The evolution of Awake has been fascinating to observe over the last few years. From high concept blockchain and space inspired sports watches, the brand took a left turn into traditional craft techniques, and is now working to refine those ideas further in their latest collection. The new Son Mài Guilloché Main Collection combines the Son Mai lacquer techniques the brand has employed in previous collections with evocative, hand-applied guilloche work. These new watches also have updates to the case and dial that we imagine will carry through to further Awake releases in the pipeline.
I had a chance to see these watches in person at Chronopolis in Geneva earlier this year, and then again at the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, and each time I came away very impressed with the dial work, which is clearly the chief selling point here. To summarize, these dials use the same “Son Mai” lacquer technique, perfected by artisans in Vietnam, that we saw the brand debut in 2024. The resulting bold, vibrant colors really carry these watches and give a very old practice a lot of modern charm. For the new collection, Awake has added guilloche to the mix. Before the lacquer finish is applied, each dial has a meticulously applied guilloche pattern engraved into the dial by traditional rose and straight line engines by craftspeople in Italy. When the lacquer finish is added later, it accentuates the guilloche in a dramatic way, highlighting the depth of the engraving and the richness of the color.
What’s really special about these watches though is that the guilloche patterns are not the traditional classic executions we’re all used to. Awake and their partners have gone with a far more abstract approach, which makes the Son Mài Guilloché Main Collection pieces feel contemporary in a manner that is uncommon for this type of craft, which is so often associated with a more classical style. The colors, as mentioned, do some of the heavy lifting in this department as well. Awake has introduced three options at launch: Sunset (purple and blue tones), Alba (yellow and orange), and Borealis (green and yellow).
All of the watches come in a new 38mm case, which wears very well and represents a small downsizing from the previous 39mm case. The case architecture is similar and somewhat nondescript, at least compared to the showstopping dials. Still, I think this style of watch works better in a smaller package, so the update is a welcome one.
Awake is also using the Son Mài Guilloché Main Collection to introduce a new logo in a cursive script, which I think represents a more significant update than a case that is 1mm smaller. The previous wordmark used in the Son Mai watches was a little too close to the basic typeface used in the earliest pieces, which seem pretty far removed from where the brand sits today. The new logo feels more whimsical somehow, and subtly reflects the focus on handcraft that runs through the brand’s recent work.
Powering these watches we have the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic caliber, which has 68 hours of power of reserve on a full wind, and a custom tungsten oscillating weight. The watches are paired with Jean Rousseau alcantara straps in colors that match the dial.
The Son Mài Guilloché Main Collection watches retail for $3,075 and are available to order now via the Awake watches website. Each dial variant is a limited edition of 200 pieces. Awake
