wake, at the vanguard of young French indie watch brands, presents its first permanent collection: four new models with dials crafted using the centuries-old technique of ‘Son Mai’ – the Vietnamese art of sanded natural lacquer, magnified by the subtle application of pure silver leaf.

Celebrating its 5th anniversary, Awake sets a major milestone with its inaugural permanent collection: a world first, combining two Métiers d’Art, a luminescent innovation, and a Swiss movement, all for under 2,000 euros.

French creativity, Swiss watchmaking excellence and Vietnamese ancestral art – Awake combines the quintessence of traditional art and contemporary watchmaking in an unrivalled value proposition.

Key Highlights:

• A world first - a combination of 2 Métiers d’Art never before applied in watchmaking
  For the first time in the history of watchmaking, two Métiers d’Art (crafts akin to artistry) – ‘Son Mai’, the centuries-old Vietnamese art of sanded lacquer, and silver leaf gilding – come together in the creation of unique dials. Each hand-crafted dial, a work of art in its own right, requires a unique skill and between 10 and 15 hours of painstaking attention to detail. Awake is making this horological art available at an unprecedented price of 1,950 euros, excluding VAT.

• A new era for Awake - the first permanent collection
  Awake, already renowned for its quickly sold-out limited editions, enters a new phase in its ascendancy with the launch of its very first Swiss Made permanent collection. Comprising four models with entirely redesigned cases, a Swiss movement – a first for the brand – and dials sublimated by a unique Métier d’Art technique, this collection is now available on pre-order; deliveries begin in November 2024.

• An innovative mastery of luminescence
  Awake introduces a new luminous signature thanks to the complex construction of the indexes and hands, wrapped in Super-LumiNova BGW9, creating a subtle play of light and shadow akin to chiaroscuro. This ingenious design generates backlighting effects that magnify the depth and reflections of the lacquer, transforming the space between the sapphire crystal and the dial into a veritable chamber of luminous reflection for a unique visual experience.

• The Switch to Swiss Made
  As another first, Awake is going Swiss Made by integrating Swiss movements from La Joux-Perret, the historic manufacture based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the cradle of Swiss watchmaking. Assembled in La Chaux-de-Fonds as well, each watch embodies the perfect blend of horological creativity, beautiful craftsmanship and reliability, for exceptional value for money.

Where it all began

In 2008, long before founding Awake, Lilian Thibault set out with a backpack to explore Vietnam. From the bustling streets of Saigon in the south to the breathtaking Halong Bay in the north, he embraced the journey with a spirit of curiosity. It was during a stopover in Hue, the ancient imperial city steeped in history and culture, that a vibrant woodcut painting caught his eye. Depicting peasants and bulls in a quintessential scene of rural life, the artwork spoke to him deeply.

Captivated by the technique, which blended natural pigments with layers of lacquer, Lilian discovered that it was part of the traditional Vietnamese lacquer art known as Son Mai - a cherished national heritage. Enchanted by the craftsmanship, he bought the piece on the spot and continued his travels, the wooden painting tucked under his arm. Today, it occupies a special place in his office in Aix-en-Provence, serving as a daily reminder of the beauty of this art form and the country that inspired it.

Sixteen years later, Lilian has returned to this inspiration, infusing it into the creation of Awake’s first permanent collection. By seamlessly merging Vietnamese craftsmanship, Swiss watchmaking expertise, and French creativity, he has crafted a series of unique, timeless, and mesmerising timepieces.

Awake has embraced a technique never before used in watchmaking for its dials: Son Mai, or Vietnamese sanded lacquer. This ancient art involves meticulously layering and polishing coats of natural lacquer to achieve a lustrous, mirror-like finish. Unlike the lacquering techniques of China and Japan, Vietnamese artisans incorporate materials such as crushed eggshells, gold or silver leaf, and mother-of-pearl to add texture and depth. The result is a stunning visual effect that elevates Vietnamese lacquerware to an unparalleled level of prestige.

Son Mai is one of Vietnam’s oldest and most iconic traditional arts. It begins with the careful extraction of sap from the Rhus verniciflua tree, which grows in northern Vietnam and is renowned for producing the finest and most radiant lacquer. Each tree, after a decade of growth, yields a mere 200 ml of sap, harvested only during the early mornings of June and July. Once collected, the sap is processed to remove moisture and impurities, then filtered and dehydrated to create a transparent lacquer. Natural pigments are added to produce a range of vibrant shades, resulting in a lacquer known for its protective qualities and complex, glossy surfaces. Over the past century, Son Mai has evolved into a refined art form, celebrated for its timeless beauty.

“The Son Mai collection was conceived as an invitation to delve into Vietnam’s cultural heritage and traditional values through dials crafted to endure for generations, imbued with the memory and emotion of encounters and journeys,” explains Lilian Thibault, founder of Awake.

To infuse texture and depth into its creations, Awake has integrated pure silver leaf into the dial base - a meticulous and delicate process that lends the dials a striking visual allure.

Each piece undergoes a lengthy and rigorous manufacturing journey. First, a base coat of lacquer is applied, dried, and then sanded and polished to achieve a flawlessly smooth surface. The silver leaves are then meticulously placed and fixed with a brush, creating extraordinary texture and relief. Next, natural color pigments are airbrushed on, enhancing the visual impact. A dozen coats of lacquer follow, adding protection, shine, and resilience, before reaching the final polishing stage. This intricate process, which can span several weeks, demands exceptional precision and unwavering attention to detail, ensuring that every dial in the Son Mai collection becomes a captivating work of art of the highest quality.

“We are driven by a passionate desire to celebrate this country’s rich cultural heritage, a dedication to detail, effort, commitment, and beauty. The dials of the Son Mai collection, handcrafted with unmatched skill and complexity, embody a quiet, soothing elegance that resonates with the timeless allure of cherished traditions,” explains Lilian.

Awake has found the perfect partner to bring the traditional art of Son Mai into its watches: Hanoia, Vietnam’s most prestigious lacquerware atelier. Established in Hanoi in 1997, Hanoia is home to about twenty master lacquerers, dedicated artisans and true custodians of this ancient craft. Each one specializes in a different, meticulous stage of the process, demonstrating exceptional precision, skill, and a profound respect for the Son Mai tradition.

This collaboration allows Awake to illuminate a national treasure, seamlessly blending Swiss watchmaking expertise with the unique savoir-faire of Vietnamese master lacquerers to create truly exceptional timepieces.

“Our dials are where tradition meets modernity, transforming into genuine works of art. Their creation is limited only by the exceptional skill and capacity of the artisans we collaborate with,” concludes Lilian.

The luminous signature of Awake watches draws inspiration from the Japanese aesthetic of chiaroscuro, a concept poetically explored by Junichirō Tanizaki in In Praise of Shadows. Tanizaki highlights the beauty found in our subtle relationship with objects and the interplay of light that preserves their mystery. Reflecting this philosophy, Awake has crafted unique hands and indexes designed to enhance the depth of its dials while maintaining purity and legibility.

Departing from traditional construction methods, where the luminescent coating is applied on top, Awake’s hands and indexes are fashioned from a thin, solid base of Super-LumiNova BGW9, delicately machined and then capped with a faceted, polished steel overlay. This innovative design creates a chiaroscuro-inspired backlighting effect, combining luxury, elegance, and perfect legibility during the day, while preserving the dial’s lacquered beauty. In the dark, it reveals a captivating spectacle: the striking details and reflections of the silver leaf, brought to life by the watch’s masterful use of luminescence. Awake’s bold approach to displaying time balances subtlety and elegance, allowing the dials to emerge with a hypnotic beauty that is both captivating and surprising.

“Lacquerware (…) is not something to be seen in a brilliant light, to be taken in at a single glance; it should be left in the dark, a part here and a part there picked up by a faint light (…) details receding into the darkness, conjuring in their stead an inexpressible aura of depth and mystery.” - Junichirō Tanizaki in In Praise of Shadows

Introducing the new face of the Awake Son Mai collection: a 39 mm case crafted from recycled 316L steel that perfectly marries modern aesthetics with timeless elegance, comfort, and sturdiness. This case, inspired by the best of classic watch design, offers a unique blend of tradition and contemporary flair.

The case’s sleek appearance is enhanced by a polished bezel, case middle, and lugs, including a striking chamfer that stretches elegantly from one lug to the other. In contrast, the sides of the case are brushed horizontally, adding a discreet, modern touch. The crown itself is a masterpiece of design, featuring alternating polished and brushed finishes for a sophisticated feel and an easy grip. It’s crowned with the polished “Genesis” symbol, an emblem of the four elemental forces - air, earth, water, and fire - intertwined to represent the balance Awake strives for between innovation, tradition, and environmental respect.

The screw-in caseback, rendered in subtle grey tones, boasts a mix of polished and brushed finishes and offers a generous view of the Swiss LJP G101 movement beneath, a testament to reliability and craftsmanship, tuned to perfection by La Joux-Perret. Notable for its 68-hour power reserve, the movement is highlighted by a custom-designed tungsten oscillating weight that plays with relief and hollows to create a captivating visual effect. This mechanical heart is encased within a textured “clous de Paris” ring and shielded by a sapphire crystal.

Further adding to its charm, the water-resistance (fish) and recycled 316L steel (anvil) symbols inside the lugs serve as playful proof that one can take watchmaking seriously without taking oneself too seriously.

Four Hues, Four Journeys: The Vibrant Palette of the Son Mai Collection

Son Mai – Silver Leaf “Outre Bleu”:
This deep blue dial, named Outre Bleu (‘Beyond Blue’) in homage to artist P. Soulages’s Outre Noir, radiates calm, stability, and tranquility. Often associated with well-being and spirituality, its serene hue fosters a sense of confidence, inviting reflection and reverie. A favored color in many Western cultures, it embodies serenity and wisdom.

Son Mai – Silver Leaf “Lava”:
The intense red of this dial is both powerful and vibrant, offering warm reflections that stir dynamic emotions. Symbolising strength, energy, and passion, its vibrant red sparks enthusiasm and will scarcely risk going unnoticed.

Son Mai – Silver Leaf “Emerald”:
Characterised by fresh, harmonious shades of green, this dial evokes a feeling of calm and renewal. As a symbol of life and prosperity, its natural green hues suggest a connection with nature, creating a soothing effect that is ideal for bringing harmony to body and mind.

Son Mai – Silver Leaf “Amethyst”:
Featuring an intense, deep purple, this dial carries the mystique of precious objects and mystical concepts. The color, positioned between the peacefulness of blue and the passion of red, offers a sensation of calm and voluptuousness, encapsulating a balance between tranquility and intensity.