Introducing: The Awake Mission To Earth Chapter III
Following the launch of its initial concept watch last year, Awake continues to develop its “Mission To Earth” line. Building upon its prior design and leaning further into the astronomical background, the latest concept — the Awake Mission To Earth Chapter III — combines two trends that seem to be having a moment recently, making this a sports watch that is very much of its time.
Aside from the Mission To Earth concept last year, we also saw titanium watches from Oris, Zodiac, Omega, Rolex, and Tudor in 2022. This lighter metal has been used in watchmaking for years, but it is on a bit of a hot streak as more and more titanium offerings become available. Awake uses 70% recycled titanium, seeking to reduce the carbon impact of its watches.
Astronomy remains the inspiration that ties the line together. For this release, dubbed “Chapter III Time Travelers,” Awake takes inspiration from the original space traveler. Meteorites are asteroids that have entered Earth’s atmosphere. This process creates the characteristic striations we see on the prominent meteorite dials in these watches. The dials of both limited editions are carved from the Muonionalusta meteorite, believed to be the oldest meteorite ever discovered. This interstellar traveler was found in 1906 and is thought to be 20 million years older than Earth itself.
Awake Mission To Earth Chapter III: Continuing the story
The new additions to the Awake story pick up where Chapters I and II left off. Featuring a brushed case, a white dial, and red accents, Chapter I leaned heavily on partnerships with NASA and the HERA mission for its overall aesthetics. Chapter II’s darkened case with orange accents was reminiscent of the flight suits that astronauts wear. Chapter III’s two limited editions combine the previous Chapters’ light and dark aspects, forming similar but very unique timepieces.
The gray version of the Mission To Earth Chapter III features an untreated titanium case and a lighter-colored meteorite dial. The purple version of this watch leans darker. A nearly black meteorite dial complements the deep purple case. The clean lines of the 40mm case allow the meteorite dials, both light and dark, to take center stage. The dial furniture is also unobtrusive, with a classic inverted triangle at 12 o’clock, solid rectangles at the other cardinal positions, and arrow-like pentagons for the remaining markers. The minimal use of text keeps the focus on the striations that make each dial unique.
Near-Earth objects
The remaining technical specifications for the Awake Mission To Earth Chapter III are the same as its predecessors. They feature a Miyota 9015 movement, a 100m water resistance rating, and a titanium clasp on a rubber strap with an internal pattern similar to the striations on the meteorite’s surface. Chapter III also features NFC technology with some blockchain magic.
Whereas prior Chapters have focused on the view of Earth from the ISS, Chapter III allows the wearer to track asteroids that are nearest to us in the Solar System. When read by a smartphone, this passive technology embedded in the sapphire links to NASA, helping to keep the wearer’s eyes on asteroids. For those of us who have a constant fascination with the depths of space (a good number of watch collectors, one would guess), this tech helps track the natural space travelers as they wave “hello” to our planet on their wide-ranging journeys.
Final thoughts
As a new brand develops, finding a sense of design and focus is always key to separating it from other new entrants into the space. While leaning into the “space” theme is nothing new for brands big and small, the technology here is what separates Awake’s projects from others in the industry. Additionally, many lean into past designs, while all three Chapters in this story are modern ones. The combination of titanium and meteorite seems very of this period. Additionally, the use of blockchain technology is very 2023, and purple is also on trend. The price increase from €990 to €1,300 also shows the inflation we have seen since the original release. Very much of the times indeed!
It is easy to call the Awake Chapter III a “trendy” watch. Doing so, however, misses the point of the concept. This edition embraces that we don’t need watches to tell the time in today’s world; it is all around us. Instead, Awake’s goal is to make us think about our concept of time. We often bemoan that no one is attempting new designs in this space. Awake is attempting to give us that with its own twist — a mechanical watch, that connects to the digital world, opening a more personalized view into the vastness of the void.
For more information, visit Awake’s official website, and let us know what you think of this release in the comments section below.