Along with brands like Oris and TAG Heuer, Maurice Lacroix has been intensely focusing their efforts on the entry-level market. Their strategy, it seems, is to come up with fun, quirky, and unusual watches that will appeal to buyers who are looking for something that’s out of the ordinary. And one of the more interesting new releases at Baselworld 2018 is the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Skeleton watch.

Specifications

Brand: Maurice Lacroix
Model: AI6028-SS001-030-1
Dimensions: 45mm (diameter) x 13mm (height)
Case Material: Stainless steel
Crystal/Lens: Sapphire
Movement: In-house self-winding open-work caliber ML234
Frequency: 2.5Hz
Power Reserve: 52 hours
Strap/Bracelet: Black alligator leather strap with Easychange strap system
Price & Availability: $5,990

Analysis

It’s always difficult to judge watches based on just press images alone, but the new Aikon Automatic Skeleton watch looks promising. Admittedly, it seems to have borrowed elements from other sport watches such as Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak and Hublot’s Big Bang. But I think it has enough personality to stand out on its own and it does look quite attractive, at least to me.

At 45mm wide, it’s a large watch, and its beefiness is accentuated by the six “arms” on the bezel and the integrated lug design of the case. Case aside, the highlight of the watch has got to be its skeletonized movement. The in-house caliber ML234 within is quite impressive, featuring highly skeletonized sand-blasted bridges coated in DLC, graining on the rest of the bridges, and a vertically brushed rhodium rotor. The manner in which it is skeletonized is worth a closer look as the bridges have been specially designed to “radiate” outwards from the mainspring barrel at one o’clock. As far as skeletonized movements go, this is one of the more aesthetically pleasing ones. The features don’t end there – it even has an Easychange system for quick swapping of straps.

But perhaps the most attractive thing about the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Skeleton in its price. At $5,999, you would be hard-pressed to find another Swiss-made watch featuring such a sporty design and an in-house skeletonized movement.

Summary

Sure, Maurice Lacroix might not have the brand clout of some of its rivals, but I can’t think of another watch from a mainstream Swiss brand that has a sporty and loud design, and a skeletonized manufacture movement. If you like its look and want something that is unusual and off the beaten path, this watch is well worth a closer look. The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Skeleton is priced at $5,999. mauricelacroix.com