By Brent Robillard A touch of gold It is difficult to rank new releases from AWAKE, because each one seems to outdo the last. Case in point: the Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Royal Blue. I first saw the new Frosted iteration during Watches and Wonders week in Geneva, when AWAKE was displaying prototypes of several new collections, including the recently released Sơn Mài Guilloché Main. … Continue reading The AWAKE Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Royal Blue
by Brent Robillard Alone is its class I find some watches difficult to review. And sometimes that difficulty has nothing to do with the watch itself. The Ajax from 5280 Watch Company is one of them. Part of the problem is familiarity. My wife and I first met Rich and Amy, the husband-and-wife team behind 5280, at the inaugural Vancouver Timepiece Show in 2025. Since … Continue reading The 5280 Watch Co Ajax in Rain Shower Green Isn’t What You Expect
by Brent Robillard Grand feu Grand feu enamel is one of those things you can read about endlessly, but it isn’t until you hold it in the light—tilting it slightly, catching the way colour shifts across its surface—that it truly becomes real. That was my experience with the Selten Founders’ Edition Spiral Sunbird Blue. It’s a watch born from fire and patience, carrying within it … Continue reading Hands-On the Selten Founders’ Edition Spiral Sunbird Blue
