Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme
Angus Davies reviews the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme, a vibrantly hued watch equipped with a chronograph and delivered in the highly innovative case material, POWERLITE®.
A friend of my parents, whom I occasionally met as a teenager, always proved to be a source of amusement. He was a world-expert on every subject known to man or, rather, he thought he was. Sadly, in reality, the profundity of his knowledge proved rather superficial and his intellect was a tad limited.
If my father had purchased a car, rest assured, the unnamed gentleman would feel compelled to explain how his own vehicle was superior. Indeed, it would be faster, more economical, have a larger boot capacity, etc.
At times, his eagerness to compete and achieve a sense of one-upmanship led to him proclaiming the most insignificant of attributes in order to keep ahead, such as, ‘Its glovebox is bigger than yours.’ Looking back, I now feel a tad sorry for the chap in question, it was clear he had a low self-esteem and his need to continuously self-promote and brag about his possessions was clearly a strategy for feeling better about himself.
I have observed similar boasting when it comes to divers’ watches. Like many self-confessed watch addicts, I appreciate the robustness and honesty of divers’ timepieces. Indeed, I often talk about them on ESCAPEMENT. However, the reality is that I seldom feel a compunction to explore the extreme limits of a diver’s watch. To engage in a game of showboating, trying to outdo others by reciting the maximum water resistance of my watch, when I seldom leave the sanctuary of dry land, seems misplaced.
It was therefore, with a sense of cynicism that I picked up the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme. Would it be relevant to a middle-aged, portly gentleman like myself?
POWERLITE®
The ‘Extreme’ name relates to the material used for the case and bezel of the watch, ‘POWERLITE®’. This curiously named material is a unique alloy, exclusive to Swiss watch brand, Maurice Lacroix. Based in Saignelégier, Maruce Lacroix has always been highly innovative, a fact perfectly illustrated with the spectacular Masterpiece Square Wheel and the ingenious Masterpiece Mysterious Seconds.
‘POWERLITE® is three times lighter than steel but twice as hard. The alloy is composed of five elements: aluminium, magnesium, titanium, zirconium and ceramic. The alloy is anodised, an electrolytic chemical process through which pigments are inserted into the pores of the material. This treatment has been tried and tested in the automotive and aeronautical industries. By modifying the alloy in this way, the structure of the metal is reinforced.’
The Pontos S Extreme is available in two colour variants, anthracite POWERLITE® with green detail and, my preferred option, neutral POWERLITE® with contrasting orange elements. The neutral material is interesting as it takes on the colour of adjacent objects and has a slightly pearlescent finish. The ebullient use of orange confers excitement and contrasts well with the brushed central dial area.
Dial detail
Three subdials occupy the dial canvas, positioned at 6, 9 and 12 o’clock, while with the brand’s nomenclature, logo and some of the watch’s specification details are presented at 3 o’clock. This arrangement accords a sense of balance to the display.
The two chronograph registers are positioned along a north-south axis and consist of a 30-minute register below noon and a 12-hour chronograph register at 6 o’clock. This latter subdial also includes a date display with white numerals presented on a black background.
The subdials incorporate sandblasted detailing at its centre and is encircled with snailed detail, which in turn is marked with a sequence of orange and white strokes, save for the small running seconds display at 9 o’clock which adopts a purely monochrome palette.
Maurice Lacroix has skilfully manipulated differing depths to eye-catching effect. The applied hour markers, resembling truncated isosceles triangles, are black polished and feature prominent white luminescent treatment. The hour and minute hands also incorporate luminescent treatment with the minute hand edged with a vibrant orange hue.
The inner rotating bezel
The inner rotating bezel is operated by the patented ‘elapsed time control mechanism’ at 2 o’clock, consisting of a colour co-ordinating metallic ring surrounding the pushpiece. The wearer adjusts the inner rotating bezel by pushing the ring inwards and then twisting it to adjust. The centre part of the pushpiece at 2 o’clock is used to start and stop the chronograph function. Whilst the explanation of the device may suggest it is complicated to use, in reality it proves intuitive and very user-friendly.
Case detail
This watch measures 43mm in diameter, bestowing a masculine, sporty character. I found it to be optimally sized for my wrist, conferring excellent wearer comfort.
The watch sports a solid caseback retained with four screws. The stated water resistance of 200metres is engraved on the back, together with the name of the company, model, reference number and place of origin.
The strap is constructed of textured calf leather with rubber elements and colour co-ordinated stitching. The titanium pin buckle has a broad, flat pin engaging neatly with rectangular-shaped holes which, unlike circular, round pins should prove less likely to distort the leather with repeated wear.
ML 112 movement
The automatic movement, ML 112, has a frequency of 28,800 vph(4Hz), contains 25 jewels and the stated power reserve is 46 hours.
The watch is equipped with a solid caseback, hence I was unable to critique the finishing of the movement within. However, the crown and pushpieces operated sweetly.
Closing remarks
The colour scheme of both versions of the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme may well polarise opinion. I accept that the use of orange or green hues may not be to everyone’s liking. However, I adore the boldness of the colours employed.
Arguably, the anthracite POWERLITE® option, sporting flourishes of vivid green, may be slightly safer, but the name of this model entices me to push the boundaries and embrace the sunny disposition of the orange version. It is the juxtaposition of the neutral case, playing a deferential role to the vivid, luminous orange tones which makes this my preferred choice.
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme is designed for those men who seek to explore their personal limits. The water resistance of 200 metres, whilst not intended for professional diving use, does prove useful for wearers who like to engage in water sports. Furthermore, the elapsed time controller and chronograph are ideally suited to would-be buyers who wish to pursue ever faster running times or other competitive pursuits. Indeed, this is a watch that perfectly suits the active individual.
Does this watch have relevance for me, a forty-something ‘couch potato’? Absolutely, because it looks stylish, it’s robust, simple to read and offers the precision and quality synonymous with Swiss horology.
The Pontos S Extreme may not offer the greatest water resistance, its case diameter is not the smallest, nor the biggest and it is not the world’s most expensive timepiece. Indeed, if you elect to play a game of horological ‘top trumps’ you may not always win.
However, I suggest you leave others to engage in futile bragging and note the many virtues this watch offers at such a competitive price.
Technical specification
- Model: Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Extreme
- Reference: PT-6028-ALB31-331-1
- Case: POWERLITE®; diameter 43mm; water resistant to 20 bar (200 metres); sapphire crystal to front and solid caseback.
- Functions: Hours; minutes; small seconds; date; chronograph.
- Movement: ML 112 movement; self-winding movement; frequency 28,800 vph (4Hz); 25 jewels; power reserve 46 hours
- Strap: Black textured calf leather with rubber elements and colour co-ordinated stitching presented with a titanium pin buckle
- Price: £3,800 (RRP as at 10.11.2015)
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