Maurice LaCroix Adds Some Color To Aikon In New Tide Collection

Maurice Lacroix introduced a new version of their popular Aikon over the weekend. The Aikon Tide has the same familiar shape as the Aikon (an integrated case/strap design that shares more than a passing similarity with watches in the Royal Oak family) but is made largely with recycled ocean plastics. The quartz movement keeps the Aikon Tide under $1,000, and the array of vibrant colors and message of sustainability represent a concerted effort by Maurice Lacroix to reach a new, younger consumer.

Maurice Lacroix has partnered with Tide Ocean SA for this project. Tide Ocean is a Basel based firm that specializes in refining and upcycling ocean plastics. To create the material used for the Aikon Tide, plastic is combined with glass fibre, with the end result being a case that Maurice Lacroix claims is twice as hard as standard plastic, making it suitable for a watch case. The brand says that it takes the equivalent of 17 plastic bottles to produce the material for one watch, which uses Tide Ocean’s material in the bezel, caseback, crown, and buckle, in addition to the case (the integrated strap is made of rubber, but Maurice Lacroix has indicated they are actively working on on a bracelet/strap solution made from the same recycled plastic material as the rest of the watch).

Aesthetically, the Aikon Tide is (mostly) all about bright, vibrant colors. With this case material, Maurice Lacroix is able to produce dials in any color imaginable, and they’ve gone with bright and summery tones for this initial batch of watches. At launch, the Aikon Tide is available in blue, green, orange, yellow, and black, all on black straps. On a white strap, the Aikon Tide comes in a light green, pink, baby blue, bright magenta, and navy blue. Of the watches on white straps, all but the navy option features a dial accented with diamonds. This navy blue watch also sets itself apart as the only watch in the group with a contrasting dial and case color, and was an early favorite among attendees at a launch event in Miami over the weekend.

The Aikon Tide is 40mm in diameter, and in my limited time handling the watch at Maurice Lacroix’s launch, I found it to have a surprisingly premium feel for a watch made from plastic. It wears well, and is extremely lightweight thanks to both the material and the use of a quartz movement. This first version of the watch doesn’t have a case that is impeccably finished, but one of the more interesting things learned during the launch is that the material can take a polish or brushing, which should allow for more intricate case work in the future. It was reiterated several times over that this is the early stage of a partnership with Tide Ocean, and that Maurice Lacroix is learning more about what’s possible with this material as they continue to experiment with it.

Retail pricing for the Aikon Tide is set at $750 for the variants without diamonds, and $925 for the four watches that include diamonds on the dial. For that price, you get a watch that’s made to the same standards as other Aikons – they all include sapphire crystals, screw down crowns and casebacks, and have water resistance to 100 meters. Also noteworthy is that the watch’s packaging is made from the same recycled plastic material as the case, and comes the form of a reusable mug that can of course be used by the watch’s owner, or easily recycled.

The Aikon Tide is available now through Maurice Lacroix’s website and authorized dealer network. Maurice Lacroix.