AWAKE’s Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf “Royal Red” Watch Marries Crimson Hues With Gold Symbolism

Summary

• AWAKE debuted the “Royal Red” 100-piece limited edition watch featuring a handcrafted dial using Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquerware and copper-tinted silver leaf
• The 39mm recycled steel watch includes an exclusive “coiffe” luminous signature and is powered by a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement

AWAKE continues its mission to modernize ancestral craftsmanship with the debut of the Son Mài – Frosted Leaf “Royal Red”, a limited edition of 100 pieces. Inspired by ancient Asian ritual objects, the watch serves as a “vessel of cultures,” utilizing the Vietnamese art of Sơn Mài lacquerware to create a dial of extraordinary depth. Each dial is a unique miniature work of art handcrafted in the brand’s Hanoi workshop, requiring nearly fifteen hours of meticulous work and a “mille-feuille” layering of lacquer and natural pigments.

This “Royal Red” edition marks a technical evolution of AWAKE’s Frosted Leaf technique by using pure silver leaf tinted with copper pigments as the final surface layer. This reversal of the traditional process allows light to interact directly with the material, revealing organic textures and a vibrant harmony between the symbolic energy of red and the wisdom of gold. The dial is further enhanced by AWAKE’s exclusive “coiffe” luminous signature, a subtle backlit effect using Super-LumiNova BGW9 that reveals the lacquer’s complexity in the dark without dominating the material.

Housed in a 39mm case of 316L recycled stainless steel, the timepiece is powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, which offers a robust 68-hour power reserve. The movement is visible through a sapphire caseback and features a custom tungsten rotor with alternating polished and brushed finishes. Paired with a red suede calfskin strap handcrafted in France, the “Royal Red” edition is available through AWAKE with a price of €2,200 EUR (approx. $2,576 USD).