Tom Austin 2024 marks Awake’s 5th anniversary and celebrates in style with the new Sơn Mài collection. The new collection features Awake’s new logo and a unique dial decoration called Sommai, an ancient Vietnamese decorative technique based on the art of sandakkar. The Sơn Mài dial is available in four variations: Outre Blue, Lava, Emerald, and Amethyst.
You can make a watch with a special dial. Whether it’s guilloche, sunburst, hammered, lacquered or intricately painted marquetry, it’s probably the first thing you notice at first glance, before reading the period. . So when a company releases a new dial decoration, it’s natural that people take notice. That’s exactly what Awake has done with its latest offering. The young independent Parisian brand celebrates its fifth anniversary with the Sommai Silver Leaf collection. The Sommai Silver Leaf Collection is a quartet of time-limited dress watches, each with its own unique dial.
I know what you’re thinking…5 years? But I haven’t heard of Awake yet… The story of this collection starts a little further back in time, so bear with me. Awake founder Lilian Thibault was traveling around Vietnam in 2008, soaking up the sights and sounds, when she discovered a small woodblock print she had to have. After some research, it was revealed that the painting was made up of parts painted using an ancient Vietnamese lacquer craft technique known as Son Mai. Sonmai is created by mixing natural pigments with a layer of lacquer and incorporating materials such as crushed eggshells, gold or silver foil. And mother-of-pearl adds texture and depth. Fast forward to today, and Awake has taken that inspiration and applied it to the dials of its new Sơn Mài Silver Leaf collection.
The watch itself is plain and simple in a good way. Constructed from stainless steel, it has gently curved lugs and clean contours for excellent proportions. At 39mm in diameter and just 11.8mm thick, it’s within the Goldilocks size range, not too big or too small, making it a great piece of clothing for almost everyone. The case has a very nicely polished surface with a combination of brushed edges and bevels, topped with an easy-to-use crown, and a comfortable, if not great, 50 meter water resistance Equipped with:
The dial is the part where we really put a lot of effort into it. Each dial takes 10 to 15 hours to complete. This work is done with great attention to detail, combining not only Sommai’s lacquering techniques, but also the application of sterling silver foil to the base of the dial, which brings out the luster of the vibrant colors. Each layer is then applied, sanded, polished, and reapplied in many stages until the final desired effect is achieved. Particular attention has also been paid to the dial furniture, using a solid section of Super-LumiNova BGW9, topped with a delicately machined, faceted steel overlay.
Another first for Awake is the move. For the first time, the brand has gone Swiss-made with the La Joux Perret G101. This is a time-limited automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve, visible through the sapphire crystal case back. It also features custom decoration and incorporates an Awake-specific tungsten rotor. The high-quality collaboration doesn’t end there, this watch is finished with a nubuck and rubber-lined strap with a pin buckle sourced directly from fan-favorite strap manufacturer Delugs.
Awake Sommai Silver Leaf price and availability
The Awake Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Collection is available now. Price: $2,150
Brand Awake Watches Model Sonmai Silver Leaf Case dimensions 39mm (D) x 11.8mm (T) x 45.6mm (LTL) Case material Stainless steel Water resistance 50 meters Crystal Sapphire front and back Dial Red, blue Sonmai lacquer, purple, Green Lug width 20 mm Strap Rubber lined nubuck, steel pin buckle Movement La Joux Perret G101, automatic power reserve 68 hours Functions Hours, minutes, seconds Availability Current price $2,150
