ReviewThe Thrilling Mercurial Swing Of The Maurice Lacroix Aikon Mercury
A novel interpretation of time, the Aikon Skeleton Mercury is just the kind of Maurice Lacroix product that the brand would like to be represented by. We explored this different take on mechanical innovation, and we saw exactly why the watch is named after the fluid metal
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There’s a certain quality about watches that require some kind of human intervention to perform their function, which really makes them special. For instance, I cannot observe a chronograph watch without starting the chrono function at least once, and then resetting it to see the hand go back to 12 o’clock. So when I saw the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Skeleton Mercury, it was an absolute delight to see both the hour and minute hands rise up to 12 o’clock with just an upward tilt of the watch.
Like trickling mercury, the hands just go loose and stop telling the time with that movement, but as soon as you hold the watch upright, as you would to read the time off your wrist, the hands swing back to show the time, which the movement beating within never stopped keeping.
A Playful Take On Time
Now, this isn’t really a function per se, but the fact that it’s all mechanical is what makes it a baffling visual. And of course, mechanical watchmaking is not just about the functions of timekeeping anyway. In fact, this here is a whimsical interpretation of time, as Maurice Lacroix’s managing director, Stéphane Waser, puts it. “It’s not another tourbillon or an escapement,” he says. “It’s just a playful way of looking at time.” Still, it goes deeper than that for Maurice Lacroix.
A Mechanical Success
“It brings together all the values of Maurice Lacroix. It has the craftsmanship and the technology, which is ours,” Waser adds, referring to the movement that was developed in-house. The time memory module is built onto the self-winding base movement that offers a power reserve of 38 hours. “The name Mercury comes from the fact that the hands have a very mercurial way of behaving,” Waser informs. “This actually works on two weight levers. When the weight levers flip, that’s when the hands go loose. It’s like a clutch that disengages the hands.”
All this mechanical brilliance is housed in a 44mm steel case, water resistant to 100m. The alligator leather or steel straps are easily interchangeable. The versatility of the watch—in addition to its signature feature, which requires the wearer’s intervention—really makes this piece a special treat.
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Maurice Lacroix Aikon
AI6088-SS002-030-1
