The New Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Bronze

The Calpyso line was Maurice Lacroix‘s best-selling luxury sports watch during the 1990s and was powered by a mix of mechanical and quartz movements. Gauging the current market appetite for luxury sports watches for consumers without five-figure budgets, the Calypso underwent a fundamental overhaul and was transformed into the Aikon. Launched in 2016 with quartz movements, the Aikon appeared a year later with a mechanical movement and caught our attention. Maintaining the distinctive double claws on the bezel of the Calypso, the Aikon is now a well-consolidated collection of robust, well-built, attractive and affordable sports watches. To keep prices competitive, the movements are outsourced Swiss automatics. The latest Aikon time-and-date to join the collection is this handsome bronze model with a chocolate-brown fumé dial. 

Among the first brands to ride the bronze case wave, Maurice Lacroix released its first bronze Aikon in 2017. Bronze watches have a much warmer personality than steel and acquire a patina over time that is unique to each wearer. Compared to the first bronze edition, several changes contribute to the tighter, more refined design.

The robust 42mm brushed bronze tonneau-shaped case has a thickness of 11mm and features the signature double claws gripping the round bezel. Instead of being polished, the double claws feature a modern matte sandblasted finish that distinguishes them from the brushed surface of the bezel and gives them an extra bit of texture. To avoid contact with the skin, the screw-down caseback is made from stainless steel. The large screw-down crown ensures the case’s 200m water resistance.

In a departure from the earlier bronze model with its blue flat square-patterned dial, the Aikon flaunts the collection’s more sophisticated Clous de Paris dial texture. Rendered in a warm gradient chocolate-brown colour that is lighter in the centre and intensifies when it reaches the periphery, the dial captures the current trend for gradient dials. The choice of warm brown tones for the dial with the warm golden tones of the bronze case works very well in this context.

Another difference with the earlier bronze model is the removal of the Arabic numerals at 12, 6 and 9 o’clock. Instead, the dial features elegant 4N gold baton indices and hour and minute hands with a central strip of white Super-LumiNova. The combination of gold and chocolate is also spot-on, and the minute markers on the peripheral track are golden, as are the inscriptions on the dial. The golden frame of the date window at 3 o’clock completes this handsome composition.

The integrated brown vintage leather strap complements the warm, golden appeal of the case and dial. The practical, tool-free EasyStrap exchange system lets the wearer switch straps in seconds. Powered by a Sellita automatic calibre based on the SW200-1, the movement beats at 28,800vph and delivers a relatively modest power reserve of 38 hours. Visible through the caseback, it is industrially decorated with Geneva stripes and perlage.

Availability & Price

The Aikon Automatic Bronze is a limited edition of 888 pieces. The watch retails for CHF 2,400 (incl. tax) and can be acquired directly on the brand’s website.