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Since its introduction back in 2016, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon has been the brand’s affordable flagship. In the brand's various experiments over the years, that highly defined case has been given artistic engravings, versions in the recently popular titanium, and even some models made of recycled ocean plastic. Well, the obvious route for a new case material is ceramic, and Maurice Lacroix has successfully created an Aikon that's affordable, stylish, and even improves upon standard ceramic qualities.The caseWhile the design for the Aikon was inspired by the Calypso of the 1990s, it's by no means a reissue, and wears its other influences proudly. Rather than using a geometric bezel to echo the success of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, the Aikon uses a round bezel with six pairs of raised bars to establish its chunky character. The use of an integrated bracelet grants the watch a very specific silhouette that's smooth and flowing, while emphasising its harsh facets. A case of pure matte black or polished white only serves to accentuate the various changes in depth and angle, almost like an artificial rendering on your wrist.Ceramic has typically been reserved for high-end watches thanks to its high scratch resistance and irresistible glossy sheen, but Maurice Lacroix has played the Aikon Automatic Ceramic a little differently. While the white model does have that decadent sheen like it's hewn from solid milk, the black model is matte for a subtler approach. Not only are they stylistically versatile, but Maurice Lacroix has tweaked the ceramic formula to give it even more strength and hardness. In theory, that means Maurice Lacroix's new “Technical Ceramic” will be more resistant to shattering than most other ceramic watches, too. Available in 39mm or 42mm sizes, you should be able to pick the one which will best fit you. It’s also impressive to see a watch like this with a 200-metre water resistance rating, especially considering the 11mm thickness even with an automatic movement.The dialMaintaining the same homologated effect as the pure ceramic cases, the dials of the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Ceramic are either solid white or solid black. The clous de Paris motif is a perfect texture, as its roughness contrasts the smoothness of the case, but the overall effect compliments its sharp edges. There's also a section of concentric rings around the dial's perimeter for the minute markers, so they can be easily printed and read without interference from the hobnails.The glossiness isn't the only thing that contributes to the white model feeling more elegant, as the applied baton induces, logo and hands are silver in colour which catches light reflections easily. Meanwhile, they're blacked out on the black model, leaving most of the legibility coming from the stark white luminous paint. The date window is nicely integrated on both versions, only cropping half of the 3 o'clock marker.The braceletOn the surface, the Aikon Ceramic's integrated bracelet is a fairly standard five-link affair, but it has been executed with great attention to detail. Ceramic is a tricky material, so extra care was taken to ensure that all of the surfaces touching the wrist remained comfortable and smooth. The links are even able to flex slightly, ensuring that it won't be too tight even if you prefer a snug fit. The butterfly clasp is made from stainless steel to ensure its reliability over time, and has a near seamless closure for a smooth appearance. The flat surfaces of the bracelet links also give it that rippling light effect as your wrist moves, whether it’s the black or white reference.The movementBehind a sapphire exhibition caseback, surrounded by a stainless steel ring for ease of threading as it screws down, is the Maurice Lacroix ML-115. It's really a Sellita SW200-1 with a customised rotor, but that can only be a good thing as far as affordable Swiss watches are concerned. It's a design that's been used for decades and a model that has proven itself thoroughly over the last few years, becoming equal to ETA in the minds of collectors. It has a 4Hz beat rate for a smooth sweep of the seconds hand and a 38-hour power reserve, which is more than adequate for an automatically winding watch as a daily wearer. It even has some nice perlage decoration on the plates, so you have something pretty to look at from the rear.The verdictTo summarise the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Ceramic using fast stereotypes, it's like a Royal Oak married a Chanel J12 and had a much more affordable baby. Of course, it has a personality of its own, totally separate from those two examples, but if you like those watches, then you'll find a lot to love with the Aikon. Using a Sellita movement is fantastic because it has proven reliability and a great reputation for accuracy while remaining affordable, thus lowering the barrier to entry for ceramic watches. Knowing that the Technical Ceramic material itself is an upgrade on regular ceramic is also a nice bonus, and eliminates any doubts about potential manufacturing shortcuts or cost cutting methods.Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Ceramic price and availabilityThe new Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Ceramic is available now. Price: US$3,300BrandMaurice LacroixModelAikon Automatic CeramicCase Dimensions39mm (D) x 11mm (T)42mm (D) x 11mm (T)Case MaterialBlack matte or white gloss ceramicWater Resistance200 metresCrystal(s)Sapphire front and backDialBlack or white clous de ParisBraceletIntegrated ceramic bracelet with stretchable linksMovementML-115, Sellita SW200-1, automaticFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityAvailable nowPriceUS$3,300
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