Seasonal watches? Why not. I know people who change the strap on every watch they own once a year, going from a Fall/Winter strap to a Spring/Summer strap. If straps can be seasonal, why not watches? Well, summer ’tis apparently the season for colorful watches, and Maurice Lacroix has just released a “Limited Summer Edition,” aimed squarely at those who want a pop of color and something fresh for the warm months ahead. The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Limited Summer Edition series features six models in three colors, in 35mm, 39mm, and 42mm. While the Tanager Turquoise is offered in all three sizes, the Ballerina Pink (yes, really) is offered in 35mm and 39mm, while the Orange Soda is only offered in 42mm.
To be very clear, none of these watches is new new. They are all simply expansions of the existing Aikon Automatic line, which offers models in 7 sizes from 35mm up to 45mm. The Aikon Automatic was introduced in 2018, two years after the Aikon quartz models, and with an updated, sportier case. (What’s more, 2018 was a bit before the current craze for integrated steel sports watches, so let’s not cry foul.) This release revisits the 35mm, 39mm, and 42mm sizes, but the cases are all identical in design. There are obviously going to be comparisons to the various existing watches in this style, but where I think the Aikon case defines itself is with the prominent “clawed” bezel and its mix of a soft outline with hard angles. Looking at the icons of the style, the Nautilus is a much softer look, with very few hard turns, while the Royal Oak, though certainly a closer match, is a much more angular watch.
The Aikon case is defined by the polished “claws” that come around the bezel, which features a brushed top and polished sides. The case takes a round silhouette that ends in sharply angled lugs and features a blend of surface finishes. All the models have a screw-down crown and offer 200m of water resistance. Note that the 35mm models are 10mm-thick, while the 39mm and 42mm models are 11mm-thick. Every model comes with a five-link stainless steel bracelet that continues the line of the watch around the wrist (particularly lovely is the way the chamfer on the case matches that of the links) with a butterfly clasp and a color-matched FKM rubber strap with a branded pin buckle. Both can be easily swapped thanks to quick-release pins.
Like the cases, the dials are more or less the same. They all feature the Clous de Paris pattern of the Aikon line, with a grooved ring at the peripheral with minute hashes. They all feature baton hour markers and matching handsets, with white Super-LumiNova applied throughout. I do want to commend Maurice Lacroix for managing the date windows so well. The watches all use the same movement, and as such, the location of the window is different in each size; the brand could have been lazy and had it float, but it took care to change each dial to accommodate the space, with the 42mm receiving partial batons next to the window. The only other option I see is to have used a no-date movement for the smaller 35mm models (which other brands have done).
There are a few elements that set the different sizes apart. While both the 35mm and 39mm have rhodium-plated hands and applied indices, the smaller cases feature eight diamond hour markers (these are marketed as unisex, but all other 35mm, diamond-set Aikons are tagged as women’s watches). The Orange Soda model, on the other hand, gets black hands and surrounds on the indices, plus a black date wheel instead of the white wheel on the other models.
The Aikon Automatic Limited Summer Edition watches run on the ML115 caliber, which is a Maurice Lacroix-branded Swiss Sellita SW200-1 executed in the elaboré grade, with a bit of perlage and snailing. We all know this movement, which runs at 28,800 vph with a 38-hour power reserve. Maurice Lacroix has added its own custom rotor with a bit of cutouts that can be seen through the sapphire crystal on the caseback.
As luck would have it, our very own Ripley Sellers got to go hands-on with the blue and orange 39mm models. He had the following to say: “It seems a number of brands realize that a colorful dial in an integrated bracelet case has an audience, so this release makes a lot of sense. Plus, a bright orange dial is one way to enjoy this style without someone feeling like they’re trying to look like they’re wearing an AP.” Check out some of his shots below.
Of course, all watches can be worn year-round, and the notion of a seasonal watch is more marketing than anything else. I’m not sure that any of these models are exclusively summer watches (go ahead and wear orange in the winter, you rebel!), but they are bright and fun, and given the broad range of sizes, no one will miss out. The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Limited Summer Edition watches are priced at $2,450 USD for the 39mm and 42mm models (AI6007-SS00F-431-C, AI6007-SS00F-530-E, AI6008-SS00F-431-C, AI6008-SS00F-530-E) and $2,500 USD for the diamond dial 35mm models (AI6006-SS00F-451-C, AI6006-SS00F-550-E). Each model is limited to 888 pieces. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
