With four brand-new dials added to the collection, Awake has officially updated the entire catalogue to its new 38mm case and logo.
The new collection features vintage vignetting and a unique dial decoration called Sơn Mài, an ancient Vietnamese decoration technique based on the art of sanded lacquer.
Available in four variations, the new Sơn Mài Silver Leaf dials come in Gentian Blue, Java Green, Indian Red, and the limited edition Purple Viola.
Awake’s growth in the microbrand space, surprising to none, has been a journey I have personally enjoyed. From being stunned into silence by their lume-surrounded indices at the Indies NYC event at Hudson Yards in 2025, to having the pleasure of selling them at the Time+Tide NYC Discovery Studio six months later. Brilliant proof that watch fashion doesn’t have to be understated; Awake is a prime example of how exhilarating the microbrand space can be. These four fresh dials are no exception.
When I got to try on their updated 38mm case this past April at Chronopolis in Geneva, it struck me how impressive a brand they have been, and continue to become. Lillian and Thibaut handle their success with the ease of weathered sailors. Part of that success is their willingness to adjust. “Us as brand owners,” I remember Thibaut Sacre, co-founder of the brand, saying, “we have to get firsthand experience of our watches.”
“We wear them, we note what we like and dislike, and we update as we go along.” These updates have been present in all major past releases of 2026, and they simply make sense, in both robustness and aesthetics.”
The updated dials added to the Silver Leaf collection are not to be taken lightly, but while we’re here, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate this year’s updated case as well. The lugs are more shapely, structured, and curved. The size, a hair smaller, does not feel overly small for a 38mm. As an avid 39 mm wearer, I can appreciate the steps they took with the dimensions here. The curvier case structure adds to the overall artistic feel and creates a sturdiness that lets you focus more deeply on the dial’s beauty.
It should be noted that the straps were updated as well, in collaboration with Jean Rousseau and Bouveret, with slightly more padding, adding to the comfort and shape. These updates to the case and strap, not limited to the Silverleaf collection, create a heartier overall wearing experience while highlighting Awake’s personality. Alcantara and Nubuck, with a rubberised calfskin lining, feel just as classy as they sound. The stitching on the straps provides the team with yet another creative avenue of colour differentiation, as the strap on the Purple Viola will demonstrate.
Now that we’ve given our French lads a little golf clap, let’s talk dials. The Son Mai Silver Leaf collection is known to be a tribute to different cultures – the French approach to artisanal craftsmanship and the intense artistry of Hanoi lacquer work. These new dials introduced are great examples of the two tributes– we have the Purple Viola, Indian Red, Java Green, and Gentian Blue. Added, however, is a dramatic, vintage vignetting.
Each new press release or article I read about the dial-making process shortens the time it takes to handmake these dials, from 18 hours to 15 hours to now, “above ten.” Not lacking at all in quality, I am assuming that the dial artists are getting quite into the swing of things. The painstaking production of these, however, will still be capped at around 100 dials per colour, per year, with the only exception being the Viola, which is limited strictly to 200 pieces.
It’s an interesting situation to place yourself in as a watch brand, to ask the customer to take some time and treat each dial like its own separate work of art. It’s a gamble and a risk to assume that the buyer will translate the Gentian Blue, for example, the same way that you do, as a serene and calming escape from city noise around them, instead of simply another blue dial added to the collection. This is precisely why, I think, they do their best to emphasise the craftsmanship surrounding it – and let’s be honest, more than ten hours of dial work is a lot more than I could ever consider myself contributing. But this gamble is part of the process of creating art, and so far, with Awake, I count myself lucky to have witnessed the payoff.
Awake Sơn Mài Silver Leaf – “Gentian Blue”, “Indian Red, “Java Green”, and “Purple Viola” pricing and availability
The Awake Sơn Mài Silver Leaf “Gentian Blue”, “Indian Red, “Java Green”, and “Purple Viola” are available in the Time+Tide shop and at Time+Tide Discovery Studios in New York, London, and Melbourne. The first three models are part of the core collection, but are limited to 100 pieces per year. The “Purple Viola” is limited to 200 pieces worldwide. Price: €2,640
Brand
Awake
Model
Sơn Mài Silver Leaf
Case Dimensions
38mm (D) x 11.50 mm (T) x 44.75 mm (LTL)
Case Material
316L Stainless steel
Water Resistance
100 meters, push-in crown
Crystal(s)
Sapphire crystal with AR coating
Dial
Métiers d’Art silver-leaf gilding and traditional Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer
Lug Width
20 mm
Strap
Handcrafted Alcantara or Nubuck strap, curved quick-release spring bars, micro-adjustment ardillon buckle
Movement
La Joux-Perret G101, automatic
Power Reserve
68 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds
Availability
Available now
Price
€2,640