Awake blends Vietnamese heritage with Swiss watchmaking with the Sơn Mài Silver Leaf

• 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of Awake, and they’re celebrating in style with the new Sơn Mài collection.
• The new collection features a new logo for Awake, and a unique dial decoration called Sơn Mài, an ancient Vietnamese decoration technique based around the art of sanded lacquer.
• Available in four variations, the Sơn Mài dials come in Outre Bleu, Lava, Emerald or Amethyst.

A special dial can make a watch. Whether it’s guilloché, sunburst, hammered, lacquered or intricately painted marquetry, it’s the first thing you see when you look at one, arguably even before reading the time. So it makes sense that people will pay attention when a company releases a fresh dial decoration. That’s exactly what Awake has done with its latest offering. The young Parisian independent brand is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the Sơn Mài Silver Leaf collection, a quartet of time-only dress watches, each with its own unique dial.

I know what you’re thinking… five years? But I’ve not heard of Awake yet… Bear with me, as the story begins a little further back for this collection. Awake founder Lilian Thibault set out travelling across Vietnam in 2008, and while taking in the sights and sounds, discovered a small woodcut painting he just had to have. Following some research, it became clear that the painting comprised sections done using the ancient Vietnamese lacquer art technique known as Sơn Mài, which is created by blending natural pigments with layers of lacquer, and incorporating materials such as crushed eggshells, gold or silver leaf, and mother-of-pearl to add texture and depth. Fast forward to today, and Awake has taken that inspiration and applied it to the dials of its new Sơn Mài Silver Leaf collection.

The watch itself is uncomplicated and simple in a good way. Crafted from stainless steel, it carries great proportions, with gently curved lugs and a neat profile. At 39mm in diameter and only 11.8mm thick, it’s in the Goldilocks size range, where it’s a great wear for pretty much everyone – not too big, nor too small. The case features some very tidy polished surfaces combined with brushed edges and bevels, topped off with an easy-to-use crown offering a comfortable, if not spectacular, 50 metres of water-resistance.

The dials are where the work has really gone into. Each dial takes 10 to 15 hours to complete, combining meticulous attention to detail not only with the Sơn Mài lacquering techniques, but also with the pure silver leaf application on the base of the dial that helps bring out the lustre in the vibrant colours. Each layer is then applied, sanded, polished, then applied again over many stages until the desired effect is finally achieved. Particular attention has been taken to the dial furniture, too, utilising solid pieces of Super-LumiNova BGW9, that have been capped with delicately machined and faceted steel overlays.

Another first for Awake is the movement. For the first time, the brand has now gone Swiss-made by using the La Joux-Perret G101. It’s a time-only automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve, visible through a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback. It’s also been custom-decorated and integrates a tungsten rotor, specifically for Awake. The quality collaborations don’t end there, as the watch has been finished with a nubuck and rubber-lined strap with a pin buckle directly from a fan-favourite strap manufacturer, Delugs.

Awake Sơn Mài Silver Leaf price and availability

The Awake Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Collection is available now. Price: US$2,150