Powerlite is a neat sounding name for an industrial alloy that Maurice Lacroix borrowed for their new Pontos S Extreme collection. I personally can’t attest to the “extreme” nature of the material (or watch), but it is an interesting metal that offers a pleasant tactile experience and light feel. It also apparently comes in blue. We go hands-on with a Maurice Lacroix’s new sporty chronograph collection for 2013.
In the future, hopefully the near future , the powers that be will perfect the production of colored ceramic materials that are preferred in the construction of watches. Right now one can only produce ceramic cases (for example) in a handful of mostly dark colors (with the exception of all white). I’ve seen attempts at other colors such as light pinks, blues, yellow, etc… They look washed out and powdery, and lack the punch most people want in a hue. Like I said, hopefully that will change in the near future as I would love to sport around watches produced in more interesting colors that are also durable and scratch resistant. Sure you can get a solid yellow watch, but it would either be plastic or delicate colored aluminum. That just won’t do.
So why am I seemingly going off on a tangent while discussing a watch without any ceramic parts (actually that isn’t entirely true), because Powerlite comes in blue! A color that you simply don’t find very often in case materials. It also comes in olive green and black. Now let me just say that while I appreciate the olive drab color that will appeal to your friendly and fashionable neighborhood militia member, I just don’t think it is going to be one of the top sellers. There isn’t anything wrong with it, but aside from playing an olive in a martini commercial, it feels particularly niche.
Black has been done. We have PVD black, and DLC black, as well as black ceramic of course (and more black materials for cases). The black version of the Pontos S Extreme isn’t bad (and it is a limited edition), but if Maurice Lacroix is able to color the Powerlite material in unique ways, then black feels a bit like a missed opportunity. Blue on the other hand is quite cool.
The deep blue color of that version of the Pontos S Extreme intrigues me. My first reaction was actually one of caution. I thought to myself that anyone seeing me wear it would think it was plastic. Why? Well because there really aren’t other good blue watches, so it is a safe thing for them to assume. If you are the only guy around with a blue metal watch, and the rest are plastic, then you probably run the risk of people being confused about it. Nevertheless, if you’ve been dreaming about a blue-cased watch, then your ship may have just arrived.
