Awake Son Mai Silver Leaf “Atlantis Blue”

Awake, the young Parisian-based indie brand founded by Lilian Thibault in 2019, is a keen advocate of sustainability and fosters an eco-friendly approach to watchmaking. Introduced in 2024, Awake’s Son Mai collection is a fitting spokesperson for the brand’s philosophy and features handcrafted lacquered dials created by Vietnamese artisans. Combining minimalist design to highlight the lacquer work, Awake expands its Son Mai Silver Leaf sub-collection with an attractive “Atlantis Blue” 100-piece limited edition powered by a La Joux-Perret automatic.

Awake’s Son Mai Silver Leaf collection is recognised for its beautiful, gradient, hand-lacquered dials reminiscent of the colourful vignette (dégradé) dials of the 1970s. Thibault discovered the ancient Vietnamese art of Son Mai lacquer in 2008 and was the first to incorporate this technique in watchmaking.

Employing master lacquerers from Hanoia, Vietnam’s most prestigious atelier, pure silver leaf is applied to the base of the dial before dozens of layers of lacquer. The silver leaf contributes to the delicate texture that emerges from beneath the layers of lacquer. Since every layer has to dry and harden before it can be sanded and mirror-polished, each dial takes between 10 and 15 hours to complete. Given the artisanal nature of its execution, no two dials will ever be the same.

The latest Son Mai model has a lovely blueish-green gradient dial with a lighter centre and more saturated periphery. Described as “Atlantis Blue”, the colour evokes the depths of the mythical underwater city of Atlantis.

Another characteristic feature of the collection is its original luminous signature. Instead of applying Super-LumiNova to the top surfaces of the hands and indices, these are made from a thin yet robust SLN BGW9 base, machined and then capped with a faceted, polished steel overlay. The effect is that the light emerges from beneath the hands and indices producing a dramatic glowing backlight.

In keeping with Awake’s commitment to sustainability, the 39mm case with a thickness of 11.8mm (10.9mm without the sapphire crystal) is made from recycled stainless steel with polished surfaces and brushed case flanks. The screw-down caseback has a laser-engraved, microbeaded ring bearing the watch’s name. Equipped with a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic three-hand movement beating at 4Hz with a 68-hour power reserve, the customised tungsten rotor is decorated with brushed, sandblasted and microbeaded finishes, and the inscription “La Joux-Perret pour Awake” and the brand logo in relief.

Matching the colour of the dial, the French handcrafted Peacock blue suede strap is attached to the wrist with a steel pin buckle. The Son Mai – Silver Leaf “Atlantis Blue” is a limited edition of 100 pieces; the first batch of 50 pieces will be available in April, and the second in May 2026. The retail price is EUR 2,000 (excl. tax). More information at awakewatches.com.