Son Mài - Frosted Leaf « Union Jack »

Our vision of the Arts and Crafts extends far beyond the realm of watchmaking. 

Each creation is conceived as a space for cultural expression, an opportunity to showcase ancestral expertise while interpreting it through a contemporary lens. Within the tiny confines of a dial, the brand seeks to transcend borders, celebrate cultural identities, and foster a different relationship with time: slower, more mindful, and more respectful of both craft and material.

Following the launch of the first Sơn Mài - Frosted Leaf collection in 2025, we sought to further elevate the complexity of this exclusive technique, reinterpreting the colors of the iconic Union Jack through a new creative approach.

To create the uniquely deep and striking dials of this edition, our master lacquerers developed a new method of layering lacquer, pure silver leaf, and natural pigments with precision - introducing, for the very first time, a highly detailed figurative element: a miniature representation of the United Kingdom, finely hand-chiseled in silver leaf.

Vietnamese lacquer, known as Sơn Mài, is a complex and exacting technique perfected over centuries. It all begins with the sap of the Rhus verniciflua, a tree native to northern Vietnam. It takes ten years of growth for a tree to produce just 200 ml of sap per year, harvested only in the early morning in June and July. Purified and dehydrated, this sap becomes a lacquer of incomparable transparency and brilliance, renowned for its protective properties.

Artisans apply successive layers of lacquer and blue pigments in varying tones, incorporating fragments of silver leaf which are then sanded and reworked to create the rich, complex textures of the dial.

For the very first time, a discreet figurative motif - finely chiseled in silver leaf - is integrated into this “mille-feuille” of materials. The shapes of the United Kingdom, subtly positioned at the centre of the dial and tinted with red pigments, gradually reveal themselves to those who take the time to observe, explore, and linger.

A delicate veil of white pigments is then applied on the dial's outer rim, before a final layer of lacquer - dried and mirror polished - completes this miniature artwork inspired by the colors of the Union Jack, imparting flawless brilliance and preserving it for eternity.

Each dial is a unique piece, combining technical mastery with a degree of artistic unpredictability, and requires approximately 15 hours of meticulous work.

This Frosted Leaf “Union Jack” edition features our exclusive luminous signature. Both innovative and poetic, it draws inspiration from the Japanese aesthetic of chiaroscuro and its subtle interplay of light and shadow, preserving the mystery of objects.

Departing from traditional construction methods, our hands and indices are crafted on a thin yet robust base of Super-LumiNova® BGW9, precisely machined and then covered with faceted polished steel. This unique design remains discreet and refined in daylight, yet becomes spectacular in the dark thanks to a backlit effect that highlights the exceptional depth of the dials and the craftsmanship of our artisans.

Unique dials handcrafted like works of art, a complex, original and exclusive luminous signature, a renowned Swiss caliber, cases and buckles made from 316L stainless steel, straps handcrafted in France: True to our vision, we work tirelessly to offer you a unique proposition combining aesthetic demands, watchmaking quality, craftsmanship, and pure emotion.