You know that a watch brand is out to showcase a very specific lifestyle when it flies journalists and influencers to an exotic island in Thailand for a day of yachting and snorkeling, followed by an evening of music and fine food—before you retire inside a palatial resort bedroom with your own swimming pool, hot tub, and two showers (indoor and outdoor). And let’s not forget a chest freezer filled with complimentary Magnum ice cream situated on each row of rooms.
This is the fun, active, and vibrant lifestyle that Maurice Lacroix is envisioning for users of its new PONTOS S Diver, which quite literally made a splash in this picturesque island an hour’s flight south of Bangkok.
Throwing it back to the first generation PONTOS of 2013, the Jura, Switzerland-based brand has created a divers’ watch incorporating numerous enhancements while still retaining the spirit of the original. During the development phase, the Swiss marque turned to ML Crew member, Lidija Lijic, a world champion freediver who holds the record for staying underwater for 5 minutes and 43 seconds. Lidija, who was also at Koh Samui and gracefully engaged with the media guests, inhabits a world of extremes, exploring the limits of human performance, making her the ideal person to put the watch through its paces.
The PONTOS backstory
In 2013, Maurice Lacroix released its first-generation PONTOS S Diver. A few years later, however, the brand ceased production of the model to focus its attention on making the highly successful AIKON watch. But the company received numerous requests for the divers’ watch to be reissued. Acceding to these requests, Maurice Lacroix unveiled a new version of the PONTOS S Diver that incorporates a number of improvements while still retaining the spirit of the pioneering model.
Indeed, while this model is new, it subscribes to the same proven design language and perpetuates the brand’s fondness for urban-inspired styling. Moreover, consistent with other Maurice Lacroix creations, the new PONTOS S Diver is expertly crafted in the company’s Swiss Manufacture.
R&D with a freediving world champion
The Swiss watch firm turned to world champion freediver Lidija Lijic for her input when developing the latest PONTOS S Diver. This versatile athlete is as comfortable plunging into the warm depths of the ocean as she is diving beneath the ice in the Himalayas. Her life is one of courage and enduring commitment to tough, consistent training, and more, as freediving is as much about mental fortitude as it is about physical strength.
Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix remarks, “When developing this latest PONTOS S Diver, we were keen to retain the spirit of the first-generation model, but push the performance envelope with various product enhancements. As an ML Crew member, it seemed logical to ask Lidija Lijic to test the new model…exploring its full potential, deep underwater. While I was already aware of her achievements and immense talent, I was struck by her sheer dedication, not only to her sport, but in everything she does. She proved the perfect test pilot for this divers’ watch which is water resistant to 30 ATM. Lidija also informs us that the watch makes a strong statement on dry land too!”
Designed to the minute detail
Housed in a 42mm case, the watch is available in a choice of stainless steel or, for the first time, bronze. The hour and minute hands are faceted and lined with Super-LumiNova while the minute hand is imbued with a colored border. The hours are denoted with applied indices and, once again, lined with luminescent treatment. Subtle changes to the original dial design include making the indices and minute markings crisper and more prominent. Likewise, the date is framed with a raised border, making it stand out from the rest of the dial. Each detail is optimized to deliver peerless readability—crucial in the dim depths of the ocean.
A dedicated crown, positioned at 2 o’clock, provides the wearer with the means to adjust the internal rotating bezel. Featuring a count-up scale, the rotating bezel is a useful way of measuring the elapsed time spent underwater. The watch also features a center second hand and a date display at 6 o’clock. A second crown, located at 3 o’clock, adjusts the various indications and can also be used to manually wind the movement.
This latest PONTOS S Diver is offered in a number of variants. Steel models come with a choice of black grained or white lacquered dial options. The bronze model, limited to just 500 pieces, is paired with a sumptuous blue-grained dial. The aforementioned crown at 2 o’clock is enlivened with a color-coordinating circlet, ensuring it remains visible underwater.
The automatic ML115 calibre sits at the heart of the PONTOS S Diver, obviating the need for manual winding when worn. The bronze version comes supplied with two straps, one in vintage dark blue leather, incorporating the company’s M-logo, and a second in dark blue rubber embossed with ‘Maurice Lacroix’.
For the launch, the steel models are supplied with three color-coordinating straps: an M-branded fabric strap and two rubber straps incorporating Maurice Lacroix branding, rendered in relief. The watch is equipped with the company’s Easy Strap Exchange System, allowing simple, user-friendly swapping of straps without the need for tools.
The PONTOS S Diver is back and it’s better than ever! It’s the product of intensive development, inspired by Lidija’s search for improved performance, and has been tested in the most extreme conditions. It’s a beautiful and functional timepiece that’s ideally suited to both underwater exploration and the urban lifestyle.
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