Sometimes a watch comes along that feels like a culmination of something. The Atelier Wen Inflection, for anyone who has been following the brand or had a conversation with founder Robin Tallendier in the last few years, will likely have more than a whiff of that. After years of teases, hints, and lots of evidence of lofty ambitions, Atelier Wen’s full tantalum integrated bracelet sports watch is finally here.
I don’t think it’s overstating to say that the use of tantalum in watchmaking has been a bit of an obsession for the Atelier Wen team. The metal, in a lot of ways, feels like one of the last remaining frontiers of high end watchmaking. It’s rarely used because it’s so difficult to work with, but has a bunch of desirable qualities that make it highly sought after by collectors. The color, for one, is unlike any other metal, often exhibiting a hint of a blue tint. It’s also heavy and dense, resulting in a completely unique wearing experience that, if you like a heftier watch on your wrist, is kind of addictive. We’ve begun to see more brands experiment with tantalum in their watches in recent years, including J.N. Shapiro and Audemars Piguet, and even more have used it as an accent in some way.
But regular production tantalum watches are incredibly rare, and according to Atelier Wen, the Inflection is the first serially produced tantalum watch with a full tantalum bracelet. It’s been in the works at Atelier Wen since at least 2022, and follows the launch of a tantalum version of the Perception in the fall of last year with Grail Watch. But that, of course, was a limited edition. The Inflection has always been conceived as a permanent part of the Atelier Wen catalog, and its presence there serves as a statement of intent for the brand that places them in somewhat rarefied watchmaking territory.
Atelier Wen has been planning and prototyping this watch for years, so I’ve had a bunch of chances across a number of watch events to see its progress, and the brand’s progress with tantalum in general. At the most recent Windup Watch Fair in New York City, Atelier Wen was exhibiting what by all accounts were production ready prototypes of the Inflection, and they were hugely impressive. They did not simply make the easiest version of a tantalum watch and bracelet that they possibly could for the purpose of bragging rights. There’s a very high level of execution on the case and bracelet, with brushed and polished finishing across a mix of concave and convex surfaces, all of which is inherently more challenging to achieve simply because of the material being used. The watch, on the wrist, is shockingly heavy but in an immensely satisfying way, and every touchpoint feels premium and labored over. In terms of measurements, it’s 40mm in diameter and 45mm from lug to lug, but the wearing experience is really more about your tolerance or taste for weight than it is about size. The Inflection does a great job of showcasing tantalum in a special way – it’s very obvious from the moment you handle it that there’s something different about this watch.
They also haven’t skimped on the dials. There are three dial variants, all grand feu enamel, introduced at launch. Yōu is a “launch edition” limited to 30 pieces, and features a green fume colorway with an intricate hand hammered texture. Mò is a permanent part of the collection in obsidian black grand feu enamel, and Yuān is also a permanent collection piece in midnight blue grand feu enamel. All three originate from the workshop of Kong Lingjun, a Chinese enamel artist. They look wonderful in person, with the launch edition being a personal favorite. As always with Atelier Wen, they’re paying attention to the details. The Breguet style Arabic numerals have a nice dimensionality to them, particularly on the black dial, where the gilt/black contrast is really apparent.
The movement choice will be a surprise to many. The Inflection runs on a customized 03300 caliber made by Girard-Perregaux. It’s a reminder that there are still a small number of higher end movement makers that are willing to provide calibers to young indies like Atelier Wen. According to the brand, this was a relationship that was sought out and ultimately worked because of Girard-Perregaux’s own desire to help foster new generations of watchmakers. And because of the way GP operates, Atelier Wen had wide latitude to customize and decorate the movement in a way that made sense to them for this particular watch. Finishing goes well beyond the standard package you’d get with a lower priced “off the shelf” caliber from Sellita, Soprod, or similar. Bridges, for example, are completely custom and inspired by motifs in ancient Chinese paintings. We also get frills like black polished screws, and a complex multipiece winding rotor with a tungsten weight and elaborate decoration.
The retail price of the Inflection is $29,800 on the bracelet (it’s exactly $10,000 less on a strap, but why anyone would choose this particular watch on a strap is a bit of a mystery to me). Atelier Wen plans to produce 100 Inflections in the first year of production, and potentially slightly more in subsequent years. More information about the Inflection can be found on the Atelier Wen website here.
Zach Kazan
2025-11-03 23:00:00