Awake

Presentation of Awake

Founded in January 2019 by Lilian Thibault, AWAKE is a pioneering French watch brand with a very clear mission : showcasing the natural beauty of the world through the timeless symbol of a watch. To achieve this, the brand designs watches using innovative materials that conserve our resources and techniques inspired by the beauty that surrounds us. AWAKE quickly distinguished itself with innovative collections like “Mission to Earth,” in collaboration with NASA, and “Time Travelers,” as well as the more recent “Dare & Dream,” co-designed with French artist Nicolas Barrome Forgues. 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of AWAKE, a milestone celebrated with the launch of its first permanent, Swiss Made and Métiers d'Art collection named “Son Mai.” This new line serves as a testament to the brand's evolution, bridging traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with Swiss watchmaking prowess. It underscores AWAKE's ongoing dedication to redefining the boundaries of design and watchmaking innovation. With an avant-garde and sustainable approach that is reflected in each of its creations, AWAKE continues to be a source of inspiration in the world of contemporary watchmaking.

History of Awake

Founded in 2019

An entrepreneur at heart, Lilian THIBAULT, 47, has been imagining inspiring, creative and philosophical watchmaking through AWAKE for the past 5 years. More than a project, it's the culmination of a personal approach, nourished by passion and his vision of the world, which he expresses and shares through his watches and the story they tell. A HISTORY OF PASSION Lilian's fascination for watchmaking began shortly after he started working. Hyperactive in soul, he sees the watch as a symbol of the inexorable passage of time, oscillating between the desire to master it and the acceptance of its elusiveness. For him, the watch is the mirror of this complex relationship with time, acting as a reminder of the fugacity of our existence and the need to make the best possible use of it in order to realize our full potential. Beyond its philosophical dimension, the watch also embodies, in his eyes, the most meticulous of human achievements, driven by passion and challenge. Fascinated by micro-mechanics, the perpetual quest for precision and complication, Lilian is also driven by a constant concern for detail. A lover of Métiers d'Art and handwork, which elevate the craftsman to the level of artist and constitute a cultural heritage that must be encouraged, he has made it his mission to convey its beauty and poetry in his collections. Thus, after 20 years spent building his personal collection, Lilian decided in 2018 to found his own brand, with the desire to create modern watches reinterpreting the codes of watchmaking tradition, adopting an original and authentic approach. “The watch is not only a tool for measuring Time, it reminds us of its constant evolution and provisional nature. Defying the ephemeral and the disposable, the watch embodies passion and excellence more than ever.” - Lilian THIBAULT AWAKE'S GENESIS AWAKE was born in 2019 with the ambition of combining passions and personal values in a project expressing the vision of its founder. Since its creation, the brand has embodied a pioneering, avant-garde and exemplary approach to the watchmaking industry, with a mission to draw attention to humanity's most precious asset: the Earth, in all its beauty and fragility. This mission is reflected in the brand's name: AWAKE, a verb meaning to awaken someone to something, to make them aware of it… Since then, Lilian has surrounded himself with like-minded collaborators and partners to bring this adventure to life. He enjoys meeting those who aspire to make things happen, who take risks and push the limits to achieve their ambitions. Together, they design watches using innovative materials that preserve our resources, and artisanal techniques inspired by the beauty of nature that surrounds us, to give time and the object that embodies it a new meaning. KEY MILESTONES The G7 watch A few months after the brand's creation, the French government asked AWAKE to design the official watch for the G7 summit in Biarritz, to be presented to the heads of state and world leaders attending this historic event. The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, will even make it the symbol of his speech and of what “France wants to do in terms of sustainable innovation”, in front of the world's cameras. An incredible and incomparable mark of recognition for the young watch brand and its R&D-driven approach to responsible manufacturing. The NASA watch At the end of 2021, AWAKE obtained validation for the Mission To Earth project, submitted to NASA several months earlier. This is neither the first nor the last time that the American space agency has let a watch brand affix its famous logo to one of its models, but this time the approach goes much further. In addition to using recycled titanium from the aerospace industry, AWAKE is once again demonstrating its vision and ability to do things differently, always in a very philosophical way, and without anything being “free”. For the first time in the history of watchmaking, a passive NFC chip integrated directly into the sapphire crystal of the watch gives owners access to unprecedented experiences, in this case access to the cameras of the International Space Station (ISS) to observe the beauty of the Earth seen from space, like an astronaut. A NASA collaboration like no other before, that only AWAKE, fueled by its mission, could have imagined, and which goes far beyond the simple affixing of a logo… Watch of the year In 2023, AWAKE is the only independent brand to receive the Watch of the Year award, for its Time Travelers model (€1000-€2000 category) and among the most prestigious brands (Cartier, Rolex, Bulgari, Breitling, Tudor and Omega...). A new mark of recognition, this time from the watchmaking industry. 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of AWAKE, a milestone celebrated with the launch of its first permanent, Swiss Made and Métiers d'Art collection named “Son Mai.” This new line serves as a testament to the brand's evolution, bridging traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship with Swiss watchmaking prowess. It underscores AWAKE's ongoing dedication to redefining the boundaries of design and watchmaking innovation. With an avant-garde and sustainable approach that is reflected in each of its creations, AWAKE continues to be a source of inspiration in the world of contemporary watchmaking. “In conclusion, I would say that AWAKE is a compendium of passion and philosophy, materialized by the instrument that symbolizes our individual relationship to time and the meaning we give it. Each watch is designed to push back the boundaries of modern watchmaking and offer emotions to enthusiasts and collectors around the world.” - Lilian THIBAULT