First prize at Timepiece World 2025: Awake’s Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf — Blood Moon, Storm, Lagoon dials

Originally reported by Fratello Watches – The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. This article is a curated summary of their original coverage.

First prize in the Jewellery and Artistic Crafts category at the Timepiece World Awards 2025 went to Awake’s Frosted Leaf Sơn Mài.

What the Frosted Leaf actually is

The Frosted Leaf approach builds on Awake’s Sơn Mài tradition: multiple layers of Vietnamese lacquer applied over silver leaf and natural pigments. The effect is not a printed motif but a textured, layered surface that plays with light and depth. Awake introduced Frosted Leaf last year; the execution is time-intensive and requires handwork at every stage.

Recognition and momentum

As Fratello Watches – The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches first reported, Frosted Leaf has already earned two awards since its 2024 introduction, including the Timepiece World 2025 top prize noted above. That level of recognition for a dial technique — rather than a movement or complication — shifts attention to artisanal surfaces as a primary value driver.

Materials and craft

The core materials are simple on paper: silver leaf, natural pigments, and traditional Vietnamese lacquer. The craft sits in the process: layering, selective abrasion, and controlled drying produce the frosted texture and colour depth. The result reads like a painting set into a watch, not a mass-produced dial finish.

Market context and what this means for collectors

Awake has built a following since 2024 on the strength of these dials. Given the manual labour involved, expect scarcity by default. That matters most for buyers who prioritise original artisanal work over brand badge value. If demand follows the awards, secondary interest will focus on provenance, the specific dial variant, and condition of the lacquer surface.

Practical take

Watch buyers should inspect these dials in person. Look for uniform adhesion of the silver leaf, consistent texture across the dial, and signs of careful finishing rather than mechanical stamping. Watch dealers and collectors should track upcoming Awake releases to see whether Frosted Leaf remains a signature or becomes a more widely applied finish — that will determine its long-term premium.

Awake’s Frosted Leaf turned an artisanal dial into an award-winning headline; the next question is whether that craft stays rare or scales.

Originally reported by Fratello Watches – The Magazine Dedicated To Luxury Watches. This article is a curated summary of their original coverage.

Tags: Awake, Sơn Mài, lacquer, artistic-dials