Awake has introduced the Sơn Mài Guilloché Main, a new three-part collection that brings together hand-engraved Italian guilloché and Vietnamese lacquer work in one of the brand’s most ambitious dial projects to date.
Each colour is limited to 200 pieces, with the collection priced at €2,650 excluding taxes.
Three lacquer dials shaped by the sun
The central idea is simple but unusually involved for the price point.
Awake begins with dial blanks engraved by hand at the Renzetti workshop in Italy, using traditional straight-line and rose-engine techniques before the dials travel to Hanoi for Sơn Mài lacquer finishing.
The result is not just colour applied over texture, but a layered surface where the lacquer deepens the guilloché and gives the dial a polished, almost metallic glow.
Awake has tied the three variants to different solar moods.
Alba is the orange model, with a spiralling guilloché motif that gives the dial a sense of heat and movement.
Sunset is the purple version, using a drapé-moiré pattern that looks more fluid and textile-like than the usual radial guilloché treatments seen on contemporary watches.
Borealis is the green model, with a wavy engraved pattern that suits its aurora-inspired theme particularly well.
A smaller Sơn Mài case with sharper proportions
The new collection also brings a revised case profile to the Sơn Mài line.
The stainless steel case now measures 38mm across and 11.5mm thick, trimming the previous proportions slightly while keeping the watch in versatile daily-wear territory.
A polished concave bezel frames the dial, while the downward-curving lugs help the case sit close to the wrist.
Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, which gives the watch more practicality than its decorative dial might first suggest.
The refreshed logo also helps the design feel cleaner, letting the dial remain the focus rather than competing with heavy branding.
La Joux-Perret power inside
Awake has chosen the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement for the Sơn Mài Guilloché Main.
It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, uses 24 jewels, and offers a 68-hour power reserve, putting it comfortably ahead of many common third-party automatic calibres in this segment.
The movement is fitted with a custom tungsten rotor marked for Awake, adding a small but welcome touch of specificity behind the caseback.
Time-only functionality keeps the emphasis on the dial, with central hours, minutes, and seconds.
Limited numbers and a considered finishing package
Each watch is delivered on an Alcantara strap by Jean Rousseau, matched to the dial in green, violet, or orange.
The strap is fitted with a micro-adjustable pin buckle, a detail that should make a noticeable difference for comfort across the day.
At €2,650 before taxes, this is the most expensive Sơn Mài model Awake has produced, but the combination of hand guilloché, lacquer craft, a 100-metre case, and a La Joux-Perret automatic movement gives the price a clear logic.
The Sơn Mài Guilloché Main will likely appeal to collectors who want visible craft without moving into traditional high-complication pricing.
More importantly, it shows Awake continuing to build a distinct identity around colour, texture, and cross-cultural craft rather than simply following familiar vintage design codes.
