Culture and Revolution: Atelier Wen × Revolution Perception – Xi

But what Tallendier’s parents couldn’t see yet was encoded within these seemingly random pieces of plastic and metal — the geometric blueprint of what would prove to be the most ambitious watch brand that has yet to emerge from China, and an utterly unique cross-cultural project that represents one of the most thrilling overtures in contemporary watchmaking. The thing to understand about Tallendier and Buiron is that they represent two of the finest minds of their generation. They both recognized from an early age that the future lay in collaborations between East and West, and accordingly, both sought out degrees at Peking University. Tallendier, who is also a graduate of London Business School and a horological devotee since the age of 14, made such an impact while in China that he was appointed an “Execution Expert” by the Chinese government, which gave him unparalleled access to the legendary Mainland watch companies, including the famous Dandong/Peacock company. He was also a private equity hot shot until he decided to dedicate his life completely to Atelier Wen. Buiron, who was raised in Hong Kong, graduated from not one but two of China’s top universities, Peking University (where he befriended Tallendier) and Tsinghua University. His command of Mandarin is so complete, he is something of a television personality in China. He is also the founder of a successful start-up, Zaapi, which builds digital commerce infrastructure for Southeast Asian MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). That both young men are now part of our modern horological community represents a huge asset to us.

Atelier Wen started with a timepiece named Porcelain Odyssey that showcased the art of Chinese porcelain for its dials. But the duo rapidly followed this up with their integrated bracelet sports chic, 100-meter water resistant timepiece, which they presented to me in my Geneva apartment last year, just a few days before Watches and Wonders. Despite my busy schedule, the watch made me stop, sit down and examine it in detail. Immediately and instinctively, I wanted to collaborate with them on a series of limited edition watches based on this model.