There are a lot of wristwatch styles that have become iconic over the years and one of the most instantly recognisable is the integrated bracelet sports watch. Revolutionised by Gerald Genta in the 1970s with models like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, integrated sports watches are known for their integrated bracelets (hence the name), robust angular designs and industrial elements such as exposed screws. A modern example of this style of design is the new Maurice Lacroix AIKON PVD limited editions.
In terms of design, the AIKON features a broad, round case in stainless steel with a large flat bezel decorated with six claws. What makes the new AIKON PVD watches special is, and this may shock you, their PVD coating. PVD stands for physical vapour deposition and it’s a process whereby solid materials are vapourised in a vacuum and deposited on another surface in extremely thin layers. It’s a very versatile coating that can be made from a wide variety of materials and in virtually any colour.
For this duo of limited watches, Maurice Lacroix have opted for a blue and a black edition, both with metallic finishes, which looks great. The high shine metallic finish means that the surface is reflective like metal as opposed to matte. Each of the colourways is also a different size with the black version at 42mm in diameter while the blue is more svelte at 39mm. I actually think these are some of the most handsome renditions of the AIKON they’ve produced in a while, especially with the fumé Clous de Paris dials.
Powering the watches is the ML115 automatic calibre based on the Sellita SW200, visible through the exhibition caseback. It features a 38-hour power reserve, which is pretty standard for movements of this type even if we’d like it to be a little higher. Sellita have upgraded all of their movements so presumably this is produced from existing Maurice Lacroix stock and will eventually be improved when the new stock starts to be rotated into more collections. We know that Maurice Lacroix have a close relationship with Sellita, working together on the AIKON Skeleton model.
In terms of pricing and availability, both AIKON PVD models are limited to 888 pieces each at a price of £2,300. I understand the comments that the AIKON is a little too derivative of the Royal Oak, but you can’t buy an RO for £2,300. If you want an accessible integrated sports watch, Maurice Lacroix are worth a serious look.
Price and Specs:
Model:
Maurice
Lacroix AIKON PVD
Ref:
AI6008-PVB00-330-2
(gunmetal grey 42mm), AI6007-PVC00-430-4 (midnight blue 39mm)
Case:
39/42mm
diameter, stainless steel with grey or blue PVD coating
Dial:
Grey
or blue fumé dial with Clous de Paris motif
Water resistance:
100m
(10 bar)
Movement:
Maurice
Lacroix calibre ML115, automatic, 26 jewels
Frequency:
28,800
vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve:
38h
Functions:
Hours,
minutes, seconds
Strap:
Rubber
Price:
£2,300,
limited to 888 pieces each
More details at Maurice Lacroix.
Oracle Time