In the 1990s Maurice Lacroix was producing around 100,000 of its quartz-powered Calypso models per year and the collection lasted until 2003. The Aikon, which was first presented in 2016, was intended to fill the gap left by the Calypso with a brand-new design. The rounded shapes of the Calypso were replaced with a much more angular look. This year the company followed up with automatic models, which were presented at Baselworld this year.
Maurice Lacroix is keen to drum home two words when talking about this collection: perceived value. Judging by the reactions to the Aikon that I received in the office and from the horological glitterati at this year’s Horology Forum in London, they are right to do so. Those who spotted the watch from afar assumed that it was a much more expensive piece, while those who instantly recognised it for what it is offered nothing but positive comments. After a week wearing the watch, I have to agree.
The redesigned case is a success. For a 42mm diameter watch, it has a relatively slim case height of 11mm, which makes it all the more elegant. The lack of lugs gives the Aikon Automatic a distinctive profile but the reworked bezel with its six claws and the logo embedded in the strap hark back to the original Calypso. Polished finishes for those claws, as well as the fine bevel on the edge of the case middle, are subtle touches that raise the perceived value, as does the hobnail pattern on the dial. The same can be said of the applied hour markers and the slender hands, not to mention a refreshingly discreet use of SuperLuminova. All of this fits with Maurice Lacroix’s stated aim of making its collections in general more simple and more understandable (the brand has cut the number of references in its collection by two-thirds in just three years, from 450 to 150).
The attention to detail has been carried through to all aspects of the watch. It boasts water resistance to 200 metres. The redesigned stainless-steel bracelet has slim and highly flexible links that match the elegant character of the watch perfectly. Even the box is impressive, dwarfing those of many of its competitors in the same price segment and coming with a handy travel pouch. The new “EasyChange” interchangeable bracelet system introduced with the Aikon Automatic is a delight to use. Two easily accessible sliders are pulled together to release the leather strap (available in blue, black or brown calfskin) or stainless-steel bracelet. Inserting a new strap or bracelet is child’s play: simply push the ends into the slots until you hear a satisfying click.
A total of six individual references are available, with dials in silver, black and blue, paired with a matching leather strap or the stainless-steel bracelet. Now back to that perceived value: would you have guessed that this Swiss Made self-winding mechanical watch, with all its details, can be had for just 1,750 Swiss francs?
