Hands-On With The Maurice Lacroix AIKON Automatic Skeleton

Maurice Lacroix had already made an impression with innovations and complications such as – retrograde calendars, mysterious seconds, square wheels – and unique skeletonization on its Masterpiece collection (see Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece). Now the AIKON collection benefits from this horological treatment.
 

The modern design of the AIKON, architectural and strong, proudly asserts itself here. We are in the sports watch universe. Masculine and imposing. The case has grown from 42 to 45mm for the automatic 3 hands version, and the thickness is 13mm. The timekeeper does not go unnoticed. The round bezel sets itself on a round case in a very subtle architectural balance. It could have been on the heavy side, and it is not! The alternating brushed finishing of the case with its mirror polished angles and of the matte bezel whose flank and double indexes placed every two hours are also polished.
 

These elements convey a very elegant and qualitative touch to this Aikon Automatic Skeleton. Its sporty, robust and masculine character is asserted, yet softened by these refined and discreet notes. The integrated lugs, shorts and plunging, optimize the comfort of the wearer and bring lightness – all proportions kept – to the whole.
 

The open-work intelligently highlights brushed bridges with a DLC black treatment who convey a real movement to the dial. They form a ripple emanating from the barrel bridge at one o’clock which moves in five concentric circles all the way to seven o’clock. The black DLC treatment provides a welcome legibility to the timekeeper: a recurrent issue with skeletonized watches that Maurice Lacroix eludes masterfully.
 

The applied hours indexes are rhodium plated, as are the hours and minutes hands. It reinforces the contrast… and adds further readability. It works very well. The small seconds counter is discreet and elegant with its small hand rhodium plated which seems to float at 6 o'clock. The brand demonstrates once more its ability to offer beautiful mechanical watchmaking with a characteristic style without reaching unaffordable costs. The triple deploying buckle adorned with beautiful circular graining of this steel model is yet another example of this feat.