Translating directly to “culture workshop”, Atelier Wen combines the French word for workshop, Atelier, and the Chinese word for culture, Wen (文). The brand is the brainchild of two French Sinophiles with deep-seated ties to China, Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, who were brought together by their shared passions for Chinese culture, watches and a desire to create something novel and innovative, centred around Chinese watchmaking.
At Atelier Wen, we have made it our mission to celebrate and elevate the global perceptions of Chinese culture and craftsmanship. Through our partnerships with some of the finest artisans, artists, designers and watchmakers in all of China, we seek to push the boundaries of what Chinese watchmaking can be. In collaborating with these individuals, we aim to breathe life back into forgotten Chinese crafts, inspiring a new generation of undeniably- Chinese style and watchmaking artistry.
Our first two lines of watches; the discontinued Porcelain Odyssey series and the ongoing Perception line, both embody this spirit, with their thematic encapsulations of the very first Chinese watches ever produced, and Chinese architectural cues, respectively. Their incorporations of elements of traditional craft — in blue-and-white porcelain and hand- turned guilloché by the atelier of China's first guilloché master craftsman — are a hallmark of the brand, and one that will feature harmoniously in every release to come.