AWAKE introduces, for the very first time, pure gold into the crafting of its Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer dials, and enriches its Frosted collection with a new limited iteration of 200 pieces : Royal Blue.
A fusion of material and light, the Royal Blue dials are entirely hand-crafted in the manner of a “mille-feuille”, composed of successive layers of lacquer, pure gold leaf and natural blue pigments in varying shades. A chromatic combination at once subtle and noble, steeped in history and meaning, this edition carries a poetic and philosophical resonance that transcends the boundaries of mere aesthetic refinement.
A silent dialogue between what passes and what remains, it unites two absolutes that seem to stand in opposition. On one side, time – elusive, inexorable. On the other, gold – imperishable, immutable.
One flows, and never stops. The other is eternal.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Pure gold – a first: AWAKE unveils a limited edition with unique dials marrying, for the first time in watchmaking, ancestral Vietnamese Sơn Mài lacquer and pure gold leaf gilding. A chromatic combination at once noble and powerful, steeped in history and meaning.
200 pieces: inspired by the silent dialogue between gold and time – between what passes and what endures.
15 hours per dial: A complex process, entirely executed by hand, where every gesture matters with one sole purpose : the pursuit of perfection.
New 38mm case: perfectly balanced, with refined proportions and an assured elegance.
New handwritten logo: with fluid, organic lines – a tribute to the gesture of the artisans.
Swiss La Joux-Perret movements: offering 68 hours of power reserve, fitted with our new rotor.
Jean Rousseau straps: in Alcantara, equipped with our new micro-adjustable pin buckle.
PRESERVATION, MODERNIZATION AND TRANSMISSION
AWAKE’s vision and interpretation of Métiers d’Art extends far beyond the watch itself, becoming an opportunity to cast light on craftsmanship – here, Vietnamese – while transcending borders and celebrating identities and cultures within the intimate space of a dial, all while championing a love of beauty, of handwork, of slowness, and of timelessness. Each of the Maison’s projects is driven by a commitment to preserve and celebrate artisanal savoir-faire by anchoring it firmly within our contemporary lives.
INSPIRATION : “WHERE TIME FLOWS, GOLD ENDURES”
There exist materials that do not merely adorn – they signify, they symbolize. Pure gold, which we introduce for the first time into our dials, was not chosen solely for its brilliance, but for what it embodies: permanence in the face of the ephemeral, the essential over the accessory. In this sense, incorporating pure gold into our watch dials reflects a desire to weave a silent dialogue between what passes and what remains… At once material and light, the gold present in the Royal Blue dials is, in its own way, an expression of our refusal of the ephemeral : gold as a silent victory over time…
“Choosing to incorporate pure gold into our watch dials is a decision that transcends aesthetics. It is a way of affirming, without words, that one believes in what endures and never fades.»
Lilian THIBAULT – Founder of AWAKE
BLUE AND GOLD : A FASCINATING DUO, STEEPED IN MEANING AND HISTORY
Gold is perhaps the most universal and powerful symbol that exists. Across virtually every culture, gold carries a divine and spiritual dimension, embodying that which is rare, precious and worthy of preservation. In the collective imagination, it represents above all perfection and the absolute. And while it naturally evokes power and wealth, we prefer the idea of an immaterial richness that transcends mere money : a lasting, imperishable wealth – to be preserved and passed on. In a word : gold is that which is never lost… Blue, for its part, is omnipresent in our daily lives. Evoking by turns the sky, the sea, the infinite, it is most often associated with wisdom, serenity and spirituality. A symbol of vastness and depth, its influence extends far beyond the purely visual, shaping our emotions and our perception of the world…
Brought together at the heart of the Royal Blue dials, blue and gold form a chromatic combination that is universally noble and powerful, built on strong contrasts : as a backdrop, the varying shades of blue – from deep sapphire to soft sky blue – create a sense of depth and recession, while the gold, warm and luminous, comes forward and draws the eye. Each magnifies the other, creating a timeless contrast of rare beauty, synonymous with elegance and refinement.
“SEEKING THE GOLD OF TIME”
For the very first time, AWAKE introduces pure gold into the crafting of its Sơn Mài lacquer dials, in a poetic and philosophical approach that transcends the boundaries of mere aesthetic refinement – uniting two absolutes that seem to stand in opposition. On one side, time : elusive, fleeting, inexorable. On the other, gold : immutable, eternal. One flows, and never stops. The other is imperishable. At the heart of the Royal Blue dials, gold becomes a witness to that which must not be forgotten.
Where silver leaf once reflected the light, gold holds it, warms it, and lends it a new depth. Imperishable by nature, pure gold does not age. Elevated by the brilliance of the lacquer, enriched with layers of natural blue pigments, gold here does not merely adorn : it signifies. A deliberate choice, symbolizing our commitment to push, with each new collection, the boundaries of our savoir-faire. To bring pure gold into our dials is to inscribe each timepiece within a millennia-old tradition of perfection, while affirming, with quiet conviction, that there exist materials which do not justify themselves – they simply impose themselves… Royal Blue is conceived as an invitation to open one’s eyes wide, to look beyond what is obvious or visible, and to seek out what lies hidden or forgotten…
“For AWAKE, ‘seeking the gold of time’ is a perpetual quest for the beauty, the magic and the enchantment that surround us everywhere. »
Thibaut SACRE – COO of AWAKE
THE ROYAL BLUE DIALS
Royal Blue offers a sensory and deeply intimate experience: the warmth of gold and its quiet brilliance at the wrist create a sense of reassurance and protection. Yet far beyond mere adornment, wearing Royal Blue becomes an act laden with meaning – conscious or not – that speaks of the one who wears it, of what they value, and of what they wish to pass on. An ordinary watch measures time, while Royal Blue transcends it, reminding us at every moment of that duality between the eternal and the ephemeral. In this sense, Royal Blue was conceived as a silent dialogue between what passes and what remains…
Months of work, boundless creativity, a constant drive to push the boundaries of their art, and an exceptionally high level of dexterity were required of our master lacquer artisans to obtain, from natural pigments alone, the ideal palette of blues – and to envision how to marry them with Sơn Mài lacquer and pure gold leaf through a complex and demanding technique known as “glacis” (Frosted), enabling the creation of organic, deep and mysterious dials with an icy, frosted luminescence.
15 HOURS OF FOCUS PER DIAL
An exceptional savoir-faire, the technique employed in crafting the Royal Blue dials demands remarkable concentration and skill from our master lacquer artisans. A lengthy, complex process – entirely executed by hand – where every gesture matters, driven by one sole purpose: the pursuit of perfection.
• A rare and delicate raw material: It all begins with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree, which grows in northern Vietnam. After a decade of growth, each tree yields only 200ml of sap per year, harvested exclusively in the early morning hours of June and July. Purified and dehydrated, this sap becomes a transparent lacquer, renowned for its brilliance and protective qualities.
• A unique ancestral Vietnamese art: Inherited from a centuries-old tradition and requiring many years of practice to master, the Sơn Mài technique consists of applying, layering and polishing multiple coats of natural lacquer until an unmatched mirror-like depth of finish is achieved. Unlike Chinese and Japanese schools, Vietnamese artisans incorporate precious materials into the lacquer – here, pure gold – to create unique textures, relief effects and interplays of light.
• The quiet, warm brilliance of gold leaf: : The artisans first apply a base layer of lacquer and deep blue pigments to the dial, then varnish it. A first layer of pure gold leaf is then laid down, applied by brush and delicately sanded to remove any excess material, lending the dial an organic texture with warm metallic reflections that capture light with remarkable intensity.
• Symbolic colors and exceptional depth: This is where our technique known as “Frosted” (“Glacis”) comes into play, considerably increasing the complexity of our dials. Rather than beginning the layering process as on a “classic” dial, our master artisans repeat the previous process, once again suspending delicate gold leaf within the lacquer – this time enriched with lighter blue pigments. Between each layer, the material rests, breathes and matures – a reflection of a technique that demands patience and repetition, and follows the slow rhythm of time itself…
• Passion down to the very fingertips: This « mille-feuille” of material then passes into the hands of the workshop’s most experienced artisan, for a long finger-sanding process that gradually reveals hypnotic reliefs and patterns, rendering each dial utterly unique. Several further coats of lacquer – each sanded and polished in turn – are applied to bestow upon the dial an impeccable brilliance and seal it for eternity. A demanding and methodical process of some fifteen hours, throughout which the slightest lapse in attention would condemn the dial entirely.
• A unique work of art: The entire process – mobilizing patience, dexterity and extreme concentration – transforms each Royal Blue dial into a unique, living piece upon which light and time seem to pause, the better to enter into dialogue. Born of an entirely artisanal process, each dial carries within it the breath of an artisan, the ancient gestures of an expert hand connecting centuries of savoir-faire to the modern world.
NEW 38MM CASE
Royal Blue is fitted with our new 38mm case, with refined proportions and an assured elegance. Perfectly balanced, it captivates with its polished bezel featuring concave lines that allow the dial to take centre stage, its gently domed sapphire crystal, and its slightly downward-sloping lugs, extended by a subtle stepped profile evoking the aesthetics of the 1960s while retaining a resolutely contemporary feel. The interplay of contrasts between polished surfaces and brushed flanks underscores this refined modernity, while the crown – slightly resized and now screw-down for water resistance to 100 meters – is adorned with a new emblem symbolizing our commitment to Artisanship. On the case back, a redesigned rehaut, more legible and authentic, engraves this vision into the very heart of the material.
NEW BRAND IDENTITY
The Royal Blue dials also bear our new visual identity : a handwritten logo with fluid, organic lines – a tribute to the gesture of the artisans. More than a mere aesthetic evolution, it reflects a deeper intention : to place tradition, savoir-faire and Métiers d’Art at the heart of a contemporary expression. Accompanied by an emblem evocative of transmission and dialogue between cultures, this ensemble embodies a sensitive and committed vision, where every detail celebrates the richness of artisanal heritage and our determination to preserve it.
ELEVATING MATERIAL AND ILLUMINATING SAVOIR-FAIRE
Royal Blue incorporates our exclusive luminous signature, designed to unite innovation, elegance and emotion, while enhancing the depth and interplay of materials across the dials – by day and by night. Hands and indices adopt an innovative construction combining Super-LumiNova® BGW9 with steel caps in polished, brushed and chiseled finishes, ensuring a subtle diffusion of light and clear legibility without altering the dial. During the day, discretion prevails, while in darkness, the luminescence reveals its full intensity. A soft halo then emanates, enhancing the brilliance of the lacquer and the intense contrast between the blue pigments and the pure gold. The result : an immersive visual poetry, between shadow and light, where technique and emotion converge.
LA JOUX-PERRET G101 MOVEMENT
Royal Blue is powered by the G101 automatic movement – reliable, high-performing and beautifully finished – from Swiss manufacture La Joux-Perret. A modern, precise caliber boasting a 68-hour power reserve, it is fitted with our new custom-developed rotor, machined from a solid block of tungsten. Combining raised and recessed surfaces, it benefits from an exceptional level of finishing – polished, brushed and micro-blasted – ending the ensemble a presence that is at once technical and elegant. The whole is framed by a redesigned rehaut, more legible and more authentic, engraved with our mission : “Illuminating the hands and heritage behind rare crafts”, as well as our brand signature : “Artisanship, Awakened ».
JEAN ROUSSEAU STRAPS
To complement the Royal Blue dials, we have selected a blue Alcantara strap, handcrafted by the artisans of the Jean Rousseau manufacture. Considered in every detail, it combines refined finishing, tone-on-tone stitching and a rubberized calfskin lining, while incorporating lugs perfectly suited to the 38mm case for a flawless fit. The Royal Blue strap is fitted with our new Fitwell M1 micro-adjustable pin buckle, offering precise adjustment in 3mm increments for optimal comfort throughout the day. A technical and refined ensemble, conceived for the most discerning enthusiasts, where every detail enhances the daily wearing experience. Dimensions : 115×75 – 20/16.
AN UNMATCHED VALUE PROPOSITION
Unique dials incorporating pure gold for the very first time, entirely handcrafted according to two ancestral Métiers d’Art, an exclusive and unprecedented luminous signature, a renowned Swiss movement, and handcrafted straps made in France – all at a price of €3,000, taxes and shipping included. True to our vision, we work tirelessly to offer, within our price range, a singular proposition uniting aesthetic excellence, horological quality, artisanal savoir-faire and pure emotion.
