ATELIER WEN’S ANCESTRA: A MYTH REBORN IN METAL AND FLAME

There are dragons in Chinese folklore, not the fire-breathing kind perched atop castles, but ancient, sinuous deities that swim through the stories of millennia. Atelier Wen’s Ancestra: JIĀO doesn’t just reference these legends; it resurrects one in enamel and steel.

The dial is where this tale begins. Deep within it, a silvery shimmer emerges from the centre, slowly falling away into a cobalt abyss. That’s no accident, beneath six separate firings of molten enamel lies a dial base hammered by hand from fine silver, catching light like ripples across a moonlit ocean. It’s a trick of craftsmanship and fire, a visual descent into ancient waters, where creatures like the zhū lóng, the mythic "pig-dragon" of the Hongshan people, once swam.

But there’s more than myth in this metal. Atelier Wen has layered storytelling into every hour. One version of JIĀO reads time through numerals drawn in the fluid strokes of Chinese calligraphy, created by the masterful hand of Elaine Wong. Think of it as horological poetry, numbers stylised like verse. Its counterpart? Clean, Western-Arabic numerals by Lee Yuen-Rapati, shaped with bamboo calligraphy in mind. Between them, slender baguette diamonds play the role of celestial markers, twinkling on alternating hours.

Framing this miniature canvas is a finely executed huí wén motif, a traditional Chinese “returning wave” pattern, while the tri-faceted hands above it all catch the light like sword blades, alternating between satin and polish, texture and gleam.

The case, a svelte 38mm in 904L steel, wears like jade, smooth, sculpted, compact. Inspired by the swirling form of that ancient zhū lóng, its lugs arc sharply downward, separating visually and functionally from the mid-case to allow for a level of finishing rarely seen. Brushed, polished, engraved and assembled with traditional motifs in the screws and bolts, it’s as much sculpture as it is casing.

Flip it over, and things get philosophical. Through the exhibition back you’ll find a new engine, Pequignet’s EPM03 calibre, but it’s what’s engraved onto it that really draws you in: a 446-character poem, micro-etched by laser into the main bridge in tightly spiralling lines. It’s a fragment of Heavenly Questions by the poet Qu Yuan, written over 2,000 years ago, riddled with cosmic curiosity, asking more than it answers. The technique here is exceptional: engraving 0.10mm deep into a 0.25mm bridge with such clarity and precision is almost unheard of.

Pequignet’s movement brings serious watchmaking credentials. A 65-hour power reserve. A pawl-based winding mechanism reminiscent of Pellaton’s famed system. Chronometer-grade accuracy. And, for the purists, regulation in six positions, tested not just for ten days, but sixteen.

The strap? Just as considered. Full-grain leather. Epsom on top, Zermatt lining below, the latter a prized, buttery-smooth calfskin from Alpine tanneries. The buckle gleams with bevels polished by hand and carries the brand’s seal in lacquer on the underside. It’s the kind of detail you'd expect on something triple the price.

But Ancestra: JIĀO isn’t really about specs. It’s about storytelling. About taking one of the oldest dragon depictions known to humankind, the curious, pig-snouted jade figure of the Hongshan people, and bringing it to life with contemporary watchmaking artistry. It bridges cultures, time periods, materials, and myths.

This isn’t just a watch. It’s a timekeeping totem. One forged in fire, framed in history, and destined, dare we say it, to become legend.

This is a limited run, and currently on a pre-order. So if you have a spare £4,350.00, then pull that trigger, as in the metal, I have a feeling these will be stunning.