Always attentive to market feedback, Maurice Lacroix, a brand with a reputation for delivering high perceived value, is pleased to unveil additional versions of its AIKON Automatic and AIKON Automatic Chronograph, all housed in titanium. This lightweight alloy is strong, skin-friendly, not liable to corrosion and looks effortlessly cool in an urban setting. Presented in various highly fashionable colours, these new watches are packed with an array of refinements, offer day-to-day practicality, confer peerless wearer comfort and deliver a level of excellence seldom found at this price point.
In the competitive world of watches, some models stand out as champions. Back in 2016, Maurice Lacroix unveiled the AIKON, a watch that has since tasted success on numerous occasions. Inspired by the CALYPSO, a popular collection during the 90s, the AIKON soon came to prominence with its winning combination of urban styling and refined finishes.
The AIKON Automatic 42 mm in steel has been a box office sensation, winning the hearts of many style- conscious wearers who appreciate a fine watch brimming with Swiss quality. Nevertheless, Maurice Lacroix has never rested on its laurels, continuously speaking to retailers, attentively identifying market trends and proactively engaging with the public to establish what they seek in a luxury watch.
Now, Maurice Lacroix unveils new expressions of the AIKON Automatic 42 mm and the AIKON Automatic Chronograph 44 mm, all executed in titanium, a highly desirable material that confers an array of wearer benefits.
Titanium is widely used in motorsport and aerospace industries due its rare blend of notable strength and featherweight properties. It has also proved popular in the marine world owing to its resistance to saltwater corrosion. Moreover, the alloy is also widely used in the medical world courtesy of its skin-friendly characteristics. All these attributes are present with the AIKON Automatic 42 mm and the AIKON Automatic Chronograph 44 mm. Quite simply, titanium is a multi-talented performer that punches above its weight.
On this occasion, Maurice Lacroix has combined two grades of titanium, Grade 2 titanium and Grade 5 titanium, accentuating the visual contrast of each metal to glorious affect. This nuanced contrast imbues each model with an air of sophistication and style, ensuring they always stand out from the crowd.
The AIKON Automatic is available in two variants, both of which feature a clous-de-Paris dial motif, facetted hour and minute hands, a liberal application of Super-LumiNova to aid readability in dim light, a centre seconds hand and a date indication. While sharing the same genetic makeup, both references evince a different character. An elegant grey dial delivers a monochromatic aesthetic, accentuating the cool tones of the titanium housing. Alternatively, the AIKON Automatic is available in an eye-popping shade of vibrant purple for those wearers who chose to live life above the radar.
The feature-rich dials are paired with titanium cases, endowed with a complex blend of high-contrast sand-brushed and polished surfaces. For example, the legendary AIKON arms that straddle the bezel are highly polished, with a gleaming finish only achievable with Grade 5 titanium. This interplay of finishes is difficult and time-consuming to execute, but the craftspeople have shown they are up to the job. The juxtaposition of different case finishes, an upgrade from previous AIKON models, provides a stunning play with light.
Alternatively, for those individuals who inhabit an urban environment where life is frenetic and time management is essential, Maurice Lacroix now offers two additional examples of the AIKON Automatic Chronograph. In this instance, the dials are enriched with a lattice-like motif, luminescent treatment, a day-date display and three counters. Packed with functionality, the AIKON Automatic Chronograph is offered in two eye-catching dial colours: purple, with contrasting silver counters, or a golden option set with brooding black sub-dials. Like the AIKON Automatic, the case of the AIKON Automatic Chronograph incorporates some accents in Grade 5 titanium, delivering a highly polished, resplendent gleam. In this instance, Maurice Lacroix has placed softly spoken brushed and polished surfaces adjacent to one another to deliver subtle contrast.
