Maurice Lacroix Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde

In the world of fine watchmaking, retrograde indications remain comparatively rare. Over the years, Maurice Lacroix, a company known for indicating time using innovative techniques, has conceived a variety of retrograde indications, drawing on its vast watchmaking know-how. Now, the brand from the Franches Montagnes is pleased to unveil the Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde, a watch imbued with ‘innovative craftsmanship’ and equipped with three retrograde indications. The name of this model may incorporate the word ‘retrograde’, but don’t be fooled this model has a bright future.

Three retrogrades: one singular step into the future

Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, Maurice Lacroix is duly proud of its achievements and notable success. However, it remains a forward-looking company, conceiving future chapters of its page-turning story. A fundamental pillar to achieving its goals is to deliver exciting products, incorporating creativity and Swiss watchmaking tradition along with accessible excellence. In particular, the Swiss brand has shown a remarkable talent for conceiving new and imaginative ways of indicating time from rotating square and clover-shaped wheels to mysterious second hands that seemingly float mid-air. But most of all, Maurice Lacroix is known for retrograde displays. With this complication, one lone hand moves along an arcing track in linear fashion until it reaches its end point and then, within the blink of an eye, it flicks back to the start and begins its journey anew.

In 1999, Maurice Lacroix released the Calendar Retrograde and, three years later, it unveiled the Double Retrograde (2002), both featuring proprietary mechanisms. Now, Maurice Lacroix unveils the Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde, a new model incorporating ‘innovative craftsmanship’ that unites cutting-edge materials and technology with the brand’s signature complication.

Uniting retrogrades and skeletonised elements

The anthracite dial, adorned with a vertical brush, embraces skeletonised elements with four apertures, each revealing a section of the movement’s rhodium plated mainplate. The automatic ML291 Manufacture Calibre is also adorned with Côtes de Genève, a classical decoration composed of vertical lines. At 9 o’clock, an aperture plays host to a small seconds display. The three remaining apertures are retrograde indications, displaying the home time (GMT), the day and the date. All four apertures are endowed with circular brushed tracks and silver powder printing, wonderfully contrasting with the adjacent vertical lines. Moreover, the retrograde indications all feature a blue hand and rack, while the associated bridges are rhodium plated, circular brushed and secured with polished screws.

The proprietary retrograde mechanisms, optimally positioned towards the periphery of the movement, endow the watch with an expansive dial that proves eminently simple to read, appears balanced and affords sufficient room to showcase the complication to maximum effect.

The hour and minute hands (lined with SLN), together with the hour markers, were inspired by the arms gracing the bezel of the AIKON, Maurice Lacroix’s best-selling watch. Faceted, rhodium-plated and imbued with a sandblasted centre line, they demonstrate the brand’s fastidious attention to detail. The Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde juxtaposes circular motifs and vertical lines while at the same time presents components at different levels, imbuing the display with depths, heightening visual appeal.

An alluring beauty that will never fade

Housed in a 43 mm stainless steel case, uniting brushed and polished surfaces, the Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde is fitted with a ceramic bezel endowed with the AIKON’s six, double-width arms, a design that is also celebrated with the ceramic crown. Ceramic is scratchproof and won’t fade when exposed to UV-light, ensuring the beauty of the watch will never diminish.

The strap affixes to the case with high-gleam attachments, while the flanks of the case are enriched with variable chanfreins (chamfers that increase in magnitude) that readily engage with light. To ensure maximum dial legibility, the sapphire crystal features an upgraded anti-reflective coating, granting superior light transmittance and improved resistance to salt water.

The patented ML easy change system

The watch is presented on a black rubber strap incorporating a textured insert and sporting a black rubber M-logo. It is equipped with the new patented ML Easy Change, allowing the wearer to remove the strap and swap it for an alternative without the need for tools. Moreover, with no visible catches or levers, the smooth lines of the case are preserved. Where the central row of links meets the case body, they pivot, allowing the strap to be separated from the watch head. Refitting the strap simply requires the wearer to line it up and push it home until it clicks into position.

Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix, remarks, “Throughout our history we have demonstrated an inventive mindset, conceiving imaginative ways of indicating time while creatively using curves, lines, colours and materials to make bold and exciting expressions of fine watchmaking. It is over 25 years since we released our first retrograde model, the Calendar Retrograde, a watch that incorporated our own proprietary mechanism. Since then, we have launched further models equipped with retrograde indications, a rare complication in the market that is now a signature of our brand. We have distilled all these characteristics and combined them into a new, pure and exciting model that unites retrograde indications with skeletonised elements. Clearly inspired by past creations, the AIKONIC Master Triple Retrograde celebrates a fantastic complication, in triplicate! The model is the distillation of the AIKON design codes, our movement expertise and our mastery of materials, all expressed in one singular form; a future icon. This new model demonstrates our Manufacture’s talent for making ultra-desirable and highly relevant urban watches and provides an insight into the future direction of Maurice Lacroix.”

Technical specifications

Maurice Lacroix Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde

Reference: AC6068-SSL20-230-2

Case

• Material: Stainless steel brushed and polished
• Brushed and polished black ceramic bezel (ZrO2) with sandblasted black ceramic (ZrO2) claws.
• Stainless steel crown with black ceramic (ZrO2) cover
• Diameter: 43.00 mm
• Thickness: 13.00 mm
• Open case back with sapphire glass
• Water-resistant to 10 ATM / 100 meters

Dial and hands

• Anthracite vertical brushed dial with anthracite counters with silver powder printings
• Rhodium circular brushed bridges and anthracite external flange with silver powder printings
• Rhodium index with sandblasted central line
• Rhodium faceted hour and minute hands with white SLN and central sandblasted line
• Rhodium facetted small second hand with sandblasted central line
• Blued faceted retrograde hands with sandblasted central line

Movement

• Automatic manufacture ML291
• Power reserve: approx. 38 hours
• Frequency: 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz)
• Number of jewels: 47
• Rhodium movement and colimaçon on bridges
• Côte de Genève on upper plate. Automatic skeleton rotor with Côte de Genève and colimaçon

Functions/Indications

• Hours and minutes, small seconds at 9H
• GMT retrograde 24 hours at 12H
• Day retrograde at 3H
• Date retrograde at 6H

Strap and buckle

• Bi-rubber strap with black rubber base and black textured nylon imitation rubber inset with black stitching and black rubber M-logo
• New ML Easy Change system

MSRP: CHF 6'450

For more information, please visit mauricelacroix.com