Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Awake Son Mài Collection, a New Direction for the Brand with its First Permanent Range
A métiers d’art Vietnamese Son Mài lacquered dial, a new stainless steel case and a Swiss automatic movement mark a new era for Awake.
Coming up for its fifth anniversary, French indie brand Awake releases Son Mài, its first permanent collection comprised of four time-only references illustrating the art of ancestral Vietnamese sanded lacquer paired with the application of pure silver leaf gilding. Marking a new direction for the brand, the former titanium cases and Miyota movements have been exchanged for newly designed 39mm stainless steel cases fitted with Swiss La Joux-Perret automatics. The good news is that the beautifully handcrafted dials, the new case and the reputable Swiss movements can all be enjoyed for under EUR 2,000 (excl. tax).
Brief Trajectory
When Lilian Thibault founded Awake in 2019, his independent French watch brand was committed to raising awareness of our planet’s limited resources. Observing changes on Earth from different perspectives, the brand’s “Mission to Earth” space-themed watches featured an NFC chip, allowing owners access to exclusive views of our planet from the International Space Station. Bringing space one step closer to Earth, Awake’s next model featured a sliver of Muonionalusta meteorite on its dial. A change of direction in 2023 saw Awake producing a blacked-out edition for French Special Forces, followed by the more colourful Summetria models with a dial inspired by the natural geometry of a sunflower. Heralding the dawn of a new era for the brand, Awake said goodbye to its recycled titanium cases with a fun piece with dial artwork by French illustrator Nicolas Barrome Furgues.
The Vietnamese Connection
Thibault discovered the ancient Vietnamese art of lacquer – Son Mài – on a trip to the country in 2008. Now incorporated on the dials of the new permanent collection, this is the first time Son Mài has been used in watchmaking. Employing master lacquerers from Hanoia, Vietnam’s most prestigious atelier, the dials are handcrafted using sanded lacquer and a second métiers d’art technique involving the application of silver leaf gilding for additional texture and depth. Each handcrafted dial takes anywhere between 10 and 15 hours to perfect.
The first step involves a base coat of lacquer on the dial, which is sanded and polished to produce a smooth surface. The silver leaf is applied to this base, followed by airbrushed naturally coloured pigments. A dozen coats of lacquer are applied and then sanded and polished to produce a flawless, smooth surface. The four colours – Outre Bleu, Lava, Emerald and Amethyst – are not only attractive but reveal their unique patterns thanks to the underlying silver leaf.
Backlighting
Awake has also come up with a rather ingenious way of incorporating Super-LumiNova into the equation without ruining the aesthetic pleasures of the dial. Instead of applying it to the top surfaces of the hands and indices, Awake reverts the formula. The hands and indices are made from a thin, solid base of SLN BGW9, machined and then capped with a faceted polished steel overlay. Functioning like a backlight, this chiaroscuro effect, much sought after in Japanese art, reveals fascinating details and reflections.
New Case
A newly designed 39mm recycled stainless steel case with a 50m depth rating makes its debut with the Son Mài collection. With short curving lugs and a thickness of 10.9mm without the sapphire crystal (11.8mm with crystal), the rounded bezel and top surface of the lugs are brightly polished. A wide polished chamfer stretching from lug to lug demarcates the attractive, rounded profile of the case. In contrast, the case flanks are brushed. With alternating polished and brushed finishes, the crown has a good grip and features the brand’s Genesis logo.
La Joux-Perret
The screw-in caseback has a textured Clous de Paris ring surrounding the sapphire crystal, which offers a view of the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic three-hand movement assembled in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Delivering a robust 68-hour power reserve, the customised rotor is decorated with a bead-blasted centre and inscribed with ‘La Joux-Perret Pour Awake’ in polished relief.
All four models are fitted with a grey nubuck rubber-lined strap with grey topstitching and a recycled steel pin buckle. The quick-release system means that the strap can be detached/attached by sliding the small knob on the caseback.
Availability & Price
The Son Mài collection will be available on 28 October for pre-orders, and deliveries will begin in December 2024. To get the ball rolling, the first four models will be numbered editions of 50 pieces each, but they are not limited and will retail for EUR 1,950, CHF 1,850, USD 2,150 or GBP 1,650 (all prices excl. tax and shipping).
More information at awakewatches.com.
4 responses
Correction: This is the second time that Vietnamese Song Mài has been used in watchmaking. Oan Gio released their collection about two weeks ago, and two of their models have Son Mài dials. I saw them at Spring Sprang Sprung show in Singapore a few weeks ago, and their dials and cases were breathtaking.
Thanks Awake for introducing Vietnamese Lacquer to the watch community. This is very well executed with a reasonable price point. Definitely worth a buy and Awake is now on my list. As a Vietnamese, I am so proud that our tradition craft is being brought to the world stage.
Lovely dials! The way the lugs integrate into the case look a bit awkward though, which is a pity given the attractive dials and technique.
How does a watch company draw attention to Earth’s dwindling resources by making even more watches? It would have been more ecologically useful to a) not make watches or b) put out a press release saying “make do with what you’ve already got. Next week I’ll be releasing my new car brand made from recycled VW Beetles to highlight diminishing oil stocks.