Atelier Wen embarks on a poetic journey through Chinese mythology with the launch of Ancestra 蛟 (Jiāo), bringing the ancient to life in the form of a modern dress watch. The debut edition of a new series, 蛟 (Jiāo) draws its mythological heart from the jade dragon of the Hongshan culture — the oldest known dragon representation in Chinese history.

This jade-carved symbol of power and transformation has now found a new vessel: a 38mm masterpiece that fuses heritage with horological innovation. Designed by Sifan Guo and Alfred Chan, 蛟 (Jiāo) is a study in fluidity and form, with a case inspired by the sinuous curves of its namesake, the legendary water dragon.

Kong Lingjun: The making of the enamel dial 

Atelier Wen’s Ancestra timepiece shows off an astonishing dial, a gradient masterpiece in grand feu enamel, crafted by none other than Kong Lingjun’s atelier, one of China’s finest enamel workshops. 

The Ancestra case and lugs reinterpret the Hongshan culture’s carved jade dragons in the form of elegant, detached lugs, secured with internal screws, where external bolts are engraved with a traditional Chinese 回纹 (huí wén) motif

The dial begins with a raw, unrefined blend of quartz, feldspar, borax, and other minerals that are first fused in a high-temperature furnace and then shock-cooled in water to form glass-like fragments. These fragments are ground by hand into a fine powder, mixed with water, and delicately applied as a paste onto dial blanks. Any inconsistencies in grain size or distribution could lead to cracks during firing, making precision essential. Each enamel layer is then dried and fired at temperatures between 750 and 850°C, a process repeated up to six times to achieve the signature fumé gradient that fades from silvery center to cobalt edges. 

The difficulty is compounded by the dial’s hand-hammered (martelé) texture, which introduces warping risks and makes color control particularly challenging. Once the final hue is achieved, the dial is polished into the mirror-like sheen characteristic of grand feu enamel. The entire process spans roughly 20 days per dial, with a rejection rate hovering around 50%. The end result is a richly layered surface evocative of the deep sea, subtly reinforcing the watch’s ancestral inspiration of the mythical domain of China’s dragon kings. No two dials are ever the same, ensuring that each piece of 蛟 (Jiāo) is a singular expression of craft and mythology.

Starting with a hand-hammered silver base, each dial undergoes an intensive, 20-day process of enamel layering and kiln-firing, repeated up to six times

The watch is dressed in a hand-stitched, full-grain leather strap made with an Epsom upper and Zermatt calfskin lining from Tanneries Haas

Kong’s workshop was recognized in 2021 as the China Enamel Watch (Beijing) Manufacturing Center by the China Horologe Association — the country’s highest industry honor. Unlike many enamelers who work across surfaces, Kong focuses almost exclusively on enamel dials, mastering a singular craft to international acclaim. His signature style and rigorous standards mean roughly half of all dial attempts are rejected — only perfection makes it through.

The case is no ordinary silhouette. Made of 904L stainless steel and measuring 38mm across, it features sculptural, detached lugs that mirror the form of jade dragons unearthed from the Neolithic Hongshan culture. The lugs are affixed with engraved Chinese 回纹 (huí wén) bolts, an elegant callback to traditional Chinese symbolism. This construction allows Atelier Wen to execute incredibly crisp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, showcasing the kind of refined finishing more often found in high-end Swiss dress watches.

Leaf-shaped hour and minute hands feature a frosted mid-plane and wide, concave, mirror-polished bevels

Ancestra is Atelier Wen’s first piece to go beyond the Chinese supply chain. The main hours function on the Pequignet Calibre EPM03, a heavily customized, chronometer-grade automatic movement with 65 hours of power reserve and bi-directional “Pellaton” winding architecture. The main bridge is micro-etched with poetic lines from Qu Yuan’s “Questions to Heaven” (天问), a classical work of Chinese literature steeped in myth, creation, and cosmic inquiry. 

“What we love about Questions to Heaven is its timelessness,” said Robin Tallendier, Co-Founder of Atelier Wen. “It’s thousands of years old, but the questions it asks — why we’re here, what the universe means — they’re still relevant. It creates this beautiful continuity through time. That’s what we wanted the movement to reflect.”

Atelier Wen utilizes a new movement in collaboration with Pequignet, here using a customized Pequignet Calibre EPM03

The handset — rhodium-plated, leaf-shaped, and unusually thick at 0.45mm — adds unexpected depth to the dial’s abyss-like shimmer. Hour markers alternate between baguette-cut diamonds and hand-calligraphed numerals by Hong Kong’s Elaine Wong. A variant with Western-Arabic numerals designed by Lee Yuen-Rapati will also be available, adding another layer of cross-cultural artistry to the collection. Dressed in an Epsom strap with Zermatt calfskin lining, one will find that even the steel buckle is a study in finishing, with polished bevels and brushed surfaces — and a lacquered Chinese seal discreetly tucked inside.

“We believe success today means being part of the cultural zeitgeist,” shared Tallendier. “That means working with more artists, more designers, and eventually, cultural collaborators outside of watchmaking — fashion designers, architects, even musicians — people who share our values and can help us make watches that transcend the category.”

Tech Specs: Atelier Wen Ancestra 蛟 (Jiāo)

Movement: Self-winding customized Pequignet Calibre EPM03; 65-hour power reserve
Functions: Hours and minutes
Case: 38mm × 11.3mm; stainless steel; water-resistant to 100m
Dial: Hand-hammered silver dial with fumé grand feu enamel in a cobat-blue radial gradient
Strap: Leather strap with Epsom upper and Zermatt lining; steel buckle
Price: USD 5,850
Availability: 7-day limited order window