In an industry marred with the tendency to rest on its laurels, Maurice Lacroix is a breath of fresh air. The brand has no allusions on how it views itself; they make high quality watches for people who have, for too long, viewed luxury watches as out of their reach. Maurice Lacroix opens the doors to these clients, the young and dynamic looking to expand their perception of luxury and what it is to invest in quality pieces. And now that, in this unprecedented year, when we find ourselves reckoning with our spending habits and going increasingly digital, watchmaking brands are adapting as well—luckily for Maurice Lacroix, the brand has been steps ahead for years now.
“Prior to the launch of the Aikon collection in 2016, we spent much time researching the market and identifying our target customer,” explains Waser. “The outcome of this research was that we decided to target so-called ‘Millennials’, so we rejuvenated the brand’s touchpoints and spent the last four years refining and strengthening our digital communication strategy.” The brand launched wildly successful digital campaigns in the form of online games, such the 2018 #Chaseyourwatch campaign, where the brand enticed people worldwide to participate in an interactive treasure hunt across social media platforms, with a limited edition Aikon Automatic Chronograph as the ultimate prize. The following year, Maurice Lacroix capitalized on its success and launched #Timecode, an international “race against time” where winners received a limited edition Aikon Venturer.
The result? Clients introduced, then embedded, in the Maurice Lacroix family. “Today, it is not uncommon for me to receive a LinkedIn message from a 25-year-old customer telling me that he has just purchased a Pontos or an Aikon for his birthday,” says Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix. “We are a fresh, modern brand responding to the needs of Millennials.”
Representative of new luxury: the Pontos
For 2020, Maurice Lacroix is celebrating a milestone: the 20th anniversary of its Pontos collection. For the occasion, the Pontos went through a slight facelift, towing the line between the vintage and contemporary appeal. Comprised of four Chronograph models and three Day-Date models, plus one limited edition Chronograph Monopusher, the design codes that define the new Pontos (and by extension Maurice Lacroix) are present through each model: the angled bezel with a polished surface and satin-finished edge, the crown with its spiraled notches, the hook-like double lugs, the straight-edged modern numerals (or indicators on the Day-Date models).
All executed with the finest watchmaking acumen available in the brand’s Manufacturer in Saignelegier. And the entry price? CHF 1,590 for a Day-Date and CHF 2,690 for a Chronograph—and incredibly competitive price point for a mechanical wrist watch of this quality. “Our brand strategy always remains the same: to offer high quality watches for a reasonable price,” says Waser. “We are very proud of this collection. The Pontos complements our AIKON model. Our success is due to the fact that we offer watches with a high perceived value and I would say Maurice Lacroix stands for Swiss quality watches that are innovative and feature original design, all offered at an affordable price. We make products that are timeless, relevant for today and beyond.”
The Pontos, for its refined design that manages to avoid looking plain, also represents how Waser views the expanding definition of luxury: “Luxury has evolved a lot," says Waser. "It now places much value on experience and durability. Brands must now focus on products with a high discernible quality that does not fade after a few years. Our goal is to continue in this direction by offering a broad array of watches, designed to suit everyone’s tastes, while simultaneously creating exceptional and thought-provoking limited editions.”
