Here we have the Aikon Venturer, a more rugged, aggressive and slightly more casual take on the Aikon. This one, in particular, is a limited edition – which comes with a slightly different second strap (additional to the steel bracelet) and orange accents for an extra €100.

Let’s check it out to see how it holds up.

The specs

• Dimensions: 43mm diameter x 12mm height x 49mm lug to lug
• Weight: on strap – 130g, on bracelet – 178g
• Water resistance rating: 30ATM / 300m
• Movement: ML115
• Accuracy: +9.7 sec/day
• Lug width: 13mm inside lugs, 25mm outer edge
• Warranty: 2 years
• Price: 2,290€ / ~£2050
• Available from: https://www.mauricelacroix.com/eu_en/watches/watches-aikon/aikon-venturer-43mm-ai6058-ss002-431-1

The video review

The case

Let’s be honest, spending around £2000, you expect the case to be top-notch. And indeed, it is.

Satin-finished with polished edges, it has a luxurious air to it that certainly backs up the price tag. How does it wear? Surprisingly well and easy for a 43mm diameter watch. The lugs and integrated strap and bracelet take an aggressive down-turn, allowing it to hug the wrist. The height of 12mm is to the tip of the crown arms, so the height of the bulk of the watch is surprisingly slender.

The bezel’s distinctive six “arms” are much more aggressive, sporty and functional than the normal Aikon; providing excellent grip and visual indicator of the 10-minute intervals. The general grip around the edge of the bezel is also very grippy, so it’s simple to use. The bezel action is what you’d expect: buttery smooth, lines up accurately and just the right firmness.

Additionally, the bezel insert is glossy ceramic, which catches the eye alongside all the other reflective elements. The bezel markings are engraved into the ceramic and are lume filled.

A “Vagues du Jura” motif surrounds the engraved “M” logo in the centre of the case back, which is secured in place by 7 screws.

Moving on to the screw-in crown; it is on the wide side of things (I probably would have preferred it to not protrude past the crown guards quite as much), but it is easy to use and grip. The “M” logo is embossed on the end, against a frosted backdrop. The crown guards are rather utilitarian in design, which I like.

The dial

Available in black or blue, the sun-brushed dial certainly is versatile and assembled to exquisite levels.

The delicious sunburst backdrop is just the beginning; as the entire dial is so well balanced and crafted.

The applied “M” logo is perfectly made and applied, whilst all print work is delicate and precise.

The baton hour and minute hands are relatively plain, and in this instance, less is more. Simple, bold hands that get the job done; whilst still maintaining a smidgen of elegance. The seconds hand is a straight stick, with a lumed disc and orange painted tip.

The hour markers are a pleasantly unusual yet simple design: orange discs, batons and a triangle with a lumed central channel with rounded edges to fit within their containers. I love the orange splash, which occurs on this limited edition only.

Some may grumble at the date wheel not being colour matched to the dial, however that never really bothers me; when it’s white it’s much more of a feature and easy to locate and read. The window has a neat applied, polished border to it which allows it to stand out even more.

The lume used throughout the Aikon Venturer is Super-LumiNova. I’d say it’s average; sure you can see it but it doesn’t glow super bright or last a crazy long time.

The strap and bracelet

The bad news for some is the fact that both the strap and bracelet are integrated (so no third-party straps). The good news, though, is that the strap and bracelet are simply incredible – and you’d be foolish to want to change them. The build quality, comfort, attention to detail truly are impressive.

This limited edition comes with both the strap and bracelet featured in this review. They both feature quick-release pins (with a teeny-tiny Maurice Lacroix logo engraved on the end of the toggles) and are relatively straightforward to switch. I find the strap a lot easier to fit than the bracelet, which requires a bit of wiggling to catch.

The bracelet is a delight to look at, with so many facets and angles reflecting the light in so many wondrous ways. It’s got an aura of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak to it – and indeed, this is a worthy affordable alternative.

The bracelet is constructed of a myriad of interlocking links, which mould to the wrist well and provide very comfortable wear. The precision of manufacturing is plain to see, with perfect finishing to boot.

The bracelet features a concealed butterfly clasp, which could prove difficult for some to get a perfect fit (as there are no half links). The Maurice Lacroix logo is deeply and accurately engraved on the top side of the clasp.

The leather-backed canvas style strap is another winner in my eyes. I’m usually 100% a bracelet guy, but this strap is so good I’m enjoying the Aikon Venturer on both. As you’d expect, it integrates seamlessly into the case, and the small “M” logo embedded in the top of the end facing you is a little piece of heaven. The blue naturally matches the dial, whilst the orange stitching is an eye-catching nod to the hour markers.

The butterfly clasp is solid and detailed, with a variety of angles and facets that catch the eye. It’s reassuringly sturdy and feels reliable in the hand.

The movement

The movement powering the Aikon is labelled as the “ML 115”. Whilst it may sound like an in-house movement, in reality, it’s just a Sellita SW200-1 with a custom rotor. It’s a bit confusing when brands do this, almost a little bit “cloak and dagger” as it requires a bit of digging to find out more about it.

The Sellita SW200-1 is a great movement, and there’s no harm in specifying that. For me, I don’t feel a custom rotor justifies renaming a movement for marketing purposes. The good news is that as it has the incabloc anti-shock, it means that it’s the premium grade.

Accuracy is a mediocre +9.7 sec/day. For a watch costing this much, I would have preferred a more regulated movement; however, I usually say mechanicals under +/- 10 secs/day which aren’t COSC are acceptable.

Specs include a high beat rate of 28.8k bph (8 ticks a second), 38-hour power reserve, 26 jewels, hacking seconds, hand and automatic winding.

Final comments

This limited edition is slightly more expensive than the regular Aikon Venturer (€100). Is it worth it? It’s all down to if you’d prefer this strap over the rubber strap, and also if you dig the orange accents. To me, at the RRP the extra price isn’t going to make a huge difference and I love the orange and strap.

Is it a good value watch in general though? I’ve been extremely impressed by the watch from top to bottom. I’m genuinely struggling to find any negatives to note here.

I love the design (been a fan of the Aikon for a while) and in the metal, it’s impressed me greatly. Sure, at the RRP, it can be classed as a luxury watch – so I’d hope it would. But you certainly get the impression you’re getting your money’s worth here.

The post Maurice Lacroix Aikon Venturer Watch Review appeared first on 12&60.

Maurice Lacroix has its roots in a Zürich based company named Desco von Schulthess, which started producing watches and movements for other brands in 1961. As they were quite successful, in 1975 they decided to brand some of their watches and sell them under the name Maurice Lacroix. Just five years later, they were no longer producing watches for third parties.

The Aikon is a rebirth of the Calypso line of watches from the 1990s, following the same design language. The stand-out features on these timepieces are the six polished “arms”, as Maurice Lacroix calls them, placed around the bezel, as well as the bracelets, usually consisting of five links, with a design similar to that of an integrated bracelet. The first line of Aikon watches that came out in 2016 had quartz movements, and in 2018 the company released new, much more refined versions, powered by automatic movements this time.

The watch comes in either 42mm or 39mm, with dial colors ranging from blue to white and black. In this review, we will take a look at the 42mm blue dial version.

The Case

Maurice Lacroix produces its cases and bracelets in their own factories. The Aikon Automatic in particular is assembled and finished on the same production line as their Masterpiece watches, meaning the watch fulfills much higher standards of quality.

Sharp angles are predominantly found on the Aikon’s design, which fits the sporty aesthetic that this watch is mainly going for. However, some elegantly curved lines are thrown into the mix as well, such as the way the case curves towards the lugs, or how the bracelet tapers down to the clasp. The watch is very detailed overall as it features contrasts of satin-brushed areas with highly polished chamfers on the edges.

The Aikon’s 42mm stainless steel case might seem slightly large at first, especially for people with small wrists. However, thanks to a few design elements, the watch is actually much more wearable. First, the sharply curved down lugs and integrated bracelet design ensures a lug-to-lug distance of just 47mm. In addition to this, the bezel is approximately 3mm thick, which means the dial is about 39mm, giving the impression that the watch looks smaller on the wrist. Below you can see the 42mm Aikon on a 6.5-inch wrist.

The watch is 10mm thick, which is pretty standard for automatic watches. When viewed from this angle, the contrast between the types of finishing is most apparent: the side of the case is brushed, surrounded by chamfered edges that are highly polished, creating an outline. Moving up to the bezel, a tiny portion of it is brushed vertically, followed by the larger polished edge which goes up at a slightly different angle.

The bezel is satin-brushed vertically with chamfered and polished square arms. This gives the watch a pretty unique look and creates a visually pleasing combination of brushed and polished surfaces, however, the squares tend to pick up scratches easily. So if you’re like me and you obsess over keeping your watches as scratch-free as possible, take extra care when wearing this near door frames…

The watch does not feature crown guards, however, I see that as a plus, as they would’ve added bulk to the watch. The screw-down crown seems to be sized just right: it is large enough for you to use it comfortably, but it shouldn’t dig into the back of your hand. On the side of the crown, the Maurice Lacroix logo is embossed. Winding the watch feels very smooth, as well as screwing or unscrewing the crown.

The back of the case is brushed entirely in a circular pattern and it is held in place by seven small screws. The sapphire crystal ensures a water resistance of 200m while also allowing you to peek at the nicely finished movement. Yes, the watch has a depth rating of 200m without specifically being designed for diving. Whether that is overkill or not is up to you, but I believe Maurice Lacroix wanted you to enjoy this watch and never have to worry about water ruining your timepiece.

The Bracelet

The bracelet is almost entirely satin-brushed, with the edges being beveled and polished in-line with the case for a consistent look. It is comprised of five stainless steel links, held together by pins and collars. You might have expected screws at this price point, however, the pin-and-collar system has its perks and keeps the costs low. The bracelet starts out 24mm at its widest, and tapers down to 20mm near the butterfly clasp. The clasp gives the watch a clean and uniform look once the watch sits on your wrist, but this comes at the cost of not having micro-adjustments, so depending on your wrist size and how much you want that perfect fit, this may or may not be a problem. The clasp is also proof of the attention to detail present on the Aikon: it features perlage finishing on one side, while the other is highly polished with the logo stamped on it.

Note that the bracelet is not actually integrated, its design only mimics the appearance of one. Therefore, it can be removed if you wish, and to this end it sports a quick release system – two quick-release pins can be seen on the back of the bracelet. The system is very simple: push the pins together, and the bracelet is released. To fix the bracelet back into place, you can just place it under the case and push upwards – it will snap without having to push the pins. I also thought it’s interesting that the Maurice Lacroix logo is present on the tiny pins themselves.

It’s important to keep in mind that the watch does not feature a standard strap attachment system, and as such your strap changing options are limited to what the brand has on offer.

The Dial

The dial is most definitely the star of this watch. The incredible Clous de Paris pattern which dominates most of the dial’s surface is quite a thing to behold. The tiny little pyramids beautifully play with light, giving the dial different shades of blue, purple or even gray, depending on viewing angle and lighting conditions. They even managed to give the dial a gorgeous sunray effect.

The pattern stops around the outer ring of the dial, creating a separate, flat space for the minute markers, which increases their legibility. The baton-shaped hour markers are polished, with double indices at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. The date display is placed in a frame at 3 o’clock, which cuts the nearby double indices in half – I actually prefer it this way, I think it helps with the overall symmetry of the dial. However, the date wheel doesn’t match the color of the dial, but this is only a minor nuisance. The hour and minute hands are pencil-shaped, while the second hand is a simple thin baton. Every metallic part found on the dial has been plated with rhodium. Overall the elements of the dial are minimalistic, creating a very appealing aesthetic and allowing you to fully enjoy the Clous de Paris decoration.

Lume

Lume is present on the indices, as well as on the hour and minute hands. It does a fairly good job and lasts a decent amount of time, but it’s nothing to write home about, so don’t expect amazing levels of brightness or longevity. I actually consider the lume to be one of the weaker points of the watch, but only because it doesn’t live up to the standards of every other feature on the timepiece. In the picture that follows, you can see the lume at its brightest, in dim lighting conditions.

The Movement

The caliber ML115 is a modified version of the Sellita SW200-1. This has sparked a bit of controversy among watch enthusiasts, many of them considering that Maurice Lacroix should’ve gone for a higher grade movement. While the company has the capability of producing their own movements (and they love showing it off too, check out the Aikon Mercury, or any Masterpiece watch), an in-house movement would have skyrocketed the price of the watch.

While it’s true that there’s nothing too fancy about the movement, it manages to keep time very well, while also looking quite good. Decorations such as perlage, Côtes de Genève and satin brushing have been added onto parts of the movement. It may also be worth mentioning that the rotor is rhodium plated.

A frequency of 28800 vibrations per hour keeps the second hand moving smoothly across the dial. This also means that the watch has a power reserve of 38 hours, as higher frequencies will require more power. As far as accuracy goes, personally I’ve never had any issues in one year of ownership: usually the watch has been accurate within ± 6 seconds per day. These movements generally are pretty robust and reliable, so your experience shouldn’t be too different.

In Conclusion

The Aikon is an incredible watch for its price. It’s hard to believe Maurice Lacroix was able to produce this timepiece and sell it for under 2000 euros – its affordability and high quality make for a very attractive offer. It goes well with your everyday attire, but it’s suitable for more formal situations, too. If you can live with its minor drawbacks, there’s no way you won’t be able to enjoy this watch.

PROs:

High quality fit and finish
Sapphire Crystal on both sides
200m depth rating
Robust and reliable movement
Rhodium-plated hands, indices, and rotor

CONs:

Slightly weak lume
No bracelet micro-adjustments
Limited options when changing straps

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