. 

Considering the dial’s depth, Perception's case is impressively thin at just 9.4mm in total height, and thanks to the layering of its profile, it wears even thinner. Despite this, water resistance has not been compromised, withstanding depths of up to 10 ATM/100m. 

It also features a double-domed sapphire crystal with 10 layers of anti-reflective coating, ensuring perfect transparency and readability.The semi-display caseback of Perception features a window that doubles as the mouth of a deeply-embossed 石狮子 (Shí shīzi), or stone guardian lion; these being found at the entrance of most Chinese temples and major buildings. 

When the rotor is aligned with the window, forming the lion's mouth, it appears to laugh in a stark contrast against the sobriety and almost brutalist character of the rest of the watch. And when the rotor swings the other way, the lion's mouth opens to reveal the watch's balance wheel as it oscillates away. 

With the series inspired by traditional Chinese architecture, these guardian lions form a defining aspect of such structures, and its presence on our case-back is as symbolic as it is decorative. It represents a fitting motif of the protective casing that guards the intricate architecture of the dial, as well as the soul of the watch that is its movement. 

This stylised representation of the stone lion was conceptualised by Liu Yuguan using cloud-like strokes to keep with the surreal identity of the watch as a whole. The motif is executed in a deep embossing, and accented by a hammered texture surrounding it to provide a prominent contrast. 

The text that lines the perimeter of Perception's case-back has been CNC-machined, requiring unique 3-D files for each individual case-back. It pays homage to a true legend of Chinese independent watchmaking, Kiu Tai Yu, whose watches were often characterised by similarly executed textual reliefs.The movements leave the factory at +/- 10s/d after being drop-tested and observed in hot, cold and ambient temperatures, as well as measured across 48 hours of continuous running. They are then further regulated in 5 positions, and sent in to China's top national research lab, the Horological Research Institute of Light Industry (HRILI) for further testing following assembly. The SL1588 has also been modified to accommodate a power reserve of approximately 41 hours; a marked increase from its base movement’s 38 hours. 

The movement is finished with a circular côtes de Genève that is contiguous with its black rhodium-plated tungsten rotor, and is delivered with additional touches of refinement in its polished jewel and screw sinks, and heat-blued screws.Like its case, Perception's quick-release bracelet is also crafted of the same luxurious 904L steel, forming a gleaming path that leads up to the watch itself. The bracelet's central links feature an uncanny asymmetry in their hexagonal shapes, and once more hark towards elements like rooftops and windows found in traditional Chinese architecture. 

The same spectacular attention to finish has been paid here, with strong vertical brushing throughout that drops off into sharp, mirror-like chamfers that have been hand-finished along both the outer and inner edges of each link. On the wrist, this path breaks up into its individual tiles; each link reflecting light differently in a dazzling spectacle. 

The bracelet's elegance carries into its dimensions, tapering across its width from 22mm at the case to 18mm at the clasp, and thinning out from 3mm at the lugs to a svelte 2.6mm.