Presented at the Hôtel Eastwest during Geneva Watch Days 2026, the limited edition of 50 pieces is split between two dial variants: one in solid white gold, the other combining white and rose gold, paired with a Swiss-made movement and an uncompromising tantalum case and bracelet.
Atelier Wen converges upon Geneva alongside New-York-based Massena LAB to release the Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò, a limited edition of 50 pieces built around two hand-finished, Swiss-made dials featuring intricate, hand tremblage. The collection is split between two variants: 10 pieces in all-white-gold dials, reserved for established clients of either brand, and 40 dials combining white and rose gold, with orders fully open to the public. Both are housed in the Inflection’s tantalum case and integrated bracelet.
A Remarkable Foundation
William Massena, founder of Massena LAB, first met Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, the co-founders of Atelier Wen in New York in 2023. By then, Atelier Wen had made significant strides in reframing the perception of modern Chinese craft and manufacturing by blending elements of classic Chinese design and traditional craftsmanship with horological savoir-faire and advanced manufacturing.
Later, during a trip to China to visit the Atelier Wen workshops, it was clear that the two co-founders had successfully completed their mission: the promise behind “proudly made in China” had been fully realized. On William’s flight home, a new collaboration took shape, one that would pair Atelier Wen’s design language into dialogue with the technical mastery of Switzerland’s finest dial makers.
Two Extraordinary Dials
The Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò, a limited edition of only 50 pieces, is split between two dial variants: 10 pieces with White Gold dials in all white gold (reserved for established clients) and 40 pieces with Rose Gold dials in both white gold and rose gold (orders fully open to the public).
The collaboration takes the name ‘Shuò,’ from the Chinese character 烁, which can be translated as ‘sparkling,’ ‘glittering,’ or ‘radiant,’ poetically evoking the shimmering, reflective qualities of hand tremblage on its dial. The technique behind this subtle finishing, however, is anything but straightforward.
The dials for both variants are first crafted from solid 18k gold, with a base plate finished with one of the rarest and most demanding decorative crafts in watchmaking: hand tremblage. The technique is executed entirely by hand engraving specialist Coralie Mercier on behalf of GT Cadrans, who pushes a graver across the 18k gold surface while continuously oscillating the dial, slowly transforming its texture into thousands of tiny, irregular facets. A time-consuming and unforgiving process, a single mistake can ruin an entire dial.
On top of this main dial plate is a radially brushed sector of either white gold or rose gold, depending on the dial variant. Arranged in a California-dial-inspired layout, another design element inspired by the exchange between East and West at the heart of this collaboration, the hour sector combines hand-engraved, custom serif Arabic numerals for hours 10 through 2, with hand-calligraphed Chinese numerals commissioned by Atelier Wen for hours 4 to 8. The outer sector ring is finished with more hand tremblage and framed by a finely engraved huiwen border, a classic Chinese decorative motif named for its resemblance to the Chinese character of huí.
Both the engraved, custom, Arabic numerals, and the hand-calligraphed Chinese numerals are blue-filled to match the blued-steel hour, minute, and second hands hovering above the hand-finished dial. At 12 o’clock, the dial is signed “Atelier Wen”, also in blue, while “Massena” is found near 6 o’clock in white gold, subtly marking the collaboration.
Tantalum, Mastered
In contrast to the inherent warmth of the gold dial: the cold blue hue of a 99.9% tantalum case and its integrated bracelet. Notoriously difficult metal to work, and harder yet to finish, tantalum is prized not just for its inky blue undertones but instead for its density, weight, anti-corrosive properties.
The difficulty of working with tantalum is only heightened by the design language of the Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò, whose 40mm tantalum case and bracelet embrace an all-curved architecture, which is inspired by Chinese architectural forms and features almost no flat planes whatsoever in its construction. A concave bezel and ridged midcase lend further depth and dimension to the case, while the bracelet’s curved links play brushed and mirror-polished surfaces against one another, external links finished with strong vertical brushing, middle links mirror-polished, and chamfers polished to a concave finish throughout. The case is water-resistant to 100m and features a screw-down crown in either tantalum (White Gold variant) or rose gold (Rose Gold variant).
An Iconic Movement
The Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò is powered by a customized caliber GP03300 from Girard-Perregaux, one of Switzerland’s oldest and most storied manufactures of haute horlogerie. The curved, sweeping lines of the bridges take their inspiration from motifs of wind found in historical Chinese paintings, a symbolic contrast between lightness and the immense weight of tantalum itself. The bridges are ruthenium plated and finished with dramatic anglage, sharp exterior angles, and laser-etched waved côtes that emanate radially from the movement’s center, complemented by black polished screws and a similarly wind-inspired rotor, plated in 5N rose gold. Fitted with 27 jewels and beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour, the automatic caliber offers a 48-hour power reserve.
East Meets West
Reflecting on the collaboration, Robin Tallendier of Atelier Wen explained “When William first came to meet us, and later travelled to our workshops in China, he saw what we have been seeking to demonstrate since the start of Atelier Wen: that China could stand at the highest level of contemporary watchmaking.
This timepiece is the culmination of that conviction. Bringing hand-executed tremblage and Chinese calligraphy together with a fully customized Girard-Perregaux movement allows our areas of expertise to engage in a true dialogue.”
William Massena added “Since founding Massena LAB, we’ve never had the opportunity to work with a Chinese watchmaker. In Atelier Wen, we found a like-minded partner who was just as willing to experiment in our “lab” as we could have hoped. With assistance from GT Cadrans and engraver Coralie Mercier, we’ve married traditional, Swiss dial finishing techniques with classic Chinese design influences from Atelier Wen, all while creating a new interpretation of the California dial. On a personal note, I am especially excited to offer our collectors a Massena LAB watch in tantalum, one of my favorite metals (and one with an integrated bracelet at that), a double-first for Massena LAB.”
The Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò will be available for order, starting today, August 26, 2026 by submitting an inquiry via the product page on the Atelier Wen and Massena LAB websites.
