SpotlightWatches And Wonders 2021: The Return Of Icons From Oris, Baume & Mercier and Maurice Lacroix

If you have been closely following Watches and Wonders 2021, you will agree that even in a pandemic, creativity prevails. Global brands are pushing the boundaries of haute horlogerie, one new watch at a time, by elevating levels of their creative excellence. Be it through their sophisticated mechanical concepts, superior materials or updated dials that can double as works of art—maisons are relentless to lead technical and artistic innovation.

Swiss watchmakers Oris signalled the return of the Aquis Pro with their most recent in-house calibre, 400, while also continuing with their series of special edition Aquises for a cause. The New Aquis Dat Watt Limited Edition is in collaboration with Common Wadden Sea Secretariat—a trilateral organisation working with the aim to protect Wadden Sea off northern Europe. Baume & Mercier updated their iconic Riviera collection with their in-house Baumatic movement, along with other editions. And Maurice Lacroix also expanded its signature Aikon collection. Let’s take a look at each brand’s key releases.

Oris’ Latest From Their Diving Pillar

AquisPro Date Calibre 400

Oris’ professional diver’s watch AquisPro has been released in an edition powered by calibre 400, Oris' latest in-house movement

In addition to the extremely high standards of robustness, this dive watch boasts superior levels of anti-magnetism, along with a huge, five-day power reserve

Equipping the calibre with better accuracy is its complex construction comprising 30 anti-magnetic components

The calibre 400 is certainly the hero of this timepiece

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Oris’ professional diver’s watch AquisPro has been released in an edition powered by calibre 400, Oris’ latest in-house movement. Now, in addition to the extremely high standards of robustness this dive watch boasts superior levels of anti-magnetism, along with a huge, five-day power reserve, with the new movement. Equipping the calibre with better accuracy is its complex construction comprising 30 anti-magnetic components—such as the revolutionary silicon escape wheel and a silicon anchor. Beating at 28,800vph, this calibre is certainly the hero of this timepiece. Another significant feature of AquisPro Date Calibre 400 is Oris’ patented ‘rotation safety system’. Developed in partnership with the Swiss commercial diver Roman Frischknecht, this system allows the diver to not only adjust, but even lock the unidirectional-rotating bezel—featuring a very clearly readable 60-minute scale—ensuring ease of use, when timing a dive. The black dial featuring a wave pattern is housed in a large, 49.5mm titanium case, fitted with a black rubber strap.

Dat Watt Limited Edition

Oris Aquis

₹2,60,000

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Oris’ commitment towards helping the planet continues with yet another special edition Aquis—the Dat Watt Limited Edition. As a part of its ‘Change for the better’ project, the Swiss brand has collaborated with Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) to create the Dat Watt, with the purpose of helping conserve the Wadden Sea—the world’s largest tidal system and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. CWSS is a trilateral organisation that works with Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands with an aim to preserve Wadden Sea. What makes this region unique is its intertidal ecosystem—it is home to 30 species of breeding birds, 2,300 species of flora and fauna and 2,700 species in the marine areas.

Set in a 43.5mm steel case, with a gradient blue/grey dial, the timepiece comes with the Oris 761 calibre. It is also equipped with Oris’ pointer moon indication that allows divers an easy indication of tidal range, via a chart, based on the correct day of the lunar cycle that one can set using the pointer. This watch comes in a limited edition of 2,009 pieces—the number signifying the year when Wadden Sea was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Divers Sixty-Five Bronze Cotton Candy

Colours stir a sense of happiness and with this simple aim at the core, Oris unveils the new Divers Sixty-Five ‘Cotton Candy’

As the name suggests, striking hues with a unisex appeal are the focus of this model

Colours stir a sense of happiness and with this simple aim at the core, Oris unveils the new Divers Sixty-Five ‘Cotton Candy’. As the name suggests, striking hues with a unisex appeal are the focus of this model. In pastel hues named ‘sky blue’, ‘wild green’ and ‘lipstick pink’, each variants comes in an all-bronze construction—case, bezel and bracelet—a combination engineered by Oris for their Hölstein Edition 2020. If larger cases do not entice you, this Divers Sixty-Five edition is sized at 38mm. Water-resistant to 100m, the case comes with a steel caseback, engraved with Oris’ 60s shield logo—a potent reminder of the brands legacy. The brand powers this timepiece with the Sellita SW200-1-based Oris 733 automatic movement—offering a 38-hour power reserve.

Maurice Lacroix’s Aikon Collection Expands

It will be safe to say that the Aikon collection sits as the crown jewel in the repertoire of Maurice Lacroix. Launched in 2016, Aikon presented an archetypal luxury steel sport watch. Initially available only in quartz, the brand introduced the Aikon Automatic Chronograph and Aikon Automatic Skeleton in 2018, expanding the Aikon portfolio. This year, it grows even more with these new editions.

Aikon Master Grand Date

One glance at the timepiece and the first feature that engages you is its complex dial. With its off-centred timekeeping, large, double-window date, and visible movement parts, the Aikon Master Grand Date reminds us of Masterpiece Gravity—Maurice Lacroix’s iconic timepiece that lived up to its name. Even though Grand Date stays true to the Aikon collection’s design codes, what sets it apart is its in-house calibre—ML331, which is a modified version of the Gravity’s calibre, reconstructed to suit an Aikon case. Beating at 18,000vph, and offering a power reserve of 50 hours, this calibre makes the Grand Date a highly sophisticated and a reliable watch.

Aikon Automatic in titanium

After releasing models in steel and bronze, the Aikon now comes in titanium. Needless to say, the material lends the timepiece a more robust construction and lightness

After releasing models in steel and bronze, the Aikon now comes in titanium. Needless to say, the material lends the timepiece a more robust construction and lightness. The 44mm case is water-resistant to 200m. This chronograph timepiece runs on the calibre ML 112, which offers a power reserve of 48 hours.

Aikon Venturers in bronze, and for ladies

Maurice Lacroix unveiled the 43mm bronze edition of Aikon Venturer, which now comes with an anthracite grey dial accentuated with sunray-brushed decoration

Maurice Lacroix revisits the Venturer in a more elegant, feminine avatar as well—in 38mm, fully crafted in steel, with a satin finish

In 2019, the Aikon Venturer was launched—Maurice Lacroix’s dive watch that saw instant success. Last year, they released it in bronze and green. And now the 43mm bronze edition comes with an anthracite grey dial accentuated with sunray-brushed decoration. Maurice Lacroix revisits the Venturer in a more elegant, feminine avatar as well—in 38mm, fully crafted in steel, with a satin finish. Like its predecessors, this Venturer is also water-resistant up to 300m, and comes with a white rubber strap or a steel bracelet. The lacquered, white dial features rhodium-finished hour-markers, eight of them set with diamonds.

Pontos Chronograph in Blue

It will be safe to say that Pontos, owing to its very specific yet appealing aesthetic falls somewhere between the very cool Aikon and sophisticated Masterpiece collections

The very details of this timepiece exude a sense of understated luxury

Maurice Lacroix also unveiled the Pontos Chronograph in a colour wheel of deep blue and grey. It will be safe to say that Pontos, owing to its very specific yet appealing aesthetic falls somewhere between the very cool Aikon and ultra-sophisticated Masterpiece collections. The very details of this timepiece exude a sense of understated luxury. Taking a detour from its usual grey and white dials, the brand welcomes a new sunray finished deep blue dial. The sheer craftsmanship peeks through three sub-dials at six, nine and 12 o’clock. It comes with a three-link steel bracelet, which can be replaced with a blue strap, matching the dial. It is fitted with the reliable ML 112 calibre, beating at 28,800vph and offers a power reserve of 48 hours.

Baume & Mercier Renew Their Riviera collection

There are watches and then, there are brand icons. For Baume & Mercier’s Riviera, it is certainly a befitting title. Launched in 1973, Riviera’s design elements are reminiscent of an exceptional watchmaking era. The collection played a role in introducing the world to the idea of embracing steel, just like any other precious material. Its impactful silhouette defined by a distinctive, dodecagonal bezel carved in solid steel still holds strong after so many years. At Watches and Wonders 2021, Baume & Mercier revisited their iconic collection with a few new models. Their latest offering—Riviera Baumatic represents the brands cutting-edge engineering

It comes equipped with their in-house Baumatic calibre which packs a power reserve of five days, beats at 28,800vph. The timepiece is available with a smoky-blue decorated sapphire crystal dial, that offers a peek at the movement within. The satin-finished steel 42mm steel case—water-resistant to 100m—comes fitted with a built-in steel bracelet. A black ADLC version features a smoky-grey sapphire crystal dial, and a black rubber strap. Other automatic variants of the Riviera in 42mm include those with dials in blue, black and a silvery hue, and come with easily interchangeable bracelets or straps. Specifially for ladies is the Riviera 36mm in quartz—available in a spectrum of azure blue, black, or silver-coloured dials, and also with interchangeable straps.

Other highlights

Defined by watches with rectangular frames, the Hampton collection now includes variants with red and blue straps, and even one with a green dial

Resonating with a lighter, more elegant side of luxury, their Classima collection's new variants now include green and grey dials

The recently relaunched Hampton collection—representing a more contemporary approach to design—also has new versions. Defined by watches with rectangular frames, the collection now includes variants with red and blue straps and even one with a green dial. Then of course, there are additions to the Classima collection—resonating with a lighter, more elegant side of luxury. Its new variants now include green and a grey dials. And for those who appreciate decadence, there are full-gold models as well. All have versions for men and women.