It gives us great pleasure to unveil the limited launch edition of our first new series in three years: Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO).
This inaugural edition represents a reimagination of ancient Chinese mythologies through the modern interpretation of a classic dress watch. It will debut two altogether new crafts for the brand — in the form of hand-hammering (or martéle), as well as multiple layers of grand feu enamel that form a dramatic fumé gradient. These are complemented by an original interpretation of leaf hands, as well as calligraphed hour markers in either Chinese or Western Arabic numerals, as well as alternating diamond baguettes.
蛟 (JIĀO) comes in a 38mm case in 904L steel that features an intricately complex construction - with detached, screwed lugs and immense attention to the sharp transitions between its finely finished, brushed and polished surfaces.
Within the watch, a heavily-customised, high-performance movement beats away in the form of the Pequignet EPM03. Like the rest of the watch, it has been finished exceptionally, and its three quarter plate has been decorated uniquely with a deeply micro-etched poetic inscription of an ancient Chinese poem. The ratchet return wheel and balance bridge have also been fully black-polished, contrasting dynamically against the textual, textural surface surrounding them.
A Case In Point
Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO)’s design is deeply-rooted in the fascinating narrative of the Hongshan jade dragon, or 猪龙 (zhū lóng), one of the very earliest examples of the craft of jade carving in ancient China, as well as mankind's very first recorded depiction of a dragon.
These twin narratives are also what give the Ancestra collection its name, symbolic as they are of two important “ancestral” threads that extend to the very beginnings of Chinese artisanship and draconic mythology.
Jointly-designed by Sifan Guo and Alfred Chan, Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO) reinterprets the curved forms of these carvings into elegant, detached lugs. These lugs cradle its pebble-shaped midcase with the help of internal screws, and external bolts that have been decorated with our iconic 回纹 (huí wén) motifs.
The choice to implement detached lugs was made specifically to allow for much sharper transitions from finish to finish, and surface to surface, as well as allowing us to decorate each set of lugs individually and to a far higher degree. This is especially noticeable in the crisp progression at the seam — between the satin-brushed mid-case and the polished edge of each lug.
Beyond the lugs, our efforts to extend this exactitude of transition and refinement in the overall finishing are clear to see throughout. The gentle, convex profile of the midcase — a silhouette that nods subtly to a certain grande sonnerie — expresses distinct, elegant separation between the high-polish of its concave bezel and caseback and the brushing of the mid-case sandwiched between them.
We have also paid excessive attention to the minute details around these larger surfaces, with fine, polished chamfers and sharp interior angles on the inner edges of the lugs, and a delicate but noticeable slanted edge along the base wall of the bezel.
The conventions of the “dress watch” vertical are perhaps the most difficult to break, or to innovate around. With Ancestra’s case design, we are expressly proud of the fact that we have arrived at something distinctly refined yet completely original!
The journey to this final iteration of the case was, however, no easy road. While the initial conceptualisation was formulated early-on, and the early indications were evident that we were onto something quite special, our initial renditions were not without their flaws.
Ancestra was, after all, actually a project that we had kicked off from as early-on as 2022, as we sought a release that would commemorate our brand’s 5th anniversary the year after. While this milestone ended up passing unmarked, and the design of the watch itself took far longer to complete than we had anticipated, we nonetheless persevered in refining the early iterations.
The first prototypes were eventually created in mid-2024, with slightly different proportions, including thicker lugs and a smaller lug-width of 18mm (compared to an eventual 20mm). This, in combination with a smaller bezel and dial opening led to the frontal profile of the case appearing slightly disproportionate and a little bit chunky.
Furthermore, in designing the original lugs, we had neglected one small, key detail; the impact that the lug-to-lug measurement had on the watch’s wearability. While the measurements were not far off from what we see in the final case, this seemingly minor deviation made a world of difference, separating a comfortable, compact wearing experience from a case that was barely wearable.
In order to combat these, we made the calculated decision to redesign the proportions of the components, slimming down the lugs and increasing the size of the concave bezel to occupy more visual weight. We also added a slightly more pronounced downturn in the curve of the lugs, bringing the lug-to-lug down from a flared-out 48mm to a far more reasonable 46mm.
These seemingly minor adjustments had a profound impact on the visual impression and the wearability of the case — giving it a more streamlined and refined profile, and allowing it to sit squarely on most wrists.
And while we had to push our launch date further back several times — from Chinese New Year 2025, to Watches and Wonders 2025, and eventually to the end of July, these modifications to Ancestra were ultimately necessary to ensure that the watch was exactly as we intended, and not a smidge less!
A Dial Crafted In Depth
Crafted by the Beijing-based workshop of Kong Lingjun, 蛟 (JIĀO)’s hand-hammered dial base is covered with multiple layers of grand feu enamel. Executed in a fumé finish, it transitions from pale silver at its centre to deep cobalt at the edges. The dial’s visually arresting texture evokes the depths of the sea — the dwelling place of the dragon kings in Chinese mythology. This connection serves to reinforce the cultural inspirations woven into this launch edition.
Those of you familiar with enamel and its intricacies would undoubtedly know that most examples of fumé enamel dials on the market tend to possess smaller gradients that are generally more weighted towards the circumference of the dial.
In 蛟 (JIĀO), what we have achieved is perhaps unheard of, and something that we are immensely proud of, since our gradient possesses a significantly wider and more even chromatic range from the edges of the dial, through to the centre.
Needless to say, arduous preparation is required before 蛟 (JIĀO)’s dial even sees its first firing of enamel. From the meticulous hand-hammering of the dial blank, to the purification of the raw minerals that are ground into the fine enamel powder, each stage needs to be controlled with special care and exactness.
The hammered 925 silver dial base demands precise control of the hammer and chisel in order to maintain uniform depth and distribution of the pattern. Here, even a small handful of misplaced blows can result in obvious and unacceptable inconsistencies that need to be rejected.
In this matter, Kong insists on a strict degree of quality control, as any such deviation in the texture is amplified and glaringly noticeable once the enamel is applied. Furthermore, such inconsistencies run the risk of compromising the dial’s ability to evenly absorb heat, leading to cracks in the enamel layers, once-fired.
The complexity of the hand-hammering is further compounded by the enamelling process that follows. 蛟 (JIĀO)’s dial, in particular, makes this no mean feat, with the desired consistency and balance throughout its gradient proving particularly difficult — even for the adept hands that practice in the elegant confines of Kong’s atelier.
Requiring the blending of over ten distinct shades of blue, the enamel powders are first mixed into a paste before being carefully applied onto the surface of the dial using a fine paintbrush.
This brings immense complexity to the process, with multiple shades requiring a greater number of firings to achieve (as many as 5-6 in the case of 蛟 (JIĀO)), and consequently, more opportunities for failure in the dial-creation process. Furthermore, enamel, as a material, is a fickle friend. As its particles melt and bond to the dial below, they become fluid and rarely stay in place. Many dials are rejected because of this, the gradient having spread too broadly, or insufficiently.
This is also the reason why each and every dial that is delivered is ostensibly a piece unique, and each watch that you receive will have its own particular vitality and identity!
The aforementioned layers of enamel are fired in a kiln under temperatures ranging between 750°C to 850°C. These layers further require a corresponding “counter-enamelling” of the dial’s rear surface, preserving the delicate balance between the varying degrees of contraction and expansion between two sides of the dial.
This is perhaps the most essential step in the entire process, with any slight deviation usually resulting in the dial base warping and, consequently, in the enamel cracking after the fact.
The entire enamelling process is then repeated a further 5-6 times until the right colours are achieved. Between each stage, each layer of enamel must be carefully polished, and any micro-bubbling in them must be carefully released with a needle-tip before the subsequent layer is applied on top of it.
Once the desired graduation of blue is achieved, 蛟 (JIĀO)’s dial is then given a final polishing to achieve the flat, glossy surface that grand feu enamel is revered for. The entirety of the dial-making process takes approximately 20 days to complete, and accrues a high overall failure rate of approximately 50-60%.
For its efforts, Kong’s workshop has been recognised as the foremost dial enameler in China, with his workshop earning the national designation of "中国珐琅手表 (北京) 制造中心" (China Enamel Watch [Beijing] Manufacturing Center) by the China Horologe Association (中国钟表协会, CHA) in 2021 — a title it holds till this day.
You can explore their atelier with us and watch the enamelling process unfold here.
Our Characteristic Attention To Detail
The extensive degree of craft that goes into 蛟 (JIĀO)’s dial is by no means the extent to which we have sought to elevate the watch.
Calligraphed hour markers were specially commissioned from Hong Kong calligraphy artist Elaine Wong, featuring on all odd markers, and these have been alternated with lab-grown, baguette-cut diamonds for each of the even indices in order to better-distribute the dial’s visual weight.
When we first began thinking about the typography of the dial, we did so pondering a rather curious question: “What would Breguet numerals look like if Abraham-Louis Breguet had been Chinese?”
This was the direction that we took to Elaine, challenging her to reimagine the most iconic font in the watchmaking world — just in the form of a traditional Chinese script.
It would undoubtedly have been easier for us to proceed with a conventional Chinese font, as opposed to going to the effort of developing one specific to us. As with all things, however, our brand rarely picks the easy route, and the choice to pursue the creation of a unique font was done for two separate considerations.
On the one hand, it is our firm belief that a brand that seeks to remain in the long run needs to build — and conscientiously upkeep — a distinct “grammar” of design that is unique to our identity. The last thing we wanted to do, therefore, was create a beautiful watch and then slap on a run-of-the-mill typeface onto the dial. Chinese calligraphy is an incredibly diverse and rich artistic practice, and to do so would have done a disservice to both the craft itself, and also to our brand’s own mission of truly uplifting and celebrating Chinese culture.
The second reason was admittedly more personal. Robin fondly remembers a Mandarin tutor who introduced him to Chinese cinema back in high school, by getting his class to watch the films of Chinese auteurs such as Jia Zhangke, Tsui Hark and Zhang Yimou. One of the elements of these films that left a distinct impression on him was the intricate calligraphy work that made its way onto the film posters and title cards. This was a feeling that he desperately wanted to convey to the wearers of Ancestra (JIĀO), and led in part to the creation of this set of numerals.
In their process of creation, an element that posed an interesting challenge came in the form of the number “eleven”. In traditional Chinese, the number actually comprises of two words — ten, “拾 (shí)”, and one, “壹 (yī)”, and therefore disrupts the symmetry of the dial in its natural form.
In order to restore visual balance, Elaine chose to creatively conjoin the two words into a single whole, interpreting them in a manner not dissimilar to the expression that is the “Watchmaker’s Four”.
蛟 (JIĀO) is also offered in an alternate variant with Western Arabic numerals.
While we had initially thought about launching 蛟 (JIĀO) in just a singular variant, the idea came up within the team to extend the conceptual philosophy behind the Chinese numerals to the creation of a second, unique font for the brand. This task was given to the celebrated designer Lee Yuen-Rapati (MA, Typeface Design, University of Reading), whose mastery has been behind some of the most iconic typographic designs in the industry.
Like the Chinese set, these Arabic numerals draw their aesthetic from traditional Chinese bamboo leaf calligraphy, but instead of featuring on the odd hours, they have instead been reflected to mark the even ones, forming a harmonious counterpart to the Chinese dial variant. These are once more alternated with diamond baguettes.
The use of diamonds arose from a long process of consideration and iterative design, in which we struggled to find a suitable compliment to the calligraphed markers. To execute all twelve markers in the typeface would have rendered the dial far too busy, and yet, when we rendered the dial with simple, printed elements, something felt woefully missing. Applied indexes were no good either, with their metallic tone deviating too far from the white printings that surrounded them.
It was perhaps good fortune that gem-set watches are presently making a marked return into popular collector consciousness, and the idea dawned on us that baguette diamonds would make for a dynamic and suitable substitute for stick indices.
What particularly intrigued us was that, while diamonds usually take up too much visual attention with their captivating sparkle, the baguette cut would effectively masquerade as a whiter, less-metallic stick index. Instead of stealing the limelight away from the enamel beneath, their transparency would give the dial its due attention, whilst still catching the light and exhibiting its identifiable gleam when hit by appropriate lighting conditions
Ancestra’s launch also debuts our creation of an original set of hands that serves as an extension in design of the leaf hands that were present on both the Porcelain Odyssey and Perception. Atelier Wen has made the leaf hand one of our signature elements since its beginnings, whilst giving unique twists on the silhouette with each new iteration.
蛟 (JIĀO)’s hands are our most ambitious reimagination of this ethos to-date, and divide this leaf-shaped surface into three separate planes. The central plane features a fine, micro-hammered texture, and this is sandwiched by two concave side planes that cascade voluminously away in a high mirror polish.
While most hands are created through a process of stamping, most hands possess far less depth than these. At 0.45mm thick, the profile of these meant that stamping was not at all an option. Instead, each hand is individually cast using a mould for volume, before having their finishing treatments applied. The concave polishing on the two side planes is done in two stages — first by CNC-machine, and later, by hand.
A Brand New Movement, The Same Ideals
In yet another first, Ancestra represents Atelier Wen’s first venture beyond the Chinese watchmaking ecosystem, featuring a heavily customised, high-performance Calibre EPM03 by the French manufacture, Pequignet. Founded in 1973, it is the only remaining true independent movement manufacture in France, and the final bastion of the country’s storied watchmaking history. Located just inside the France-Switzerland border, the manufacture sources 72% of its componentry from within France, and 100% of all its parts within a radius of 80km around the manufacture.
A movement with distinctly-modern specifications, the EPM03 boasts a 65-hour power reserve and the chronometer-defining accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day. Pequignet goes above and beyond the COSC-required 10 days of testing — with 16 days of continuous observation across 6 different positiions, comfortably meeting the standards of the Observatoire Chronométrique de Besançon with an average of +/-2 seconds over the period. Each movement is also adjusted manually for temperature fluctuations.
Further to this, Pequignet have constantly sought to go beyond the average standards of the industry. Within the EMP03, they have created a single unique gear with a patented, slanted tooth profile within its winding assembly that enhances efficiency and minimises wear. The movement also benefits from a pawl-based “Pellaton-style” winding system that optimises energy transmission during winding, allowing the barrel to be quickly wound bi-directionally from the smallest of motions in the wrist.
Perhaps the biggest factor behind our decision to work with Pequignet was their access to high degrees of fine finishing, and their offering of extensive customisation on the movement. With this being the very first time we are fully-opening the caseback of any of our offerings, we wanted the watch to truly leave its mark from both the front and back. The version of the EPM03 that delivers within Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO) is one that exhibits a finish like no other, comprising of a crisp 446-character excerpt from the 2000 year-old Chinese poem, 天问 (tiān wèn) — or Questions to Heaven, deeply micro-etched upon its three-quarter main plate. It was designed for us by Sidoine Lescauville — a close friend of the brand, and an exciting, up-and-coming watch designer.
Attributed to the poet Qu Yuan 屈原 (340–278 BCE), it is presented as a series of rhetorical questions directed at the heavens. These explore themes of Ancient Chinese mythology, divinity and existence, thus forming a fitting complement to the draconic origins of the watch’s design and dial.
At a mere 0.25mm thin, this wafer-like bridge — that holds all the calibre’s internals in place — is engraved to a depth exceeding 0.10mm, requiring multiple passes with a YAG high-precision laser to achieve the clarity and legibility we eventually arrived at. The extreme thinness posed an unprecedented challenge to Pequignet, with the heat of the laser often resulting in the plate distorting. In order to prevent this, the plate had to be left to cool after each individual pass of the laser, resulting in an extremely time consuming process — that we can, nonetheless, safely say was absolutely worth it!
Equally tricky to fabricate were the balance bridge and ratchet return wheel. The flat expanses of these have been executed in an end-to-end black polish; a surface treatment that is notoriously difficult to achieve, and prone to revealing minute surface imperfections such as small marks or subtle distortions.
These imperfections become especially visible when rendered so highly reflective, and Pequignet had to work closely with their suppliers to source the right alloy of brass in order to achieve the blemish-free, perfectly flat polish on the two components.
Special attention was also paid to 蛟 (JIĀO)’s rotor, which has been adorned with a complex array of different finishes. These include colimaçonnage (snailing) along its raised edges, frosting on its recesses, and our distinctive 回纹 (huí wén) along the outer edges as well as around the central pivot.
The various edges of the three-quarter main plate have also been given generous anglage, and the baseplate has been decorated with event perlage
Surrounded by the idyllic backdrop of Morteau, Pequignet felt like the perfect for this ambitious project, and Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO)’s release will be but the first step in a much longer, fruitful relationship with them.
You can journey with us for a view within the walls of their manufacture and the process of creating this movement here.
A Handcrafted Strap and Buckle
We felt that a timepiece of this magnitude for our brand deserved to come with a wearing experience of corresponding quality. The search for a suitable leather strap took us through many different trials and combinations, and the eventual strap that we arrived at is one that delivers on this.
Crafted out of a luxurious, cream Epsom, it is lined with the Zermatt, the famed Alpine calfskin leather from Tanneries Haas, before being hand-stitched by Chinese crafters and sealed with edge-paint.
Accompanying it is a tang buckle that we are, admittedly, rather proud of. We had, after all, set quite the high bar with the clasps that we delivered with Perception, and while we have reverted back to a “simpler” tang for this dress watch, we were adamant that this could not be just “another tang buckle”.
To that effect, each edge that you see on the resultant buckle has been meticulously chamfered in a high-polish, with both interior and exterior angles. These frame a smooth satin brushing throughout the rest of the buckle. The shape of the buckle was designed once more by Alfred Chan, and is reminiscent of the architecturally-inspired case profile of Perception.
The buckle comes signed with our branding on its upper surface, and holds a little “secret signature” on its underside in the form of our logo seal, engraved and filled-in with traditional Chinese lacquer in blue.
The first 88 pre-orders of Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO) will be delivered with an additional navy strap, handcrafted out of lambskin suede, with the same Zermatt lining. This alternate strap will also be made available for purchase separately.
A New Chapter Emerges
After three years of Perception as our brand’s singular collection, the launch of Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO) marks a pivotal moment for Atelier Wen.
Not only does the release debut two brand new métiers d’art — in the form of enamel and hand-hammering, but it also represents a big step towards our desire to pursue ever-increasing standards of design and execution.
These exciting evolutions reaffirm our commitment to continuously pushing the envelope on all fronts, whilst remaining true to our core mission of celebrating Chinese culture and craftsmanship with the world. We have only begun to scratch the surface of the countless crafts that can be found throughout China, and we are truly honoured to be able to share this journey with each and every one of you.
Ancestra 蛟 (JIĀO) is available to pre-order from 29 July to 4 August 2025. It will be permanently retired thereafter, and the watches will be delivered in Q2, 2026.