ReviewThe Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz Chronograph: A Business Suit With An Athlete’s Heart
An evolution of Maurice Lacroix’s famous Calypso series, the Aikon collection’s chronographs powered by quartz movements come in many a flavour. The luxurious look of these watches would fare well in a variety of settings—from on the field and urban streets to the boardroom
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If there’s any brand out there that truly encapsulates a strong personality and a flavour of machismo, while also offering utility and ease, it’s Maurice Lacroix. And one of the most recognisable timepieces among their vast repertoire is the Aikon. Maurice Lacroix owes its origins to a Swiss company called Desco von Schulthess, whose roots go all the way back to 1889. Desco were known for assembling watches, and were also responsible for representing several well-known watch brands in Asia since 1946—such as Audemars Piguet, Heuer and Jaeger-LeCoultre. They acquired an assembly facility in Saignelegier in the canton of Jura, Switzerland, in the hopes of crafting their own high-end watches and monetising on the demand for such timepieces. In 1975, they launched the Maurice Lacroix brand of watches, which have carved their own niche in the world of watches today.
An Evocative Design
One of the most successful and memorable collections from Maurice Lacroix has been the Calypso, which the atelier launched in 1990. This particular collection had a distinct feature that placed the brand firmly on the horological map—a bezel designed in such a way that it looks to be attached to the case with six sharp edges or ‘claws’. Maurice Lacroix took this distinctive look from the Calypso collection and made it a characteristic design element of a new assortment of watches that were launched in 2016—the Aikon.
To read more about some other offerings from the house of Maurice Lacroix, click here
Being a flagship collection for the brand, the Aikon had to have a range of chronographs—the most popular complication—including those powered by quartz movements. The automatic variants of the same were launched two years later, and have received appreciation as well. Traditionally, collectors swear by the beauty and intricacy of automatic watches, and quartz movements aren’t regarded in quite the same league. However, the luxurious design, which takes the Aikon collection’s signature elements and wraps them in an easy-to-use and reliable package, proves to be a genuine exception. Fashioned to have a bold presence on the wrist, without compromising on a hint of comfort, the Aikon Chronographs in quartz definitely give you a bigger bang for your buck.
The Many Faces Of An Aikon
Each of the eight iterations showcased here has its own character, and the variety of dial colours and straps will leave you spoilt for choice. The 44mm cases of all the watches, water resistant to 100m, are crafted from stainless steel. Two of the most adventurous variants feature design elements that make them stand apart—one has been given a camouflage look, making it perfect for modern streetwear; the other’s case has been given a black PVD treatment, ensuring that it stands out on the wrist with its bold colour. There is also one arresting edition whose bezel truly distinguishes itself, as it is crafted with a mix of stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold. The ‘clawed’ bezel remains here as well, giving the watches a little bit of a mechanised, steampunk-inspired look—and this is especially true for the variants that feature a plain stainless steel bezel.
The sunburst-finished dials are perfectly legible, and they come in hues of stunning silver (one with gold-plated indices), bold blue, a deep black, and a camo pattern (without the sunburst finish). The snailed chronograph counters are placed ergonomically on the face of the watch—the small seconds at six, the 30-minute counter at nine, and 1/10-second counter at 12 o’clock. Within the small seconds counter, exactly above six o’clock, is a date window, which might be a bit hard to read, especially in the lighter-coloured dials, owing to its small size. The chronograph seconds are indicated through the central seconds hand. The circular brushed rings around these counters give the dial a bit of depth that always looks pleasing in chronographs. One variant that has a silver dial also comes with counters coloured a contrasting blue. This particular watch especially wins in terms of looks and legibility. The rhodium-plated hands in all chronographs are covered with Super-LumiNova, emitting a green colour, for heightened visibility in dark settings.
All of this functionality is powered by a very durable quartz movement, another feature that tips its hat to the Calypso, which was also powered by a quartz calibre.
The strap options are also aplenty. The most common bracelet available across the board is a very sophisticated-looking stainless steel bracelet (with a camouflage pattern for the camo variant). The black PVD edition comes with a sporty black rubber strap, with a pin buckle that’s also in black PVD. There are two variants that come attached with brown calf leather straps, which are formal and elegant, with the Maurice Lacroix logo emblazoned in steel or yellow gold right below the dial. Two other editions come with blue calf leather straps, and one of them has a denim look, giving the watch a casual yet eye-catching appeal. The camo version also comes an additional black leather strap, which can be easily interchanged with the bracelet, owing to the ‘EasyChange’ system. This patented system—a key attribute of even the Aikon automatic watches—allows you to interchange straps in less than 30 seconds.
The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz Chronograph, then, is a spectacular melding of utility and versatility wrapped in a package that’s quite winsome. If you want a dressy and sporty chronograph that’s reliable and stunning to boot, you know which watch to choose. Revel in the plethora of options in this fabulous collection, and find the one that suits your style the most.
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon
AI1018-SS001-130-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-SS002-131-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-PVB02-336-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon
AI1018-PVY11-132-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-PVB01-333-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-SS002-430-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-SS001-431-1
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz
AI1018-SS001-430-1
I ‘m interested in your maurice lacroix Aikon chronograph quartz. The price is quite high for a quartz so I want to ask please
1. What type/model of quartz movement is it?
2. Is the watch serviceable (most quartz ‘s aren’t)?
Thank you
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
Thank you for your comment and your interest in the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Quartz Chronograph. If you think the prices are too high, you might want to explore the idea of buying during this week, as Ethos have a Valentine’s Day sale going on, with good deals. In order to get an offer within the article, you can click on the ‘request an offer’ tab, and enter your details. The Ethos team will contact you thereafter. Alternatively, and for any other help, suggestions, and information on the availability and prices of these or any other watches, you can call the Ethos luxury watch helpline directly and speak to one of the consultants. They’ll also be able to answer any questions you may have that this article does not address. The numbers are +91 8725028882 or 8725016301, and the helpline is open between 11:00am and 6:00pm, Monday to Saturday.
Thank you for reading!
The Watch Guide