Nick L. was the fortunate champion from the Maurice Lacroix Pontos S watch after our November 2014 aBlogtoWatch giveaway. After receiving his watch, he was kind enough to snap some pictures and provide this champion watch review. This month you are able to enter to win a Swiss Claude Bernard Chronograph Automatic watch here. You will find also still a few days left to go in to win a Tudor Heritage Chrono from TrueFacet here. Here’s Nick’s Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver watch review:
I had been very excited to discover which i had won this watch. I’ve joined nearly every aBlogtoWatch contest previously five years approximately, and also to win among the best watches that’s been distributed was a significant treat. I’ve loved the vintage yet modern styling of the watch since seeing the first reviews from it, and that i was searching toward seeing one personally.
First Impressions
Apologies that I don’t have photos from the packaging, however i am in the center of three days of backwards and forwards traveling. I had been home just lengthy enough to seize the timepiece and my camera. This area is very nice though, most likely the best box associated with a watch which i have possessed. It features a wood trim top by having an engraved metal Maurice Lacroix logo design onto it. I additionally received a couple of other bonus treats, so because of Maurice Lacroix!
I’m not sure if they all come this way, but I was happy to find out that mine included the metal bracelet, and the brown leather strap. Two great choices that add versatility to the watch.
The timepiece itself looks better still personally of computer does in photos. The dimensions is simply suitable for me, and it is quite comfortable around the wrist. In my experience, it falls somewhere among something diver, along with a dress diver (if you’re within the Mission Impossible camping that believe this type of factor is available). It’s sufficient “bling” into it to let it move from t-shirt and jeans, to some evening out in a semi-fancy restaurant. In my experience, the big crowns stop it from being any dressier than that, however i don’t intend to put on this having a suit anyway.
Case
From what I’ve read, the situation is created in-house by Maurice Lacroix. The finishing on it is extremely good. The lugs possess a great curved contour around them, having a polished bevel to increase the look of the timepiece. The polished advantage on the bezel is really a detail which i love. It, together with the elevated very, really catch the sunshine making the timepiece stick out.
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver features the now ubiquitous HEV, or helium release valve. I, as most likely each and every other who owns this watch, don’t be prepared to take advantage of the feature, however it adds a little of fashion aside from the situation helping justify the cost. It’s the automated variety, so it’s well integrated, and doesn’t create yet another protrusion. I’ve heard the argument this is yet another potential leak point whether it may be employed for conventional diving, but I’ve never really heard about this failure occurring, so I am not concerned about it.
The caseback does not have a window, which is appropriate for the level of movement in this watch, and the fact that it is a 600m diver. It does have the typical engraving with various technical specs about the watch.
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver also features an interior bezel that is rotated using a crown at 2 o’clock. It rotates easily both in directions, and also the crown is extremely simple to grasp, whilst around the wrist. I love this selection a great deal, and it is well-performed. It will help to create this watch stick out in the hordes of divers with exterior bezels. The crown includes a black ring in the base which increases the style as well as causes it to be simpler to understand.
The time-setting crown is at 3 o’clock and features a Maurice Lacroix logo. Ribbed sides like the crown for the bezel make it very easy to grasp. Despite sticking out from the case, it does not cut into my wrist noticeably. I prefer the look with the crown in the traditional location, rather than being offset somewhere else.
Bracelet/Strap
When I stated, my watch shipped using the stainless bracelet, in addition to a leather NATO-style strap. The bracelet is very top quality. The hyperlinks possess a blown finish and subtle polished bevels around the links. The clasp is an extremely solid bit of machined steel also having a blown surface and polished edges. The bracelet doesn’t have any half links, and initially, I had been worried because I didn’t use whatever micro adjust holes. Upon further inspection, I discovered that they’re hidden within the clasp. This provides the outdoors from the clasp a significantly cleaner look. The clasp includes a diving extension that is simple to use. An email to potential DIY bracelet sizers: you will find no arrows within the links, and also the hooks are very tricky. I wound up taking mine to some professional.
A little complaint concerning the bracelet is it doesn’t have push buttons to produce it. I favor the push buttons, I remember when i designed a Rolex watch fan very upset after i built the same comment in regards to a previous watch which i possessed. To every their own. Regardless, it’s not an offer-breaker, also it appears to become getting simpler to produce as time passes. The upside is it produces a significantly cleaner searching clasp, and enables for that hidden micro adjust holes. The clasp comes with a security latch engraved using the Maurice Lacriox title.
The majority of my buddies and family who’ve seen the timepiece appear to like the bracelet, however i believe that additionally, it looks great around the leather strap. It matches the vintage vibe from the watch, and it is quite comfortable. It is also a great way to dress lower the timepiece a little. I additionally like the way the owners are leather, as opposed to the metal that you simply see of all NATOS. The contrasting stitching is really a also great touch. The leather is a little hard to tuck in to the keeper, however i imagine that it’ll become simpler because it breaks in.
Crystal
The Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver has a sapphire crystal which appears to have AR coating on both sides. The crystal has a noticeable dome to it, and is raised above the edges of the case (possibly to allow fitment of the internal bezel). Despite the dome, it offers great legibility from any angle.
I’ve always been nervous about chipping or cracking unprotected crystals that stick out above the case with a careless arm movement. That being said, but I have never actually damaged one before (knock on wood), and the shape of this crystal really stands out, matching the style of the watch perfectly.
Dial/Hands
The dial has a typical matte black finish. The Logo as well as hour markers are applied polished metal. It has printed hash marks for the minutes, and has very minimal text compared to some divers. I greatly prefer this, and feel that it matches the classic, vintage style of this watch.
The hands are very attractive and are well-proportioned with the minute and second hand reaching to the edge of the dial. Red tips to these hands add a splash of color, and help the wearer to quickly differentiate the minute hand at a quick glance.
Normally I hate black dials with white date displays, but the location at 6 o’clock rather than the typical 3 or 4 gives it symmetry, and it does not stick out badly. A unique font was chosen for the date, which adds a classy touch.
One minor complaint which i have would be that the lume area around the primary hands is rather thin, and also the seconds hands doesn’t have lume whatsoever. Personally i think that the watch serious enough to incorporate a helium release valve along with a bracelet extension, must have hands which are also outfitted for diving. That being stated, I do not intend to dive by using it, and wider hands would spoil the truly amazing appearance of the watch throughout daylight hrs. The lume that’s there (such as the bezel) appears to become superluminova, which is quite vibrant and lengthy lasting.
Movement
My understanding is that the movement is a Sellita (ETA clone) typical of this price range. I have not opened the case, so I can’t comment on the finishing. The watch has kept time within a few seconds per day, and has performed flawlessly during its tenure with me thus far. The winding action is very smooth, as is the motion of the second hand.
Overall
This watch is a great addition to my collection. If I had paid for it, I feel that the level of finishing and extra details are appropriate for a watch in this price range. A level of value is offered above that of others costing this much.
