AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour: Limited Edition Watch Inspired by Canadian Autumn

by Brent Robillard

Autumn on the Wrist

When AWAKE’s Director of Sales and Business Development, Thibaut Sacre, arrives at the Toronto Timepiece Show this year, he won’t come empty-handed. Instead, he will bring something created especially for the occasion—a limited edition of just 100 pieces, with a dial inspired by Canada’s fiery autumn colours. “My idea was to come to the show with a special watch and dial,” Sacre explains, “imagined specifically for this occasion and furthermore with a special meaning—a colour linked to your country. Personally, I love this dial.”

AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour @calibre321

The Art of Sơn Mài and Silver Leaf Gilding

The dial of the Golden Hour is born from Sơn Mài, a centuries-old Vietnamese art of lacquerwork. Multiple coats of natural lacquer are applied, each one sanded and polished before the next is added. The addition of silver leaf—a process requiring whisper-thin sheets to be placed by hand—introduces a reflective underlayer that shifts with light and movement. Once sealed, it creates a dial that feels alive, a fusion of heritage craft and modern watchmaking.

Check out the Kuoe Old Smith 90-007

Key Features of the AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour

First Impressions

The Sơn Mài – Silver Leaf – Golden Hour delivers exactly what its name promises: a glowing, molten dial that feels caught between day and night. At its heart is an ochre yellow that darkens outward into sunburst orange and tobacco tones. Layers of hand-applied lacquer and delicate silver leaf gilding give it an almost three-dimensional depth—alive in the light like a solar flare, and smouldering in low light with the help of Super-LumiNova® BGW9.

The effect is heightened by a complex and exclusive structure of indexes and hands, also wrapped in Super-LumiNova, which creates a subtle play of chiaroscuro under the sapphire crystal. This transforms the space between glass and dial into a luminous chamber of reflections—one of the watch’s most distinctive visual signatures.

Craft and Components

The 39mm case is crafted from recycled 316L steel (marked discreetly inside the lugs with an anvil engraving) and measures 11.8mm thick, with a water resistance rating of 5ATM. Sapphire crystals front and back ensure both clarity and durability.

Inside ticks the La Joux-Perret G101, a Swiss-made automatic movement with a generous 68-hour power reserve. Its custom tungsten rotor—crafted exclusively for AWAKE—features contrasting raised and recessed surfaces, refined finishing, and is surrounded by a sandblasted and laser engraved ring. Final assembly and quality control take place in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the historic cradle of Swiss watchmaking.

Completing the package is a 20mm leather strap from Delugs, with a supple rubber lining, quick-release “Presto” spring bars, and a newly developed 16mm recycled steel buckle. The prototype visible here features grey Nubuck; however, the brand is still considering colour options, and the final product may vary.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 45.6mm Lug to Lug 11.8mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Push/Pull Crown 50m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Domed Sapphire Crystal Sunray Burst Sơn Mài Lacquer and Silver Leaf Gilding Applied and Faceted Indices Custom Dauphine Hands Super-LumiNova® BGW9
Movement	La Joux-Perret G101 24 Jewels 28 800bph 68-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Delugs Leather Strap with Custom Clasp (Final Colour TBD)

AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour

AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour @calibre321

Final Thoughts

The Sơn Mài – Silver Leaf – Golden Hour is more than a limited-edition commemorative piece—it’s a work of wearable art. It combines rare artisanal craft, a refined Swiss movement, and a design philosophy that values beauty and meaning over mass production. For those lucky enough to be in Toronto this September, there will be ten of this limited edition available for purchase.

Pricing & Availability

At €2,000 (approx. $3,200 CAD), it’s not just a souvenir of the Toronto Timepiece Show—it’s a reminder of the fleeting nature of moments worth keeping, captured forever on the wrist. While you may visit the brand website to learn more, the Silver Leaf Golden Hour will not be available for purchase until the opening of the show on September 19th. Should you wish to contact the brand and reserve yours, you may do so here.

About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.

Please understand that using any links to products on this site might result in us making money.