The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Master Grand Date Technicolour Collection (Live Pics & Price)

Like Cyndi Lauper’s smash 1983 hit, watch designers at Maurice Lacroix have decided that watches “just want to have fun”. Probably more in line with the upcoming summer season, the Aikon Master Grand Date, with its off-centred dial, big date and exposed balance wheel, gets a blast of colour. Available in four new eye-catching colours, each limited to 50 pieces, the latest Master Grand Date models combine serious mechanics with a healthy dose of fun.

The Grand Master Date fuses the rugged, sporty case of the Aikon with the characteristic off-centred dial layouts and visible movement parts found in the Masterpiece collection, like this 2021 Masterpiece Gravity. Since its debut, the Aikon has appeared in various guises with time-and-date models, chronographs,  skeletonised chronographs and even more complex models with in-house movements like the intriguing Aikon Mercury with its free-hand display. The Master Grand Date, also powered by an in-house movement, debuted in the collection in 2021. No stranger to colour, the Grand Master Date went to town with a bright orange model in a carbon fibre case for Only Watch 2021. The latest models follow suit and are available with vibrant accents of slightly metallic, electric orange, green, blue and yellow.

Aikon case

The large 45mm stainless steel case has a thickness of 15mm and is treated with a black DLC coating that attenuates the dimensions, at least visually. Respecting the distinctive angular architecture of the 100m water-resistant Aikon case, the six signature claws on the bezel are polished to stand out against the matte sandblasted surfaces that engulf the watch.

Bright dials

The black dial plate hosts the off-centred hours and minutes disc on the right side of the dial with its intersecting openworked small seconds counter revealing some of the moving parts. Featured in any of the four vibrant metallised colours, the dials are embossed with a classic Clous de Paris pattern for additional texture. To enhance legibility, the applied indices and hour and minute hands are treated with Super-LumiNova, and the tip of the central seconds hand is red. The large irregular-shaped aperture for the reversed escapement, visible between 6 and 9 o’clock, reveals the balance wheel held under an arched skeletonised bridge and its silicon escapement. Matching the colour of the time indications, the big date window at 10 o’clock features the numerals in yellow, green, blue or orange.

Colour also makes its way to the rubber straps that are integrated into the case and feature the Maurice Lacroix name embossed in relief. Like all Aikon models, the brand’s Easychange system means that you can exchange the strap in seconds, and the watches come with an additional black rubber strap to tone down the look if required.

Calibre ML331

On the reverse side of the watch, you get a clear view of the ML331 manufacture movement. Although Maurice Lacroix predominantly uses third-party movements, a part of the collection is fitted with in-house developed movements, often featuring unconventional displays. The Aikon Master Grand Date is powered by the in-house calibre ML331, with off-centred hours, minutes and small seconds indication, and a big date with a double window at 10 o’clock. This automatic movement runs at 18,000vph, delivers a 50h power reserve and is finished in black with a skeletonised sandblasted rotor.

Availability & Price

The Aikon Master Grand Date Technicolour is limited to 50 pieces per colourway and comes in a special matching colour package made of #tide composite material from upcycled ocean plastic. The watch is available on the brand’s webpage, and the retail price is CHF 8,790.