In 2013, Maurice Lacroix released the Pontos S Diver, a performance-orientated sports watch for active watch lovers. Three years later, the brand decided to put it on hold to concentrate on the Aikon collection, a line that has since become a phenomenal success. This could have marked the end of the Pontos S Diver, but in its short lifetime, the collection had grown a solid following and these watch aficionados started asking for it back!
If Maurice Lacroix does one thing, they listen to their fans, and this week the brand is unveiling the second-generation Pontos S Diver that is everything the original was and more. This new collection stays faithful to the original design while including a few subtle improvements.
Housed in a 42mm case in a choice of stainless steel and, for the first time, bronze (limited to 500 pieces), small changes to the original design include more prominent and defined hour and minute hands and a date framed with a raised border. The highly recognisable Pontos S Diver dial design largely remains the same, however, with its famous circle of applied indexes and minute markers that glow in low light and give the timepiece its cool aesthetic.
There are two crowns on the timepiece, the first at two o’clock controls the inner rotating bezel that allows divers to monitor time spent under the water, while the second crown, at three o’clock, adjusts the time and date and can be used to manually wind the automatic movement.
Available in a choice of different colour coordinating straps in M-branded fabric or rubber with an Easy Strap Exchange System, the look is both nautical and urban at the same time, making this the perfect summer watch for water or land, work or play, beach or nightclub. Like its Aikon sister, the Pontos S Diver can really do it all and at a price that, excuse the pun, blows the competition out of the water.
What is interesting is that this isn’t just a simple come-back timepiece. Maurice Lacroix joined forces with free diving world champion and ML Crew member, Lidija Lijic to work on the design above, in, and under the water. Lijic currently holds the world record for staying underwater, holding her breath for a mind-blowing five minutes and 43 seconds. She not only gave her input on the design, but also tested the timepiece’s 300-metre water resistance during training.
“When developing this latest Pontos S Diver, we were keen to retain the spirit of the first-generation model, but push the performance envelope with various product enhancements,” shared Maurice Lacroix’s Managing Director, Stéphane Waser. “As an ML Crew member, it seemed logical to ask Lidija Lijic to test the new model, exploring its full potential, deep underwater. While I was already aware of her achievements and immense talent, I was struck by her sheer dedication, not only to her sport, but in everything she does.”
The timepiece is powered by Maurice Lacroix’s automatic Calibre M115 that is crafted in the company’s Swiss Manufacture in Saignelégier. Fans of the original piece will not be disappointed, and those discovering this new sports watch for the first time will appreciate both the urban design and diving performance of this world-class sports watch that makes it one of our summer favourites.
We will be testing it in Swiss waters very soon, so stay tuned for more.
