Harnessing Nature: The Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Blood Moon, Storm, And Lagoon
Since 2024, Awake has built a strong following with its Sơn Mài dials. These time-intensive creations layer Vietnamese lacquer over silver leaf and natural pigments. Last year, the Frosted Leaf technique debuted and won two awards, including first prize in the Jewellery and Artistic Crafts category at the Timepiece World Awards 2025. The brand now returns with three new versions — Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon. Each captures a fleeting natural spectacle and freezes it in lacquer.
For me, the Awake Sơn Mài will always bring London to mind. It’s hard to believe that it was only back in 2024, in a dimly lit hotel cellar restaurant, that the brand debuted its new collection. The day would prove pivotal, as Awake has now become well known for these brightly colored, unique-looking watches. I always say that it was a major maturation point. As a result, the company now maintains a strong following and produces pieces that quickly find homes with collectors. Today’s three new Frosted Leaf beauties will not be an exception to this trend.
The new Frosted Leaf trio uses the latest 38mm case
The new Awake Frosted Leaf models use the redesigned 38 × 44.75mm stainless steel case first introduced in May. Due to the size and more intricate detailing, the result is more elegant than the previous, larger generation. The watch has an 11.5mm profile, including the slightly convex sapphire crystal. The water resistance rating is a robust 100 meters thanks to a screw-down crown. Returning to the case design, the polished concave bezel and satin-finished flanks create a clean look. Gently rounded lugs add comfort and conform to the wrist.
The Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon
As always, the Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf dial is a masterpiece. Each requires roughly 15 hours of pure handwork. Master lacquerers start with the rare sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree. They harvest it only at daybreak in northern Vietnam and collect only 200 ml from each tree annually. After the material is dehydrated, it can be used as an artistic medium. Between successive layers of lacquer, artisans insert pure silver leaves and natural pigments. They then sand and polish it by hand until the surface gains depth. In short, every dial becomes a unique expression of light and color. Three new pieces comprise this release.
First, the Blood Moon draws its palette from a total lunar eclipse. Deep black and intense red pigments create strong contrast. The silver leaf catches light in metallic flashes. As a result, the dial suggests the Moon’s unexpected glow against the night sky.
Next, the Storm stands as the most dramatic of the trio. Black and vivid orange layers evoke a sudden flash of lightning. The dial seems luminous even in the light! Therefore, it matches the energy of a storm that lasts only a split second.
Finally, the Lagoon offers a strong, mysterious appearance, with translucent greens, turquoises, and cobalt blues layered over silver leaf. These produce shifting optical effects like clear tropical waters. Light penetrates the successive coats, revealing hidden depths. Consequently, the dial changes with every angle.
All three versions feature Awake’s revised, hand-applied luminous signature. Super-LumiNova BGW9 sits under polished, brushed, and faceted steel indexes and hands. By day, the lume stays discreet. At night, this soft halo enhances the design’s brilliance.
Movement and strap
The automatic La Joux-Perret G101 continues to power the latest Frosted Leaf collection. It offers a 68-hour power reserve and beats at 28,800 vph. A custom tungsten rotor sits beneath the case back’s sapphire display and matches the bespoke rehaut. Polished, brushed, and bead-blasted finishes decorate the rotor. Regarding wearability, the straps are handmade in France by Maison Bouveret using orange, red, or blue-green nubuck calfskin to match each dial. Tone-on-tone topstitching and a rubberized lining improve durability. Moreover, Awake’s new micro-adjustable buckle has 3mm increments for all-day comfort.
Availability and pricing of the latest Frosted Leaf collection
Overall, these are welcome additions to the Awake lineup. What’s lovely about the Sơn Mài process is that it allows for endless new variants, colors, and underlying textures. This means that every successive release is fresh and exciting. The good news is that the Blood Moon, Storm, and Lagoon will become part of the brand’s regular catalog. However, due to production capacity, each new Frosted Leaf model will be limited to 100 pieces per year. At €2,820, including taxes and worldwide shipping, the pricing is approachable. Deliveries will begin in the last week of September 2026, and buyers can order via the official Awake website.
