“The Pontos is back in centre stage for its 20th anniversary”

Maurice Lacroix has everything ready for the Geneva Watch Days. The final words have been written, the photoshoots have been wrapped up, and production has begun. All that remains is to introduce the star of the show: the Pontos. This model, first launched in the year 2000, will celebrate its 20th anniversary on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Maurice Lacroix is more than just AIKON, even though the maison’s flagship collection has garnered a great deal of attention over the last three years! Thanks to its modern design, broad range of diameters and variants, with mechanical and quartz options available, it has become the brand’s bestselling timepiece. “Maurice Lacroix has never espoused a single-product strategy,” explains Product and Marketing Director Thiébaut Bentz. “For several years, we have been working in parallel, on both the AIKON, and on redeploying the Pontos for its anniversary. And that’s what’s happening now!” 

The ML spirit

The Pontos is a perfect embodiment of Maurice Lacroix’s values: timelessness, flexibility and continuity. The watchmaker works over the long term, which means largely ignoring the ever-swinging pendulum of fashion “reversals” and “revolutions”. Timelessness is the perfect watchword for the Pontos collection, which has remained a firm favourite thanks to its styling, anchored by the double “eagle’s bill” lugs, the smooth, gently inclined bezel, and the stepped crown that give it its strong identity. The collection follows the brand’s strategy of offering carefully designed watches at an affordable price, which means incomparable value for money. For its 20th anniversary, the collection has been given an update in keeping with its identity as a modern timepiece, a 21st-century creation that has never gone out of style. 

« Pour ses 20 ans, la Pontos revient sur le devant de la scène »

Special editions

Three new creations are being unveiled today. First is the obligatory anniversary piece. It’s a premier for Maurice Lacroix: a monopusher chronograph in black, in a 500-piece limited edition. The Pontos 20th Anniversary has a vintage racing feel, with a tachymeter and colourful accents, all packaged in a judiciously sized 41 mm case. The watch is powered by an automatic movement with a 58-hour power reserve. The sapphire caseback provides a view of the movement, finished with Geneva striping. As always, this watch is particularly affordable, at just CHF 3690. 

Next comes the unlimited Pontos Chronograph, which features Arabic numerals for the first time in its history. “It’s a general trend within the watch industry,” Thiébaut Bentz explains. “We look forward to seeing how the market reacts to this new aesthetic, which complements the other highly appreciated chronographs that remain in our collection. We certainly believe in it. When we did our first tests of the design, the Arabic numerals were an obvious choice.” The price for this new automatic chronograph in a 43 mm case starts at CHF 2690, or CHF 2850 for the anniversary edition. 

« Pour ses 20 ans, la Pontos revient sur le devant de la scène »

And finally, the new generation Pontos would not be complete without the bestselling variant, the day-date. This pioneering model has been part of the collection since the beginning. The latest iteration follows a strong trend in watchmaking fashion, boasting a green sunray dial and a 41 mm bronze case. The price of this automatic watch is CHF 1950. Day-date models in steel, with either a leather strap or metal bracelet, are priced at CHF 1590 and CHF 1750 respectively. The price scale is in line with that of the AIKON automatic range, reinforcing the coherence of the brand’s strategy. This model will remain part of the collection and, like the other two, will be available for purchase in-store or online from September.

« Pour ses 20 ans, la Pontos revient sur le devant de la scène »

A future star? 

Maurice Lacroix will accompany the launch of these new Pontos models with the Friends of the Brand programme introduced for the AIKON. The sporty-chic AIKON has been matched with young explorers, athletes and creatives. The Pontos, with its more classic styling, will be paired with a different demographic. “Our approach will be more focused on the arts, culture and music. Let’s not forget the history of the Pontos, which has often been reinterpreted by celebrated designers and architects including Jean Nouvel, Nendo, Henrik Fisker, Patricia Urquiola and Kris Van Assche,” explains Thiébaut Bentz. “We will follow the spirit and strategy of the brand. This is an extremely sophisticated timepiece, with a very complex and refined case, but we are committed to keeping it highly accessible.” We look forward to seeing more of this collection. Watch this space! 

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Stéphane Waser