Leading Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Maurice Lacroix recently launched its Basel World 2013 collection, which continues to excite 21st century watch enthusiasts with a series of limited edition masterpieces based on the brand's trademark movements since 1975.
Masterpiece Le Chronographe Squelette.
Confirming Maurice Lacroix's exquisite standpoint, 2013's novelties include a trio of masterpieces: Le Chronographe Squelette, the Worldtimer and the Seconde Mysterieuse.
Via the highest standards of mechanical watchmaking, a rigorous approach to research and development as well as modern finishes and silhouettes, the three new models embody the identity of a young brand whose innovative edge has given rise to a solid reputation.
Le Chronographe Squelette, the first model, exhibits an unusual design encased in a generously-proportioned 45mm-diameter case. The see-through case, protected by sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, reveals the anatomy of time with its in-house manufactured ML106 calibre movement with column wheel, escapement and gears behind the sharp, luminous hour and minute hands.
Maurice Lacroix’s managing director Marc Glaeser.
Transforming inorganic matter into a living and exciting mechanism, this metallic elegance, with a power reserve of 42 hours, is available in four distinctive movement variations: rhodium, ruthenium, blue nickel and pink gold.
The second model, the Worldtimer, was inspired by the sophistication of globetrotting. Ideal for businessmen juggling with the world's time zones, the self-winding ML164 mechanical movement combines style and craftsmanship, which will also appeal to those whose lifestyle follows the rhythm of international events.
Available in two design-orientated options for Europe and Asia with the continents delicately engraved on the centre of the dial bordered by an hour-circle with Roman numerals, the watches feature time shift indication by city names printed on a peripheral area. The intricate self-winding movement is protected by a case that is water-resistant to 50m and shares the distinctive features of the very finest watch mechanisms.
The third model, which probably is the most astonishing of the trio, is the Seconde Mysterieuse. Awe-inspiring, captivating and unexpected, the timepiece aptly named Mysterieuse is a clever balance of technology, tradition and modern aesthetics. It's certainly hard to take your eyes off the stainless steel 43mm polished case with a skeletonised dial that displays a grey disk dominating the inner workings of the movement. Most enigmatic of all, however, is the blue-hand, second-indicator which moves on its axis, as though levitating, producing a captivating optical illusion. The Masterpiece Seconde Mysterieuse is available in two limited series of 125 pieces each.
"There's not exactly a theme to the Maurice Lacroix 2013 collection. We just have the ambition to be innovative and to pleasantly surprise people as their style may change and improve every year," said Marc Glaeser, Maurice Lacroix's managing director. "So, besides managing the company, I spend most of the time on product development because it's the heart of the company."
According to Lacroix, Asia is the fastest growing market for luxury watches.
"We can see from our export figures that Asia is a key driver. Forty-five percent of our total sales come from Asia and the figure continues to rise," said Glaeser, who recently shifted from the consumer's product industry.
"Even in Europe, we profit a lot from Asian tourists. Asian tourists account for between 30-40% of revenue of the luxury segment in France.
"I believe that's because Asia has the dynamism that you don't see elsewhere in the world _ the amount of people and the fact that they can afford luxury watches. Meanwhile, Asian people also have an amazingly high interest in mechanical timepieces and high-end mechanics," said the company's managing director.
