The watch brand AWAKE
Son Mai
THE ART OF LAQUERWORK
From tree to timepiece: a ritual of patience
Vietnamese Son Mai lacquer is a complex and demanding technique perfected over centuries. The lacquer is painstakingly extracted from a specific Vietnamese lacquer tree. Only 200 ml of base material is extracted from each tree. The lacquer is polished layer by layer to achieve unparalleled depth and a mirror-like shine. This process is very slow and demanding, requiring tireless attention, great skill, and absolute precision from the artisans.
For the Jurassic T-Rex and Raptor collection, AWAKE's master painter drew inspiration from the cinematic irises of these prehistoric animals, creating unique colors used exclusively for this special edition.
The techniques introduced in the "Sơn Mài" collection give the dials extraordinary depth and reflection thanks to multiple layers of lacquer, natural pigments, and the shimmering effect of silver leaf. A meticulous, artisanal process that captures the gaze of these creatures.
Each Son Mai dial is unique, inviting the eye to linger and lose itself in the light reflections, colors, and textures.
It all begins in the northern forests of Vietnam with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua tree.
This natural lacquer, prized for its exceptional luster, is harvested with care – but only in very small quantities: just 200 ml can be collected from a tree over 10 years old.
The lacquer is collected early in the morning during the humid months of June and July. After extraction, it is refined, filtered, and dried to obtain the precious transparent base for the lacquer.
Natural pigments selected for their depth and vibrancy are blended into this base to create the rich shades that define the Sơn Mài collection.
Caption
Each dial begins with a base coat of pure silver leaf, applied by hand – a luminous canvas for what is to come.
Dozens of layers of lacquer are then applied with elegance and precision.
After each application, the varnish must dry under very specific humidity conditions (80% humidity is ideal) so that it can harden and develop its characteristic durability and luminosity.
Each layer is then carefully sanded and polished to a high shine before the next layer is applied – a meditative process that can take several weeks.
As the layers build up, the lacquer reveals its essence: vibrant, expressive, and constantly evolving. The dial gains depth, luster, and character, literally becoming a landscape of time.
