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AWAKE Frosted Leaf 2026: Blood Moon, Storm & Lagoon

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AWAKE’s Frosted Leaf collection returns in 2026 with three new watches inspired by exceptional moments in nature. Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon transform rare natural phenomena into handmade lacquer dials using traditional Vietnamese Sơn Mài craftsmanship, silver leaves and natural pigments.

Through the life of a brand, some pieces make a lasting impression. Back in 2025, when AWAKE presented the Frosted Leaf technique for the very first time, watch collectors and enthusiasts all around the world were unanimously… enthusiastic.

One year—and two Awards—later, Frosted Leaf is back, featuring three new creations inspired by rare and intense natural phenomena. These three versions convey the feeling of Mankind, awestruck by the grandiosity of Nature.

Blood Moon, Storm, Lagoon—they tell us about Life, catching these exceptional moments granted by Nature. They push even further the limits of a unique craftsmanship, fixing fleeting instants in lacquer for all eternity. Unforeseeable but unforgettable instants.

PRESERVING, MODERNIZING, TRANSMITTING

AWAKE’s relationship with the Métiers d’Art is not just a matter of watchmaking. It is a matter of highlighting craftsmanship, transcending borders and boundaries, and giving prominence to diverse identities and cultures—within the frame of a dial. Promoting aesthetics, handicraft, meticulousness, and timelessness is also key. Each project of the brand aims at showcasing and preserving traditional savoir-faire by making them part of our daily lives.

CATCHING A FLEETING MOMENT

Since AWAKE was created in 2019, Nature and Arts have been the core inspirations of the brand. The common thread of all AWAKE’s watchmaking projects, allowing the brand to create unique and enthralling pieces. This mindset is shared by AWAKE’s Master Lacquerers, who wish to push further the limits of their antique techniques. Thanks to their commitment, the dials of the Frosted Leaf collection convey the beauty of the world. In 2025, AWAKE drew its inspiration from the breathtaking sight of Earth from Space.

In 2026, AWAKE intends to catch Nature in some of its most exceptional moments. Mixing poetry and craftsmanship to fix them in lacquer, thus turning ephemeral into eternal. Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon are inspired by three rare and intense natural phenomena. When witnessing them, people are suddenly aware of their own smallness, facing something way bigger than themselves. Such a striking, universal feeling. During these natural epiphanies, while the beauty of Nature is fully on display, Time seems to stop.

“The Blood Moon only appears for a few hours per year. A clap of thunder only lasts a split second. A perfect lagoon can only be found in some places around the World. Put together, these three phenomena illustrate the dichotomies at the core of AWAKE’s creative universe: ephemeral VS eternal, light VS dark, common VS uncanny, perceptible VS hidden.”

Lilian THIBAULT—AWAKE’s founder

TURNING EPHEMERAL MOMENTS INTO ETERNAL ITEMS

Blood Moon, Storm, Lagoon: three new iterations with powerful dials that poetically capture life in motion and preserve nature at its most rare and fleeting. They push even further the boundaries of this singular ancestral Vietnamese technique (known as glacis) which makes it possible to seal within lacquer, for eternity, that which by nature does not last. Each dial is conceived as a complete visual and sensory experience, inviting inward reflection and reminding people to cherish those unplanned moments that arrive without warning, and stay with them forever.

Blood Moon

The dials of the “Blood Moon” version are inspired by one of the most fascinating celestial phenomena: the so-called “Blood Moon” which happens during a total lunar eclipse. The Moon moves through Earth’s shadow, assuming a deep shade of red and looking almost unreal. Such a rare event, which only happens a few days every ten years, tends to overwhelm anyone who witnesses it. Paradoxically, the Moon shines in darkness. But it shines differently, adding some mystery. As if our faithful companion was revealing its dark side. No wonder so many civilizations saw it as a sign of profound changes to come.

The dials wear black and red: the colors of passion, desire and mystery. They defy each other, enhance each other, creating an exceptional visual depth, between light and darkness. Such a transient moment, captured for eternity thanks to AWAKE’s exclusive Frosted Leaf technique.

Lagoon

The “Lagoon” dials pay tribute to the mesmerizing beauty of lagoons and their relation to light. Between sea and land, depth and surface, they display incomparable and magical optical effects. AWAKE decided to capture them in its dials. Translucent greenish blue, intense turquoise, deep cobalt blue or silvery pale blue, lagoons are like breathing, living creatures, always changing. Transparent at first glance, the “Lagoon” dials actually include a whole universe. Diving into them is like diving into yourself, finding some hidden truths. Such an artistic achievement was allowed by AWAKE’s Frosted Leaf technique and the command of its Master Lacquerers. Light goes through several layers of lacquer, natural pigments, and silver leaves, producing visual effects similar to lagoon waters.

“Lagoon” watches foster people to see beyond what is visible. They are made for those who know that the most precious things are way under the surface. A silent reminder that some treasures, and savoir-faire, are timeless. You reach wiseness when you realize how much is left to discover.

Storm

The “Storm” dials are an artistic rendering of one of the few natural phenomena which generates awe and fear alike: storms. Mankind has been both fascinated by and fearful of storms, since the dawn of time. They still have a strong, universal meaning, even today. Black and orange hues convey the beauty and danger of a flash of lightning ripping the darkness. It merely lasts a split second—all it needs to illuminate everything around, with unequaled intensity. A bold dial with electric vibes, illustrating the huge amount of energy suddenly unleashed by Nature. It also displays the duality of destruction and creation, silence and crash, fear and amazement.

“Storm” is for those who are looking for a lively and unpredictable watch, neither conventional nor discreet. People who live life to its full and who know that unforgettable moments happen suddenly, without notice, with an unpredictable strength.

15 HOURS TO CATCH THE UNCATCHABLE

The remarkable technique used to produce the Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon dials requires the highest level of focus and dexterity. It is a long and complex handicraft—each movement is of paramount importance. And perfection is the only objective. Each dial is like a hypnotizing “millefeuille”, playing with light.

  • A rare and delicate raw material: it starts with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, which grows in North Vietnam. After a decade, each tree only gives 200 ml of the precious liquid per year. The harvest happens only at daybreak, in June and July. Purified and dehydrated, the sap becomes a transparent lacquer, well-known for making shine and protecting surfaces.
  • An antique and unique Vietnamese art: Sơn Mài is an age-old technique, requiring several years of practice. It consists in applying and polishing several layers of natural lacquer to obtain a mirror-like surface with unrivalled depth. Contrary to the Chinese and Japanese traditions, Vietnamese craftsmen include precious materials between layers of lacquer—like silver leaves, in this case—to create a one-of-a-kind texture, with relief and plays of light.
  • A shining and sparkling silver leaf: At the bottom of the dial, the craftsmen apply a first layer of lacquer and very dark black pigments. Then they varnish it. They apply the first layer of pure silver leaves with a brush and delicately sand it to remove the excess of material. It all gives an organic quality to the dials, with metallic and warm flashes of light.
  • An exceptional depth: That is where the “Frosted” technique comes in. Instead of starting the lacquer layering as usual with “classic” dials, AWAKE’s Master Lacquerers repeat the previous process, adding silver leaves to lacquer. Said lacquer is enriched with blue, orange or red pigments, thus creating a striking contrast. The material laying between each layer is lively. This technique requires patience and consistency. And time… It dramatically enhances the complexity of the dials.
  • A gifted craftsman: This light and substance “millefeuille” is then entrusted to the most experienced craftsman of the workshop. He must sand it with the greatest care, directly with his fingers, to slowly unveil the reliefs and patterns that render every dial unique. Several layers of lacquer, each sanded and polished, are needed to offer a perfect and eternal brilliance. The process is methodical, demanding, and lengthy (about 15 hours). Any mistake could spoil the dial.
  • A unique piece of art: The full process requires patience, dexterity and focus. It turns each dial into a one-off piece, where Light and Time stop and converse. They also bear the marks of the expert hands that made them. They are the results of an antique handiwork, bringing a century-long tradition to the present days.

NEW 38 MM CASE

These three models are equipped with AWAKE’s new 38 mm case—with thinner proportions. Perfectly balanced, its elegance is definitely accentuated by the concave lines of the polished bezel, along with the slightly convex sapphire crystal, and the delicately rounded lugs. The result is a mix between 1960s aesthetics and contemporary design. The contrast between polished surfaces and satin-finished sides is an adhesion to modernity. The slightly resized and now screw-down winding crown—allowing a 100 m water resistance—is adorned with a new “coat of arms”, symbolizing AWAKE’s commitment to Artisanship. Finally, the rehaut has been reshaped, expounding AWAKE’s vision with clarity and authenticity.

REIMAGINED BRAND IDENTITY

The dials show AWAKE’s new visual identity with a handwritten logo, as a tribute to the craftsmen’s handiwork. It is not only about aesthetics, it is about highlighting Tradition, Savoir-faire and Métiers d’Art in a contemporary frame. Punched with AWAKE’s new coat of arms illustrating transmission and cultural dialogue, the watches embody the brand’s sensibility and commitment. Each detail glorifies the richness of Artisanat and AWAKE’s will to keep it alive.

HIGHLIGHTED SAVOIR-FAIRE—QUITE LITERALLY…

Blood Moon, Storm and Lagoon display AWAKE’s exclusive “Chiaroscuro” luminous signature, which enhances the depth and contrasts of the dials, whether by day or by night. Hands and indexes combine Super-LumiNova® BGW9 and polished, brushed, and faceted steel. This innovation, called “coiffe”, allows for a subtle diffusion of light and a better readability without spoiling the dial. During the day, discretion is de rigueur. In the dark, luminescence works its magic. A gentle luminous halo appears and accentuates the brilliance of the lacquer, the sparkling of the silver leaves and the contrast of the pigments, bringing poetry and technical exploit together. A feast for the eyes!

LA JOUX-PERRET G101 MOVEMENT

The automatic G101 movement—made by Swiss manufacture La Joux-Perret—is the beating heart of the Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon models. Performing and reliable, up-to-date and precise, this finely-finished caliber offers a 68-hour power reserve. Besides, it is equipped with AWAKE’s new custom-made rotor. Made of tungsten, the rotor associates technical prowess and elegance, thanks to its reliefs and counter-reliefs, embellished by polished, brushed and bead-blasted finishes. The rehaut is engraved with AWAKE’s motto—Illuminating the hands and heritage behind rare crafts—and its slogan—Artisanship, Awakened.

HOMEMADE AND HANDMADE STRAPS

To make the new pieces even more sublime, AWAKE chose nubuck calfskin straps in orange, red and blue. They are made by hand in France. More precisely, AWAKE calls on the master leather workers of Maison Bouveret, in Franche-Comté (French Jura). No less than 60 steps are necessary to produce comfortable and sustainable straps, according to strict specifications. Each one shows tone-on-tone topstitching and black rubberized calfskin lining, which offer a highest level of flexibility, water, and wear resistance. Finally, these straps are equipped with AWAKE’s new Fitwell M1 micro-adjustment ardillon buckle, with only 3 mm between each hole. Hence a perfect fitting to feel comfortable all day long. The outcome is both technical and refined, so that connoisseurs can enjoy their watch on a daily basis. Dimensions: 115×75 – 20/16.

A PROPOSITION LIKE NO OTHER

The new creations have many assets: unique handmade dials, using two antique Métiers d’Art techniques; an exclusive luminous signature; a reputable Swiss caliber; straps made by hand in France. They are worth €2,820, taxes and shipping costs included, all around the world. True to its vision, AWAKE does its best to offer watches associating aesthetics, fine watchmaking, traditional savoir-faire and pure emotions, while remaining within the same price range.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

References:

Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Storm » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year

Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Blood Moon » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year

Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Lagoon » – standard collection – around 100 pieces a year

Case: 316L Stainless Steel

Diameter: 38 mm

Lug to lug: 44,75 mm

Lug width: 20 mm

Thickness: 11.5 mm, glass included/10 mm without glass

Métier d’Art dials: each dial requires 15 hours of work. They are handmade, using two traditional savoir-faire: Sơn Mài Vietnamese lacquerwork and pure silver leaves

Indexes and hands: Super-LumiNova® BGW9, AWAKE exclusive luminous “coiffe” signature

Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 m)

Crystal: anti-reflective sapphire crystal

Case back: screw-down, sapphire crystal

Movement: Automatic La Joux-Perret G101 – 68-hour power reserve

Decorations: New custom-made rotor made of tungsten, with reliefs and counter-reliefs, polished, brushed and bead-blasted finishes. Bead-blasted and engraved rehaut

Strap: Maison Bouveret – nubuck calfskin – rubberized calfskin lining, tone-on-tone topstitching – curved quick-release spring bars – new adjustment ardillon buckle

Warranty: 3 years, globally

AWAKE Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Combines Hand Guilloché and Vietnamese Lacquer

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When Two Rare Crafts Meet on a Watch Dial

Independent watchmaker AWAKE has introduced the new Sơn Mài – Guilloché Main collection, a series that brings together two traditional decorative arts rarely seen at this level of execution in contemporary watchmaking: hand-operated guilloché engraving and Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer work.

The collection also marks the debut of a new 38 mm case for the brand, shifting AWAKE toward more compact and classically proportioned watchmaking while maintaining a distinctly modern design language. Limited to 200 pieces each across three dial variations, the collection focuses heavily on craftsmanship, texture, and light interaction rather than excessive complication or overt luxury cues.

A Rare Combination of Decorative Arts

What makes the collection notable is the combination of two highly specialized crafts executed by separate artisan workshops across Europe and Asia. AWAKE collaborates with the Renzetti family in Italy for the guilloché work and with master lacquer artisans in Vietnam for the Sơn Mài finishing.

The guilloché patterns are created entirely by hand using historic straight-line and rose-engine machines dating back to the 19th century. Unlike stamped or CNC-generated textures commonly seen today, these patterns rely entirely on manual control, with artisans simultaneously guiding both the dial and cutting tool to engrave hundreds of precise grooves into the metal surface.

Once engraved, the dials are sent to Hanoi where layers of natural Sơn Mài lacquer are applied and polished repeatedly to create depth, transparency, and shifting color gradients. Derived from the sap of the Rhus Verniciflua tree, the lacquer develops a distinctive visual richness that changes depending on lighting conditions.

The result is a dial construction that feels more architectural than decorative. Rather than sitting on top of the guilloché, the lacquer amplifies the engraved patterns underneath, creating a layered surface that changes character throughout the day.

Three Celestial-Inspired Dial Variations

The collection is offered in three executions, each inspired by different atmospheric and celestial phenomena.

Sunset

The “Sunset” model features a drapé-moiré guilloché pattern inspired by wave-like ocean movement. Around one hundred engraved grooves create flowing textures beneath layered lacquer shades of pink, violet, and blue. The final effect resembles fading light reflecting across water during sunset conditions.

Alba

The “Alba” edition takes inspiration from sunrise energy through a helical guilloché motif designed to evoke movement and momentum. Warm lacquer tones intensify the engraved geometry underneath, producing a more dynamic and radiant visual profile.

Borealis

The “Borealis” dial uses a radiant guilloché pattern combined with cool-toned lacquer gradients intended to mirror the shifting reflections of the Northern Lights. Under changing light, the dial develops strong tonal transitions and pronounced depth.

Rather than treating color as a simple aesthetic choice, AWAKE uses lacquer almost like a lens over the engraved metal surface, allowing the dial texture to evolve depending on viewing angle and ambient light.

A More Refined Case Design

The introduction of the 38 mm stainless steel case represents a significant design evolution for the brand. With a lug-to-lug measurement of 44.75 mm and a thickness of 11.5 mm including the crystal, the proportions position the watch firmly within the growing preference for smaller, more wearable case sizes.

The case combines polished and brushed surfaces with a concave bezel and softly curved lugs that reference mid-century watch design without feeling overtly vintage. A domed sapphire crystal enhances the dial presentation, while the redesigned screw-down crown now delivers 100 meters of water resistance.

AWAKE has also introduced a new handwritten logo and emblem for the collection, emphasizing the brand’s growing focus on artisanal craftsmanship and cultural storytelling. Thankfully, the branding remains understated and complements the watch rather than competing with it.

Night-Time Legibility Without Sacrificing Dial Integrity

One of the more thoughtful technical details in the collection is the luminous execution. The hands and indices use Super-LumiNova BGW9 combined with steel caps featuring brushed, polished, and engraved finishing.

This construction allows the lume to remain visually discreet during daylight while still delivering strong night-time visibility. More importantly, it preserves the visual purity of the dial, ensuring the lacquer and guilloché work remain the dominant elements.

La Joux-Perret G101 Movement

Powering the collection is the Swiss-made La Joux-Perret G101 automatic calibre with a 68-hour power reserve.

The movement features a custom tungsten rotor finished with alternating brushed, polished, and micro-blasted surfaces. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the calibre reinforces the collection’s balance between decorative craftsmanship and practical modern watchmaking.

While the watches are clearly dial-focused creations, the use of the G101 gives the collection strong everyday usability and reliability, rather than positioning it purely as an artistic object.

Jean Rousseau Straps and Wearability

The collection is paired with Alcantara straps produced by French strap specialist Jean Rousseau. Available in green, violet, or orange, the straps feature colored stitching, rubberized calfskin lining, curved quick-release spring bars, and AWAKE’s new Fitwell M1 micro-adjustable pin buckle with 3 mm adjustment increments.

It is a small but meaningful detail. Independent brands often focus so heavily on dial artistry that wearability becomes secondary. Here, the strap and clasp system appear designed with daily comfort in mind.

Technical Specifications

  • Case: 316L stainless steel
  • Diameter: 38 mm
  • Thickness: 11.5 mm including crystal
  • Lug-to-lug: 44.75 mm
  • Water resistance: 100 meters
  • Crystal: Anti-reflective sapphire
  • Movement: La Joux-Perret G101 automatic
  • Power reserve: 68 hours
  • Limited edition: 200 pieces per dial variant
  • Strap: Jean Rousseau Alcantara with adjustable buckle

Final Thoughts

The Sơn Mài – Guilloché Main collection succeeds because it treats craftsmanship as the foundation of the watch rather than a decorative afterthought. Many modern artisan-focused releases rely heavily on storytelling, but here the techniques themselves shape the identity of the piece.

By combining hand-operated guilloché with traditional Vietnamese lacquer work, AWAKE has created a collection that feels culturally layered, technically interesting, and visually distinctive without becoming theatrical. The restrained 38 mm sizing and accessible pricing further strengthen the proposition, especially in a market where genuine métiers d’art execution is increasingly associated with far higher price points.

There is a quiet confidence to this collection. It does not attempt to overwhelm with complexity or spectacle. Instead, it focuses on texture, craftsmanship, proportion, and the human hand behind every detail. Rare qualities in modern watchmaking, where half the industry seems convinced another skeletonized tourbillon shaped like a lunar insect is what humanity truly needed.

Awake Son Mai Frosted Leaf Royal Red: Vietnamese Lacquer Art Meets Swiss Watchmaking

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AWAKE enriches its Frosted Leaf collection with a new limited edition of 100 pieces: Royal Red. A singular creation, born from the dialogue between two universal colors – red and gold – whose union has transcended civilizations, the arts, and time.

Inspired by Asian ritual objects and crafted through the ancestral gestures of Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquerware, Royal Red unveils a new expression of the Frosted Leaf technique. Red – a timeless symbol of life, energy, and passion – encounters the delicate glow of silver leaf infused with copper-toned pigments, evoking wisdom, transmission, and the mastery of time.

More than a mere aesthetic variation, Royal Red embodies AWAKE’s vision to preserve, modernize, and pass on exceptional craftsmanship, embedding it within contemporary, thoughtful, and conscious watchmaking.

 KEY FEATURES OF ROYAL RED

 A new iteration of the FROSTED LEAF technique: Royal Red unveils a significant technical, aesthetic, and stylistic evolution of the Frosted Leaf process developed by AWAKE. For the first time, pure silver leaf tinted with copper pigments forms the final layer of the dial. This technical choice reverses the traditional process, allowing light to interact directly with the material and reveal organic, deep, and vibrant textures. Each dial is entirely handcrafted in AWAKE’s Hanoi workshop, through a meticulous “mille-feuille” of lacquer, natural pigments, and silver leaf, making every piece absolutely unique.

A luminous signature that stages the artistry of lacquer: Royal Red features AWAKE’s exclusive “coiffe” luminous signature, conceived as a subtle illumination of the artisan’s gesture. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of chiaroscuro, it is not designed to dominate the dial, but rather to delicately reveal the craftsmanship of the lacquer. Discreet by day, the luminescence emerges in depth in the dark, creating a refined backlit effect that highlights the reliefs, reflections, and living vibration of the material.

An unparalleled value and emotional proposition: Handcrafted dials, exclusive ancestral techniques reinterpreted through a modern and creative approach, an innovative luminous signature, a renowned Swiss movement, cases and buckles in recycled stainless steel, straps handmade for AWAKE. All offered at an unprecedented price: €2,200 excluding taxes.

THE STARTING POINT: PRESERVE, MODERNIZE, TRANSMIT

 At AWAKE, the vision of the Arts & Crafts extends far beyond the watch itself. Each creation is conceived as a space for cultural expression, an opportunity to highlight ancestral craftsmanship – in this case, Vietnamese – while situating it within a contemporary perspective. Within the tiny canvas of a dial, the brand seeks to transcend boundaries, celebrate cultural identities, and promote a different relationship with time: slower, more conscious, and more respectful of gesture and material. Since the launch of Sơn Mài in 2024, every project has followed this commitment to the living transmission and preservation of exceptional craftsmanship.

ROYAL RED: AN ODE TO THE SLOW ALCHEMY OF TIME…

The dials of the Royal Red limited edition draw their inspiration from ritual objects from the far reaches of Asia, passed down through generations, weathered by time, and steeped in ancient stories. On their vibrant surfaces, red and gold intertwine to reveal deep textures and complex nuances that seem to suspend time itself. Red evokes life, passion, vital energy, and the courage to create. Gold embodies wisdom, transmission, and mastery of light. Together, they form a powerful harmony, reflecting a balance between energy and clarity, emotion and consciousness. Each dial thus becomes the backdrop for a timeless and universal dialogue, making Royal Red a true vessel of culture.

 “ ’Royal’ does not refer to power, but to a form of inner nobility… The quiet strength of those who create, transmit, and elevate, transforming every gesture into an act of artistry and every second into a living presence.”

 Lilian Thibault – Founder of AWAKE

RED AND GOLD:  A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Some colors carry within them the memory of civilizations. For millennia, red and gold have held a sacred place, shaping the history of art and time. The dials of this Royal Red edition, with their luminous surfaces and complex hues, bear profound symbolic significance. They tell intertwined stories of artistic and cultural traditions, of ancestral craftsmanship, safeguarding the memory of civilizations, their heritage, their spirit, and their light.

Across cultures, red and gold are never in opposition: they complement each other, they converse. One symbolizes the warmth of life, the other clarity and wisdom. Together, they embody the balance between energy and light, emotion and consciousness.

“ART IS NOT ABOUT COPYING NATURE…”

 “…But about learning to work like it!”. This quote, attributed to P. Picasso, perfectly captures the profound influence of nature and its inexhaustible inspiration for our lacquer artisans. The creation of the Royal Red dials relies on Sơn Mài lacquer, derived from the rare sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, harvested in Vietnam according to an unchanging ritual. Layering, resting periods, delicate finger sanding, final polishing: each step, carried out by hand, follows the slow rhythm of the material.

This technical and aesthetic evolution of the Frosted Leaf method, applied to Royal Red, takes the complexity of the craft and creative process even further, suspending silver leaf and copper pigments within the lacquer to create depth, relief, and vibrancy. Each dial requires nearly fifteen hours of meticulous work. None are identical. Each bears the trace of a gesture, a breath, and a skill passed down through generations.

MINIATURE WORKS OF ART

 The entire process, demanding patience, dexterity, and extreme focus, transforms each dial of the Royal Red edition into a unique, living piece, where light and time seem to pause in order to resonate more vividly.

Born from a fully artisanal process, each dial carries the breath of a craftsman, the ancient gestures of an expert hand linking centuries of know-how to the modern world. Each dial embodies our desire to preserve and transmit these values, and the magic of these stories, to future generations.

 REVEAL WITHOUT DOMINATING

 AWAKE’s “coiffe” luminous signature departs from traditional constructions. The hands and indices, crafted from a Super-LumiNova® BGW9 base and coated with polished steel, offer subtle legibility by day and a deep backlit effect in the dark. Here, luminescence becomes a narrative tool, revealing the material without ever overshadowing it, allowing the complexity of the lacquer to be appreciated through its nocturnal reflections.

 LA JOUX-PERRET FOR AWAKE: MECHANICAL RELIABILITY AND EXCELLENCE

 Royal Red is powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, renowned for its reliability, precision, and 68-hour power reserve. Our movement is elevated by an exclusive tungsten rotor, specially designed for AWAKE, featuring contrasts of polished, brushed, and micro-beaded surfaces. The whole is encircled by a ring engraved with the edition’s specifications and the brand’s motto: Artisanship, Awakened.

HANDMADE STRAPS IN FRANCE

 To elegantly extend the colors and subtleties of each dial, Royal Red is paired with red suede calfskin straps. Handcrafted by the master saddlers at Maison Bouveret in Franche-Comté, their creation involves over 60 meticulous steps following a strict specification, prioritizing comfort and longevity. Each strap is tone-on-tone stitched and lined with rubberized calfskin, ensuring greater suppleness as well as enhanced resistance to moisture and wear.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Reference : Sơn Mài – Frosted Leaf « Royal Red »: limited edition of 100 pieces.

Case: 316L recycled stainless steel

Diameter: 39 mm

Lug-to-lug: 45.6 mm

Lug width: 20 mm

Thickness: 11.80 mm including crystal / 10.90 mm without crystal

Arts & Crafts Dial: Entirely handcrafted using the exclusive “Frosted” technique, combining polished lacquer and pure silver leaf gilding with natural pigments in an unprecedented way

Indices and Hands: Super-LumiNova® BGW9, AWAKE “coiffe” luminous signature

Water Resistance: 5 ATM (50M)

Crystal: Sapphire glass with anti-reflective treatment

Caseback: Screw-down, sapphire crystal

Movement: La Joux-Perret G101 automatic, 68-hour power reserve

Decoration: Custom tungsten rotor with recessed and raised surfaces, brushed, micro-beaded, and polished finishes; micro-beaded encircling ring engraved by laser

Strap (20-16 mm): Red suede calfskin, rubberized calf lining, tone-on-tone stitching, mounted on a pin buckle

Warranty: 3-year international

Price: €2,200 excl. taxes

Delivery: Batch 1 – 50 pieces in January 2026 / Batch 2 in April 2026

Distribution : https://awakewatches.com

Retailers : https://awakewatches.com/pages/points-of-sale

AWAKE Unveils the Sơn Mài – Fragments Collection: When Material Becomes Light

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SƠN MÀI – FRAGMENTS: When material becomes light…

Since its inception, AWAKE has explored the paths of conscious and poetic watchmaking, where the craftsman’s hand becomes an extension of time itself.

With the Sơn Mài – FRAGMENTS collection, the brand takes a new step in its creative adventure, combining Vietnamese lacquer, natural mother-of-pearl and the ancient Japanese art of Raden in a mesmerizing, luminous harmony.

Three limited editions combining exceptional craftsmanship, creative poetry and Swiss watchmaking precision, each dial becoming a work of art in itself: a handcrafted iridescent mosaic that captures and diffracts light, transforming every second into a suspended moment.

An invitation to slow down, to contemplate, to remember that the beauty of the world lies in the most subtle details — those that only the human hand can reveal.

KEY FEATURES OF THE FRAGMENTS COLLECTION

• A new exclusive technique. One year after the launch of the Sơn Mài collection, whose first iteration combines the purity of traditional Vietnamese lacquer with the subtlety of silver leaf, the artistic exploration of Hanoi’s craftsmanship of excellence continues with mother-of-pearl, prized for its multiple colors and iridescent beauty – the embodiment of mystery and elegance.

• Three versions, each limited to 100 pieces. Three poetic interpretations of light and time.

• Exceptional craftsmanship. Each dial requires nearly 15 hours of manual work, combining precision, patience and emotion.

• A unique luminous signature. Inspired by Japanese chiaroscuro. The hour markers and hands reveal a poetic and hypnotic depth in the night.

• Swiss precision. La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, 68-hour power reserve, high-end finishes.

• Sensory elegance. Jean Rousseau – Paris straps, handcrafted in black calfskin and lined with Alcantara.

EXCEPTIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP TO TRANSCEND BORDERS

The starting point for the FRAGMENTS collection lies in our fascination with the Japanese art of Raden: a refined technique dating back several centuries, consisting of inlaying fragments of mother-of-pearl, ivory or shell into lacquered objects to enhance their iridescent reflections and create a hypnotic sense of depth.

AWAKE offers a free and contemporary interpretation of this technique, blending different cultures and skills. In their workshops in Hanoi, master lacquerers have developed a unique method that combines natural Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer, renowned for its purity and brilliance, with mother-of-pearl, a universal symbol of light and elegance. Each dial is the result of a long, meticulous and entirely handmade process, demonstrating rare mastery and a true passion for the art of lacquer.

This new collection becomes a true dialogue between Japan, Vietnam, France and Switzerland: four territories, four craft traditions united by the same quest for beauty, poetry and meaning.

“We aim to transcend borders and bring different know-how together. The FRAGMENTS collection was born from this idea: uniting cultures in the tiny space of a watch dial.” – Lilian THIBAULT – Founder of AWAKE

FROM SAP TO LIGHT

The creative process begins long before the first brushstroke… The lacquer used for the FRAGMENTS collection comes from the sap of the Rhus verniciflua, a tree native to northern Vietnam. It takes ten years of growth for a tree to produce just 200 ml of sap per year, harvested only in the early morning in June and July. Purified and dehydrated, this sap becomes a lacquer of incomparable transparency and brilliance, renowned for its protective properties.

Next, fragments of mother-of-pearl are selected one by one according to their color, fineness and reflections, then sprinkled delicately over the dial and adjusted one by one by hand to create a mosaic of light. The Mother-of-pearl is distinguished by its ability to capture and transform light: depending on the angle and the moment, it changes color, density and depth, evoking sometimes the calm sea, sometimes the sky at dusk.

This alchemy between organic matter and living light makes the dial a miniature landscape in constant evolution — a silent scene where time seems to stand still.

THE CREATING RITUAL: A WORK OF PATIENCE

Each dial in the FRAGMENTS collection requires nearly fifteen hours of manual work and a level of precision that only a mastered technique, repeated thousands of times, can provide.
The metal base of the dial is first prepared, then coated with a first layer of black lacquer with natural pigments, and polished to a perfect mirror finish. The mother-of-pearl fragments are then sprinkled and adjusted one by one with tweezers, according to a process that is both instinctive and skillful: the smallest ones first, to create the background, then the larger ones to create texture and relief.

Then comes the pigment phase: blue, green and pink, obtained from organic materials. These shades, sprayed on in a light veil, color the mother-of-pearl without masking its light, allowing each dial to express its personality.
Finally, around a dozen layers of pure lacquer are applied, dried, sanded and polished one by one. This is an extremely patient task, where each step reveals a new shine, sealing the fragments in an invisible case and revealing an almost infinite depth.

“Each dial then becomes a fragment of the universe, capturing the changing beauty of the world in the transparency of time” – Lilian THIBAULT – Founder of AWAKE

THREE INTERPRETATIONS OF LIGHT

Three unique expressions, each conveying its own emotion and atmosphere, created by the craftsman’s hand.

• FRAGMENTS – Green
Soothing and organic, green evokes the serenity of forests, light filtering through foliage, the murmur of nature in motion. The mother-of-pearl fragments, worked in a gradient, diffuse reflections of an almost meditative softness. An ode to slowness and harmony.

• FRAGMENTS – Blue
Inspired by the depths of the sea, the blue of this dial encapsulates the silent poetry of the ocean. Under the light, the iridescent fragments seem to come to life: blues turn silvery, grays take on azure hues. A living, changing dial that captures the fluid essence of time.

• FRAGMENTS – Pink
The most enigmatic of the three. Its pink and pearly shades embody the dialogue between matter and emotion, the visible and the invisible. From some angles, it evokes the softness of twilight; from others, the stellar reflections of the cosmos. A dial of light and mystery.

LUMINOUS SIGNATURE: CHIAROSCURO BY AWAKE

True to its unique aesthetic, AWAKE enhances the FRAGMENTS dials with an exclusive luminous signature inspired by the Japanese poetic concept of chiaroscuro, dear to Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. The hands and hour markers, crafted from a Super LumiNova® BGW9 base, are clad in faceted polished steel: discreet in daylight, they glow softly and mesmerizingly at night, revealing the hypnotic depth of the dial. The hands and hour markers, crafted from a Super LumiNova® BGW9 base, are clad in faceted polished steel: discreet in daylight, they glow softly and mesmerizingly at night, revealing the hypnotic depth of the dial.

SWISS PRECISION

This visual poetry is matched by the precision of the movement. FRAGMENTS watches are powered by the G101 La Joux-Perret movement, a symbol of excellence and reliability. With its 68-hour power reserve and meticulous finishes visible through the sapphire crystal case back, this movement echoes the craftsmanship of the dials. Its oscillating weight, machined from a block of tungsten and delicately engraved with the brand’s emblem and the words ‘La Joux-Perret for AWAKE’, also plays with light thanks to the alternation of sandblasted, polished and micro-beaded surfaces.

THE ELEGANCE OF DETAIL, BY MAISON JEAN ROUSSEAU

To extend the sensory dimension of the watch, AWAKE has partnered with Maison Jean Rousseau, an iconic figure in French leather goods. Each strap is handmade from calfskin leather and lined with Alcantara in colors that match the dials: forest green, midnight blue or purple. Suppleness, a velvety feel and tone-on-tone finishes are the hallmarks of the discreet elegance of an object designed to last. The straps are equipped with quick-release buckles and a recycled steel pin buckle, the result of complex machining. Because every detail counts, right down to the way the watch sits on the wrist.

A WATCHMAKING JOURNEY BETWEEN VALUE AND EMOTION

With Sơn Mài – FRAGMENTS, AWAKE continues its exploration of the link between art, culture and watchmaking. A collection born from the encounter between Asian traditions and Swiss excellence, between slow gestures and mechanical precision, between light and time.
In this tiny canvas, composed of fragments of mother-of-pearl, lacquer and light, a whole world comes to life: that of craftsmanship, transmission and pure beauty. A true distillation of excellence, passion and creativity, available at a price of €2,250 excluding tax.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Case: Recycled 316L stainless steel
Diameter: 39mm
Dimensions ‘Lug to lug’: 45.6mm
Lug width: 20mm
Thickness: 11.80mm including glass / 10.90mm excluding glass
Entirely handcrafted Métiers d’Art dials: Reinterpretation of the ancient Japanese technique of Raden using a mosaic of fragments of mother-of-pearl, Vietnamese lacquer and natural pigments.

– Sơn Mài – Fragments – Green : Limited Edition of 100.
– Sơn Mài – Fragments – Blue : Limited Edition of 100.
– Sơn Mài – Fragments – Pink : Limited Edition of 100.

Indexes and hands: Super LumiNova® BGW9, AWAKE luminous ‘coiffe’ signature
Water resistance: 5 ATM (50m)
Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Case back: Screw-down case back, sapphire crystal
Movement: Automatic La Joux-Perret G101, 68-hour power reserve
Decoration: Personalized tungsten rotor, alternating concave and convex surfaces with brushed, micro-beaded and polished finishes. Micro-beaded bezel engraved with laser inscriptions specific to each version.
JEAN ROUSSEAU strap: Matte black calfskin leather lined with colored Alcantara, tone-on-tone topstitching, equipped with ‘presto’ pumps and mounted on a hollowed-out pin buckle. 115×75 – 20-16mm.
Warranty: 3-year international warranty
Price: €2,250 excluding tax
Distribution: https://awakewatches.com
Retailers: https://awakewatches.com/pages/points-of-sale