Borrowed Time: Hands-On with the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer


Maurice Lacroix has significantly reduced its compartmentalized its catalog in recent years, focusing instead on the Aikon, its new flagship product line. Beginning with the introduction of the Aikon Quartz in 2016, the brand has incrementally expanded the collection, maintaining a clear design language focused on the classic, Gérald Genta-esque sports watch styling that is ever so popular today while remaining at a reasonable price point. This year, Maurice Lacroix added a dive watch to the mix with the new Aikon Venturer in two colorways and available on either a bracelet or rubber strap.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer - strap - front
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer on blue strap

The Aikon Venturer could be interpreted as a descendant of the Maurice Lacroix Calypso, which also included a diver’s version at the time. The Calypso was one of the brand’s most popular models in the 1990s and provided some of the design codes that live on in the Aikon Venturer. Specced to an impressive water resistance rating of 300 meters, the watch features a unidirectional bezel with a ceramic insert (the bezel and tabs are built from stainless steel). The case, as a whole, features an impressive level of detail with a variety of polishing and satin finishing.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer - bezel
The rotating bezel has steel tabs and a blue ceramic insert.

Sized at 43-mm wide by 11.6-mm tall, the watch wears smaller thanks to the integrated appearance of the bracelet and rubber strap. While the bracelet and rubber options look like they flow directly into the case, Maurice Lacroix has incorporated an “EasyChange system,” which consists of two bars (labeled with the Maurice Lacroix logo) fitted with protruding prongs that allow the wearer to quickly remove and change straps at a moment’s notice without the use of additional tools.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer - lugs
The strap is equipped with an easy-change system.

The two dial options, in black and blue, both offer an attractive sunburst finish that catches the eye. The hour markers are indicated with alternating round and rectangular indexes that are filled with luminescent material, as are the baton-style hands. A white date is located at 3 o’clock to add an extra bit of functionality to the watch’s day-to-day usage.

Inside the watch is the automatic ML115 movement that uses a workhorse Sellita SW 200-1 as its base. It offers up 38-hour power reserve. The watch’s screwed-in caseback features a “Vagues du Jura” motif surrounding the engraved “M” logo in the center.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer - back
The solid, screw-down caseback has a distinctive engraved motif and a Maurice Lacroix “M” logo.

Priced at $1,890 on rubber and $2,190 on the five-link stainless steel bracelet, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer offers a high degree of value proposition thanks to its impressive amount of finishing, overall attractive nature, and robust level of water resistance. As a more reasonably priced alternative to the classics of the sports watch genre, the Aikon Venturer succeeds in a great way.

Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer - bracelet
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer on steel bracelet

Maurice Lacroix will present a special, limited edition of the Aikon Venturer, the Aikon Venturer #TIMECODE, at the upcoming WatchTime New York collectors’ event on October 25-26, to the winner of the brand’s New York treasure hunt contest. Details on registration and how to participate can be found on the brand’s website, and one of the hidden #TIMECODES for the contest can be found below. Happy hunting!

ML WatchTime Timecode
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  1. Debashish

    The watch looks truly stunning on a steel bracelet and does not cost an arm and a leg.

    Reply
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