The Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò pairs tremblage dials with tantalum
Tom AustinAtelier Wen’s latest Inflection brings Massena LAB into the fold for a study in Chinese design, Swiss handcraft and one especially stubborn metal. The two companies first connected in New York in 2023, before William Massena visited Atelier Wen’s workshops in China and the idea began to take shape. The Inflection Shuò project extends Atelier Wen’s ongoing case for contemporary Chinese watch design through a distinctly international group of specialists.
Its name, Shuò, comes from the Chinese character 烁, variously translated as “sparkling”, “glittering” or “radiant”. Those meanings point directly to the dial’s flickering, hand-engraved surface. Production totals 50 pieces across two variants, with 10 all-white-gold dials reserved for established clients of either brand and 40 white-and-rose-gold examples available for public order.
The case
The familiar Inflection case is machined from 99.9% pure tantalum, giving its many curves a dense, blue-grey presence. It measures 40mm across, 45mm lug-to-lug and 10.2mm thick, including the double-domed sapphire crystal. Chinese architectural forms informed its flowing profile, from the concave bezel to the ridged mid-case and near-total absence of flat planes.
Brushed, polished, concave and convex surfaces give the compact dimensions plenty of definition, with the demanding metal adding considerable complexity to every transition. A display caseback reveals the movement, and both sapphire crystals carry five layers of anti-reflective coating. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, assisted by a screw-down crown in tantalum for the white-gold edition and solid rose gold for its two-tone sibling.
The dials
Each dial begins with a solid 18k white-gold base plate and passes through the hands of Coralie Mercier, engraving for GT Cadrans in Lonay, Switzerland. The white-gold version contains 14.66 grams of gold, and the rose-gold version contains 14.59 grams. Mercier creates the tremblage by pushing a graver across the gold as the workpiece oscillates, building thousands of tiny, irregular facets one mark at a time. A radially brushed hour sector in white or rose gold sits above it.
The layout draws on the California dial, using Massena LAB’s serif Arabic numerals from 10 through 2 and Chinese numerals from 4 through 8, calligraphed specifically for Atelier Wen. Blue filling ties both scripts to the blued, three-plane leaf hands, and the hand-bent minute hand follows the dial’s curvature. Another band of tremblage surrounds the hour sector, framed by an engraved huiwen border based on the repeating Chinese character 回. Atelier Wen signs the dial at 12, with Massena picked out in white gold near six.
The movement
Visible through the caseback is a customised version of Girard-Perregaux’s self-winding GP03300. Its curved bridgework follows the case and bracelet, with lines inspired by depictions of wind and water in historical Chinese painting.
Dark grey ruthenium plating provides the backdrop for broad anglage, sharp exterior angles, black-polished screws and laser-etched, radiating wave-form côtes. A curved rotor repeats the wind motif in 5N rose-gold plating. The calibre runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, uses 27 jewels and delivers approximately 48 hours of power reserve. It is adjusted in five positions and for temperature, and includes hacking seconds.
The bracelet
Atelier Wen has built the bracelet from the same 99.9% pure tantalum as the case. Its curved outer links carry strong vertical brushing; the centre links are mirror-polished, and concave-polished chamfers trace the edges. The bracelet runs from 22mm at the case to 18mm at the clasp, where a telescopic deployant blade and patent-pending four-position micro-adjustment system handle daily fit. Quick-release fittings make removal simple, while currently there are no alternative straps, keeping the complete silhouette in tantalum.
The verdict
The Inflection Shuò brings an unusual concentration of dial craft to Atelier Wen’s flagship architecture, backed by a movement specifically decorated for the project. The collaboration reads as a shared piece of design, with a mix of Chinese calligraphy and architectural references, Swiss engraving and movement manufacture, and Massena LAB’s split-numeral arrangement all clearly legible on the finished watch. Its limited run makes each dial treatment genuinely scarce, especially the 10-piece white-gold allocation.
Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò pricing and availability
The Atelier Wen x Massena LAB Inflection Shuò is limited to 50 pieces and is available now. Price: CHF 33,800. (excl. tax)
| Brand | Atelier Wen x Massena LAB |
| Model | Inflection Shuò |
| Case Dimensions | 40mm (D) x 10.2mm (T) x 45mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Tantalum |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dials | White gold, rose gold |
| Bracelet | Integrated tantalum, deployant clasp, micro-adjustment |
| Movement | Girard-Perregaux Caliber GP03300, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Limited to 50 pieces |
| Price | CHF 33,800 (excl. tax) |