Maurice Lacroix has started releasing information about their upcoming Baselworld 2013 collection. They will be debuting two watches each week leading up to the start of BaselWorld. This week kicks off with two new models within their very successful Pontos range of elegant but sporty automatic chronographs. The Pontos is arguably Maurice Lacroix’s most recognizable model, and rightfully so, as they have managed to design a watch that looks distinctive without being especially boisterous or ostentatious.
The new models, ref 6188 and 6288, are both powered by the Valjoux 7750 automatic chronograph movement which has been adjusted to three positions and features cotes de geneve decoration. The 7750 allows for sub seconds, a thirty minute register, and a 12 hour register with the chronograph seconds being displayed centrally. With 43mm stainless steel cases, these new Pontos’ are nicely sized and are equipped with an anti-reflective front sapphire crystal as well as a sapphire display case back. Water resistance is a reasonable 50m and either model can be optioned with a calfskin strap or stainless steel bracelet.
The 6188 is the dressier of the two models with integrated chronograph pushers (very cool) and a black dial that houses a high contrast rose gold marker and hand set. Proportionally balanced, the Pontos Chronographe 6188 has a nicely detailed display and the date feature has been cleanly integrated into the lower (twelve hour) sub dial.
The 6288 comes in two variations, alternating in black and white for the dial/sub dial arrangement. Essentially the same layout as the 6188, the 6288 opts for piston pushers and a chrome-style hand set and marker design that works well for either the black with white/silver sub dials or the white with black sub dials. The tachymeter track around the dial offers a pop of color that is shared by both the “tachymetre” label on the dial (in red) and the border around the date display in the lower sub dial.
While I think the pusher design on the 6188 looks really good, I would most like to wear the black dialed 6288 as its white metal hands, markers and silver sub dials best tie in with the beautiful Pontos case design (check out those lugs and turbine-like crown). I’ve always enjoyed the Pontos Chronographe, so what’s not to like about a couple of new versions? No word on pricing yet but we will do our best to get some live photos of the 6188 and 6288 at BaselWorld later this spring.