or Lilian Thibault, founder of Awake, the brand was born from a desire to align his professional life with his passion for watchmaking and traditional craftsmanship. When it launched on Kickstarter in 2019, Awake sought to draw attention to the climate crisis. As the brand matured, however, this message evolved beyond environmental advocacy towards a broader ambition: encouraging people to recognise the fragility of the beauty that surrounds them and, in doing so, understand the importance of preserving it.

A shift in perspective

The brand first gained traction with limited editions inspired by the oceans (Origins) and outer space (Mission to Earth). Yet something was still missing: the artisanal dimension that lay at the heart of its founders’ vision. That changed in 2024, when Thibault and his business partner, Thibaut Sacre, unveiled Son Mài, the brand’s first permanent collection.

Introducing the ancestral Vietnamese art of lacquer work, Son Mài marked a turning point. The objective remained one of raising awareness, but through a different lens: celebrating the world’s beauty through traditional craftsmanship and the cultural heritage embodied in centuries-old skills.

Sustainability remains an integral part of the equation. The lacquer used is entirely natural, harvested from a specific Vietnamese lacquer tree that yields only around 200 ml per year once mature. The pigments are likewise natural, while the cases are crafted from recycled 316L steel.

Yet the project’s relevance extends beyond environmental considerations. As Lilian Thibault explains: “Today, we seek to highlight what human beings can achieve when they devote their passion, creativity and respect for craftsmanship to preserving ancestral techniques. To me, these skills are living traces of our civilisation. They give soul to objects in a world increasingly defined by industrialisation, standardisation and uniformity.”

Making craftsmanship more accessible

This year marks another important step with the launch of a new collection housed in a redesigned 38 mm case, slimmer and more refined than before. The watches combine two artistic crafts - hand guilloché and Son Mài lacquer - bringing together centuries of expertise in three limited editions of 200 pieces each.

The result is a series of unique dials of remarkable technical and aesthetic richness, inspired by the colours and reflections of celestial phenomena. Through these creations, Awake seeks not only to showcase artistic craftsmanship but also to make it more accessible. As Thibault puts it, the ambition is “to make Awake the signature of Métiers d’Art and inspire as many people as possible”.

A new identity

The brand’s evolution is also reflected in its new visual identity. With its calligraphic lines, the logo now evokes the hand of the artisan and the precision of the craft gesture. For Lilian Thibault, the symbolism is clear: “Just as our new case embodies the culmination of our watchmaking maturity, the new logo expresses, for the first time with complete clarity, the brand’s vision and singularity.”

This distinctive approach translates into a compelling value proposition. Priced at €2,650 excluding taxes, the watches combine a Swiss Made movement by La Joux-Perret with the emotional resonance that only genuine artistic craftsmanship can provide. For collectors seeking timepieces that unite beauty, meaning and cultural depth, Awake is a name increasingly worthy of attention.