Hands-On: The New Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán
Today, we go hands-on with a watch from one of my favorite small brands. Atelier Wen rarely misses a beat with its releases, and the new Millésime Perception Xuán is no exception. As we’ll see, it uses a familiar platform but trades engraving for stoneworking. Plus, for those who struggle with the idea of a strictly limited edition, this watch will have an open ordering window.
An Atelier Wen Perception has quietly been on my wish list for over a year. However, I’ve struggled to narrow down my selection, as each successive release further adds to the temptation. It’s easily the young brand’s most recognizable and popular watch. Metals, including steel, tantalum, and titanium, have been featured as case and bracelet materials. The dials normally feature manual guilloché. However, as this is a Millésime, or vintage (as in wine), something special is in order. The Millésime Perception Xuán is equipped with a significant change.
The Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán
For fans of Atelier Wen, the Millésime Perception Xuán won’t surprise in terms of specifications. The 904L stainless steel case returns, bringing its familiar 40mm diameter, 47mm length, and 9.4mm thickness. This includes the double-domed sapphire crystal with its 10(!!) layers of antireflective coating. As usual, this watch is meant to be worn at all times. Therefore, it carries a 100m water resistance rating. As a supplement to this, it comes solely with the brand’s handsome and beautifully finished integrated bracelet. It features quick-release spring bars and what Atelier Wen calls its “on-the-go” micro-adjustment clasp. In other words, the watch can be adjusted without removal.
Pietersite instead of guilloché
Normally, at this point in an article about a Perception, I’d take time to highlight Master Chang’s guilloché process. The Millésime Perception Xuán, however, promises something very different. For these dials, pietersite was chosen for several reasons. But first, what is this material? The official term is chalcedony, which is a type of silica. From a watch perspective, it is best described as a mix of tiger’s and hawk’s eye, materials we know from other watches. In fact, different brands also use pietersite, albeit in a limited capacity.
Atelier Wen chose the material because there are natural deposits in China. Also, the blend of blues and browns evokes the thoughts of small landscape gardens in the mountains of China. Blue spring water and nearby buildings, integral parts of these gardens, are represented on the dial. Regarding the production process, the team carefully chooses the stone, and a workshop in Zhejiang wire-cuts holes for the polished indexes by hand. Then, the stone enters a delicate polishing process in Guangdong.
A beauty in the metal and the stone
I’m an admirer of gemstones and stonework in general, but pietersite is truly beautiful. The polished material has so much detail and depth. Dark elements mix with smoky lighter ones to create an almost ethereal appearance. Plus, with subtle touches, like the applied indexes, luminous hands, and glowing huiwen-patterned chapter ring, the dial can shine without distractions.
Let’s also remember that the Perception has remained popular for a reason. The case fits like a glove, and the bracelet is worthy of joining far more expensive watches. Yes, there are some great, relatively affordable, sporty integrated-bracelet watches, but the Atelier Wen Perception is one of the best. Now, with this stone dial, it’s even more distinct.
The Dandong SL1588A automatic movement inside
Atelier Wen continues to use the Chinese Dandong SL1588A self-winding caliber. Here, in the Millésime Perception Xuán, the specs are unchanged. This translates to a 41-hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800vph. For good measure, the movements are adjusted to an accuracy of ±10 seconds per day. Also, the movement has a partial display window to show off its niceties, including côtes circulaires finishing, polished screw sinks, blued screws, and a tungsten rotor with côtes circulaires and a black rhodium plating. From a reliability standpoint, my discussions with founder Robin Tallendier revealed that the movement has been incredibly robust. Still, if there is an issue, Atelier Wen has a global network of certified repair partners.
The Millésime Perception Xuán ordering process
Atelier Wen received feedback from its ardent fan base that limited editions were causing serious issues. Specifically, passionate collectors weren’t able to get them. Therefore, for the first time (and possibly not the last), a different ordering process is in effect. On January 28th, from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM CET, members of the brand’s WhatsApp community will have an exclusive window to order the Millésime Perception Xuán. Then, a general pre-order window will open on the brand’s website at 4:00 AM CET and run until the same time on February 6th. After this, no further orders will be taken. The initial 225 pieces will ship during the second quarter of 2026, with the remainder coming in the fourth quarter.
With a price of US$3,600 (excluding taxes and duties), I expect this watch to do very well. Let us know your thoughts on how a stone dial works with the Perception case.
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