Fusing age-old tradition with artistic subversion, Awake’s latest creation — the Sơn Mài “Year of the Sssnake” — marks a daring new chapter in independent watchmaking. Limited to just 50 pieces, this two-continent collaboration with Scottish artist Chris Alexander, aka The Dial Artist, doesn’t just tell time — it coils itself around identity, transformation, and the hypnotic power of color and craft.
A Watch Born Between Hanoi and Perth
Awake, a young French watchmaker known for its eco-conscious ethos and cultural storytelling, introduced the Sơn Mài line in 2024 as a tribute to Vietnamese lacquer art. For this special edition, the brand joins forces with The Dial Artist — a figure who’s become a reference point for collectors seeking custom, soul-infused watch dials. The result? A cross-cultural piece that blends the meditative slowness of lacquer craftsmanship with a punk aesthetic rooted in texture, reflection, and meaning.
This isn’t a one-off gimmick. It’s a spiritual successor to past Zodiac-themed collaborations, but filtered through the Snake — a symbol of wisdom, reinvention and mystery. The idea: to give the serpentine symbol new life, not just through symbolism, but through surface, material, and movement.
15 Hours, Two Continents, One Dial
The journey begins in Vietnam, where artisans collect the precious sap of the Rhus Verniciflua tree, yielding one of the world’s most lustrous natural lacquers. Layer by layer, they build a deep black lacquer base, enriched with organic pigments. Every coat is sanded, polished, and perfected by hand to form a dial that reflects centuries of heritage.
Then, the dial travels to Scotland, to Chris Alexander’s studio in Perth. Known for his advanced UV layering techniques, he hand-applies matte, iridescent paints that shift from yellow to green, blue, and violet, depending on the light. A 3D snakeskin pellicle, developed in-house, gives each dial striking depth and tactile illusion. Gloss-black detailing comes last, enhancing contrasts and completing this living, hypnotic composition.
From Caseback to Strap: Every Detail Counts
The 39mm case is crafted from recycled 316L stainless steel, in line with Awake’s sustainability-first mission. Inside beats the La Joux-Perret G101 — a robust Swiss automatic movement offering 68 hours of power reserve and equipped with an exclusive tungsten rotor, combining brushed hollows and polished reliefs.
Flip the watch over and you’ll discover a custom bead-blasted inner ring through the caseback, engraved with the artist’s name, the “Year of the Sssnake Edition” mention, and the unique serial number. It’s playful, detailed, and very Awake.
Completing the package is a metallic purple LUNA® trout leather strap, made by French marine leather specialist ICTYOS. Its fine grain and light-reactive sheen mimic real snakeskin, extending the dial’s reptilian energy to the wrist. Paired with burgundy calfskin lining and a recycled steel pin buckle, it’s a strap that’s both visually stunning and technically solid.
A Watch for the Curious, the Intuitive, the Brave
This is not a watch for purists. It’s for those drawn to symbolism, art, and emotion. With no indices, no logo, and a dial that invites contemplation, the Sơn Mài “Year of the Sssnake” is for wearers who value meaning over function, and who see watches as expressions of self.
Priced at €2,100 € (approx. $2,470 USD), it’s available now for preorder on Awake’s website, with delivery expected later this year in two batches : mid-July and September. Each of the 50 pieces is completely handmade, meaning no two watches are exactly alike. It may be the Year of the Snake — but this one’s made for those who embrace change, mystery, and art that slithers outside the lines !
