BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
Maurice Lacroix introduced the Aikon automatic collection during Baselworld 2018. Featuring a bold and sporty design, refined execution and great specifications, all at a relatively affordable price point the Aikon automatics offer a great value proposition in their price and category. But as they say, why should men have all the fun. So, now the brand has introduced a smaller 35 mm version of the Aikon targeted towards the women audience.
One of the key defining characteristics of the men’s automatic Aikon collection is its distinctive case design and the same has been carried over to these new smaller watches. Measuring 35mm in diameter the bold and aggressive looking stainless-steel case is highly influenced by luxury watches such as the Nautilus and the Royal Oak but features some intriguing details that make its stand on its own. Like its elder siblings, it has an integrated cushion style design and has been beautifully finished displaying a mix of brushed and polished surfaces. Sitting on top of the case is a circular bezel that features six polished claws that give the watch its signature look. There is a sapphire crystal on both the front and the back, and the watch is still water-resistant to 200 meters.
The biggest changes in these new watches have been made on the dial front. While the layout looks familiar there are a few noteworthy details. Firstly, to give the watch a feminine appeal all hour markers except for the ones at 6,9 and 12 feature diamonds. Secondly, alongside the already existing sporty Clou de Paris dial, Maurice Lacroix has also added a new Mother of Pearl dial to give the watch an elegant look. Apart from this you still have the simple yet well-proportioned handset and a date window at 3.
Powering these new watches is the Maurice Lacroix’ Calibre ML 115. This is an automatic movement and is a modified version of the Sellita SW200-1. The movement operates at a frequency of 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of around 38 hours. It has been nicely decorated and can be viewed through the exhibition case back.
The addition of the new Maurice Lacroix 35mm Aikon automatic watches makes the existing Aikon collection a well-rounded offering that can be enjoyed by both men and women. All watches would come attached to an integrated bracelet with a total of three variants available for purchase. The regular Clou de Paris version would retail for CHF 1,850 and the MOP versions would retail for CHF 1,950 or CHF 1,990 (white MOP with golden accents).
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