SpotlightCity Of Steel: The New Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe

World-class cities these days have become concrete jungles, growing horizontally and vertically, populating both the landscape and the skyline. The result is a jagged mass of buildings and bridges—thereby living conditions—in diverse shapes, sizes, and materials. This view is best enjoyed aerially from windows of skyscrapers or flying planes. Maurice Lacroix presented this imagery to us in abstract form via the Aikon Urban Tribe watch in 2021. The Franches Montagnes-origin brand had collaborated with Parisian Parkour artiste Simon Nogueira, who, in the official launch video, is scampering through patterned edifices and building tops to relive the stainless steel body of this iteration engraved with tribal designs. Closer to the 2023 Geneva Watch Days, the brand have unveiled the Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe iteration, borrowing attributes from its revered 90s skeletal model Calypso. The open-worked dial of the Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe hints at light seeping through nooks and crannies in between the mesh of glass, steel and concrete buildings, machinery and arterial roads that keep cities alive.

Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe: Poetry In Steel

The cynosure of all eyes in the Aikon Urban Tribe is the lazer engraving that graces the bezel, case, and integrated bracelet. These repetitive zigzag stripes and concentric circles reminiscent to Maori tattoos. A combination of polished and matt textures run throughout the watch body, sharpening and softening the angular and flat surfaces to enhance the design. The Aikon line’s signature six ‘claws’ on the bezel are decorated with vertical stripes. These etched tribal motifs cover the five rows of links of the integrated steel bracelet.

The new Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe is four sizes smaller than its predecessor, with a 39mm stainless steel case. Dainty timekeeping elements such as the hour and minute pencil hands, and baton indices, are framed by a dark grey flange. These elements are filled with Super-LumiNova, which makes these stand out against the skeletal dial for legible reading of time under poor light conditions. Powered by Sellita SW200-1-based ML115 automatic movement, the watch beats at 28,800vph and offers up to 38-hour power reserve. Like the external body, the movement features textured finishes such as perlage, snailing, and côtes de Genève.

Dainty timekeeping elements such as the hour and minute pencil hands, and baton indices, are framed by a dark grey flange

The cynosure of all eyes in the Aikon Urban Tribe is the lazer engraving that graces the bezel, case, and integrated bracelet. These repetitive zigzag stripes and concentric circles resemble ancient Maori tattoos

Sealing off the intricate skeletal movement from the dial and caseback and a offering a view of the inner workings is antireflective sapphire crystal, fitted on the front and back

01

 Attention To Finer Details

Sealing off the intricate skeletal movement from the dial and caseback and a offering a view of the inner workings is antireflective sapphire crystal, fitted on the front and back. This construction helps ensure up to 200m of water resistance. Equipped with the company’s easy strap-exchange system, the wearer can replace the bracelet with other alternatives without reliance on external tools. The original five-link bracelet is secured with a butterfly buckle.

The Aikon Skeleton Urban Tribe is your alternative to a conventional steel sports watch, which still ranks high on robustness, while subtly bringing tribal-inspired designs into the limelight in the horological universe and expertly managing to sidestep the notion of culture appropriation.