The independent watch brand AWAKE, founded in 2019, has centered its mission on exploring and revitalizing ancestral crafts from around the globe, translating them into a modern, horological context. This pursuit has led them to their latest and perhaps most intricate offering: the Son Mài Fragments collection. This new series of three timepieces represents a significant step forward, building upon their previous work with Vietnamese lacquer by introducing the complex, iridescent beauty of natural mother-of-pearl and the artistic principles of Japanese Raden.
The brand's philosophy appears to be one of patience and cultural appreciation, aiming to create objects that encourage a more deliberate and poetic consideration of time. This contrasts sharply with the often fast-paced, disposable nature of modern life. AWAKE's approach involves identifying forgotten national treasures or highly specialized local crafts and finding ways to integrate them into a wristwatch, a process that inherently bridges diverse traditions and territories.
Courtesy of AWAKE
This new Fragments collection is a direct evolution of the brand's first Son Mài series, which focused on the combination of pure Vietnamese lacquer and silver leaf. With the new models, AWAKE's artistic exploration in Hanoi has advanced to incorporate mother-of-pearl, a material prized for centuries due to its dynamic, iridescent qualities and its ability to capture and transform light. The collection is a dialogue between multiple craft traditions, blending Vietnamese lacquer, Japanese inlay art, French leatherwork, and Swiss mechanical precision.
The very heart of these watches, the lacquer, is a testament to this commitment. Known as Son Mài, this Vietnamese lacquer is derived from the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, which is native to northern Vietnam. The material is exceptionally rare; a tree must grow for ten years before it can be harvested, and even then, it produces only about 200 ml of sap per year. This harvesting is a delicate process, undertaken only in the early mornings during June and July.
Once harvested, the raw sap undergoes a meticulous process of purification and dehydration. The result is a lacquer of incomparable transparency and brilliance, renowned not only for its beauty but also for its powerful protective properties. This natural, organic substance forms the foundational canvas and the final protective shell for the artwork that defines each dial.
The artistic technique itself is a contemporary interpretation of the ancient Japanese art of Raden. This traditional craft, dating back centuries, involves inlaying fragments of materials like mother-of-pearl, shell, or ivory into lacquered objects. The goal is to enhance the object's iridescent reflections and create a mesmerizing sense of depth. AWAKE has worked with its master lacquerers in Hanoi to develop a unique, proprietary method that blends this Japanese-inspired concept with the specific properties of Vietnamese Son Mài.
The creation of each dial is an exacting, entirely handmade ritual that requires nearly fifteen hours of focused, manual work. The process begins with a metal dial base, which is first prepared and then coated with an initial layer of black lacquer mixed with natural pigments. This base layer is painstakingly polished to a perfect mirror finish, creating a dark, deep void from which the fragments will later emerge.
Courtesy of AWAKE
Following this, the mother-of-pearl fragments are introduced. These fragments are not uniform; they are selected one by one, chosen specifically for their individual color, fineness, and reflective properties. They are first sprinkled delicately over the lacquered base and then painstakingly adjusted, one by one, using fine tweezers. The artisan first places the smallest fragments to create the background, then builds upon this with larger pieces to create texture, relief, and a complex mosaic of light.
After the mother-of-pearl mosaic is set, the pigment phase begins. The colors—blue, green, and pink—are derived from organic materials. These pigments are not painted on heavily but are instead sprayed in a light veil. This technique allows the color to tint the mother-of-pearl fragments without masking their natural iridescence, permitting each dial to express its own distinct personality while retaining the shell's light-play.
Finally, the dial is sealed. Around a dozen layers of pure, transparent lacquer are applied, one at a time. Each individual layer must be allowed to dry completely before being sanded and polished by hand. This extremely patient and repetitive task is what creates the final effect, sealing the fragments in an invisible, brilliant case and revealing an almost infinite, liquid depth.
The visual result is a dial that is less a flat surface and more a miniature, three-dimensional landscape in constant evolution. The mosaic of fragments captures and transforms light, causing the dial's color, density, and depth to shift depending on the viewing angle and the lighting conditions. It can evoke the calm sea, the sky at dusk, or a cluster of stars, creating a silent, dynamic scene on the wrist.
Courtesy of AWAKE
The collection is offered in three distinct interpretations. The Green model is soothing and organic, with reflections that diffuse a meditative softness. It evokes the serenity of a forest or the way light filters through foliage, an ode to harmony and nature. The deep, rich greens are composed of countless fragments, creating a surface that feels both vibrant and calm.
The Blue version is inspired by the depths of the ocean, capturing a silent, fluid poetry. Under light, the iridescent fragments seem to come to life, with deep blues shifting to silvery tones and grays taking on azure hues. It is a living, changing dial that perfectly encapsulates the fluid essence of time.
The Pink model is described as the most enigmatic of the three. Its pink and pearly shades shift and change, suggesting the softness of twilight one moment and the stellar reflections of a distant cosmos the next. It embodies a dialogue between visible matter and invisible emotion, a dial of both light and mystery.
This visual poetry is matched by the watch's mechanical precision. The Fragments collection is powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement. This Swiss-made caliber is a symbol of excellence and reliability, and its inclusion moves the watch from a simple art object to a capable timekeeping instrument. It provides a substantial 68-hour power reserve, meaning the watch can be set down for nearly three days and still be running.
The movement is visible through a sapphire crystal case back, allowing the owner to appreciate its meticulous finishes. It features a custom oscillating weight, machined from a single block of tungsten for winding efficiency. This rotor is engraved with the brand's emblem and the text "La Joux-Perret for AWAKE." It also plays with light, featuring an alternation of sandblasted, polished, and micro-beaded surfaces that echo the craftsmanship of the dial.
Courtesy of AWAKE
The case housing this art and engineering is crafted from recycled 316L stainless steel. It measures 39mm in diameter, a versatile, modern size that should suit a wide varietyof wrists. The "lug-to-lug" dimension is a very wearable 45.6mm, ensuring the case sits comfortably. The lug width is a standard 20mm, allowing for easy strap changes.
The total thickness is 11.80mm including the anti-reflective sapphire crystal, which is a reasonably slim profile for an automatic watch with such a complex, multi-layered dial. The case is water-resistant to 5 ATM, or 50 meters, which is more than sufficient for daily wear and protection against splashes or rain, befitting its status as a wearable piece of art rather than a tool watch.
Legibility is handled by hands and applied hour markers crafted from faceted, polished steel. To complement the dial, AWAKE has used a unique luminous signature inspired by the Japanese poetic concept of "chiaroscuro," the interplay of light and shadow. The hands and markers feature a Super-LumiNova BGW9 base but are discreet in daylight. At night, they glow softly, revealing the hypnotic depth of the lacquer and MOP fragments.
To complete the sensory experience, AWAKE has partnered with the iconic French leather goods maker, Maison Jean Rousseau. Each watch comes fitted with a handcrafted matte black calfskin leather strap. This strap is then lined with Alcantara in a color that matches its corresponding dial: forest green, midnight blue, or purple.
The strap itself is a premium component, featuring a supple, velvety feel and tone-on-tone topstitching. It is equipped with "presto" pumps, or quick-release spring bars, allowing for tool-free strap changes. It fastens with a pin buckle made from recycled steel, reinforcing the brand's attention to detail and material choices.
Courtesy of AWAKE
With the Son Mài Fragments collection, AWAKE continues its exploration of the link between culture, art, and watchmaking. Each piece is a synthesis of different traditions: the Japanese art of Raden, the Vietnamese craft of Son Mài, the French luxury of Jean Rousseau, and the mechanical excellence of Swiss La Joux-Perret.
These watches are presented as a distillation of craft, transmission, and beauty. Each of the three versions—Fragments - Green, Fragments - Blue, and Fragments - Pink—is a limited edition of 100 pieces. The price is set at $2,700 USD, or €2,250 excluding tax, which, given the 15 hours of manual artisanry in each dial and the high-specification Swiss movement, positions it as a compelling offering in the world of independent, art-driven watchmaking.
Case: Recycled 316L stainless steel, 39mm diameter, 45.6mm lug-to-lug, 11.80mm thickness (including glass), 10.90mm thickness (excluding glass), 20mm lug width. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal, screw-down sapphire crystal case back. 5 ATM (50m) water resistance.
Movement: Automatic La Joux-Perret G101, 68-hour power reserve. Personalized tungsten rotor with brushed, micro-beaded, and polished finishes.
Dial: Handcrafted Métiers d'Art dial using Vietnamese Son Mài lacquer and a mosaic of mother-of-pearl fragments. Available in Green, Blue, or Pink. Indexes and hands with Super-LumiNova BGW9.
Strap: Jean Rousseau matte black calfskin leather strap lined with colored Alcantara. Equipped with ‘presto’ quick-release pumps. Recycled steel pin buckle. 20-16mm taper.
Price: $2,700 / €2,250 (excluding tax)
Notes: Each dial requires nearly 15 hours of manual artisan work. The collection is a reinterpretation of the Japanese Raden technique. Each of the three versions (Green, Blue, Pink) is a limited edition of 100 pieces.