Founded in 2019, French indie brand Awake was created with the idea to raise awareness of our planet’s limited resources. Initial releases were based on a rather unique perspective, such as the brand’s “Mission to Earth” space-themed watches, which featured an NFC chip allowing owners access to exclusive views of our planet from the International Space Station. In 2024, Awake changed trajectory with the introduction of the Son Mai Silver Leaf collection. More mature and more elegant, the main talking point was the dial, handcrafted using sanded lacquer and application of silver leaf gilding, an ancient technique from Vietnam. Following the numbered launch editions and several limited models, it is time now for the permanent collection to surface, with the Awake Son Mai Silver Leaf Vignette Collection.
On paper, the new Son Mai Silver Leaf Vignette Collection remains very close to the numbered launch models of 2024, which were all limited to 50 pieces and are now sold out. The idea with this Son Mai collection was to bring a fairly special métier d’art to the table. Lilian Thibault, founder of the brand, discovered the ancient Vietnamese art of lacquer – Sơn Mài – on a trip to the country in 2008. This artistic craft starts with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, which grows in northern Vietnam. Purified and dehydrated, this sap becomes a transparent lacquer, renowned for its shine and protective qualities. The Sơn Mài technique consists of applying, superimposing, and then polishing multiple layers of natural lacquer until a mirror-like finish of unparalleled depth is achieved. Unlike Chinese and Japanese schools, Vietnamese artisans incorporate precious materials into the lacquer – gold, mother-of-pearl, and in the case of the dials of Awake, silver leaf – creating unique textures, reliefs, and plays of light.
On a first layer of dried lacquer, sanded and polished, the pure silver leaves are delicately applied with a brush. Once the silver leaf is applied, natural pigments are sprayed onto the dial to give it its colour and contrasts. Then a dozen successive layers of lacquer are applied and polished one by one. The inaugural collection of 2024 incorporated vibrant colours – Lava, Emerald, Outre Bleu and Amethyst. For 2025, the brand brings 4 new colours to form the permanent collection (and a fifth one as a limited edition) and adds to the equation a trendy gradient “vignette” effect to striking tones: Ultra Violet, Palladium, Carmine Red and Moonlight Blue. In addition, a 100-piece Golden Hour with warm red, orange, and yellow hues completes the quintet.
The rest remains identical to previous editions. The Awake Son Mai Silver Leaf Vignette Collection retains the same 39mm case made of recycled stainless steel, with brushed flanks and polished top surfaces. The wide bezel frames an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and the screwed caseback also benefits from such a feature. It opens up the view on the movement, an automatic engine provided by La Joux-Perret and delivering a solid 68-hour power reserve. It features a personalised rotor and is framed by a micro-blasted ring.
As for the dial, besides the appealing texture and vibrant colours of the Son Mai Silver Leaf Vignette, the layout is the same. This means a rather fascinating luminescence effect. Instead of applying it to the top surfaces of the hands and indices, Awake reverses 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. All watches come equipped with a strap handmade in France, in Nubuck bull calfskin or suede.
The Ultra Violet, Palladium, Carmine Red and Moonlight Blue editions of the Awake Son Mai Silver Leaf Vignette are now available from the brand’s permanent collection (online and from retailers). The Golden Hour edition is limited to 100 pieces. All versions are priced at EUR 2,000 before taxes. For more details, please visit awakewatches.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/2025-awake-son-mai-silver-leaf-vignette-collection-5-new-colours-price-introducing/