This stunning release from Maurice LaCroix late last year is undeniable proof that this Swiss Watchmaker is still as relevant as ever. The Pontos S Extreme from Maurice LaCroix is a tremendous sports watch equipped with all of the functionality that is needed for a great tool watch. This timepiece isn’t hard on the eyes either with its three different case colors – black, blue, and khaki.
The case is made with a brand new alloy called Powerlite exclusive to Maurice LaCroix, which consists of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, zirconium, and ceramic. The screw locked main crown and chrono pushers are crafted from polished titanium for durability and contrast. The blue and khaki models obtain their unique coloration through anodization of the alloy. The model in black is made in a limited series of 999 pieces and is fitted with a perforated black leather strap with red contrast stitching matching certain design elements of the watch. The two other production series models feature NATO straps with contrast stitching matching their individual case colors. The case comes in an ideal size of 43mm.
One of the more interesting things about the Pontos S Extreme is its usage of an internal rotating bezel. This bezel is unidirectional and is operated through the ridged chrono pusher at 2 o’clock. This works by twisting the pusher in clockwise direction until the internal bezel is located at the desired position. Unidirectional bezels, both internal and external, have played a major role in sports and especially diving watches as they have the ability to measure elapsed time.
The dial is sandblasted black and it features polished rhodium toned indexes. For Contrast, Maurice LaCroix places Arabic numerals in each of the three subdials at 6, 9, and 12. Neatly positioned is a date aperture at the 6. All of the hands on this piece are coated with lume for readability at night. Protecting the dial is a domed sapphire crystal chosen due to its scratch resistant qualities.
Powering the Pontos S Extreme is ML112, which is a Valjoux 7750 base, self-winding mechanical. The movement features 46 hours of power reserve. The oscillations come in at a standard 28,800 VpH. The Pontos S Extreme from Maurice LaCroix features a water resistance of 200 meters or 20 ATM.
TAGS: Automatic Watches, Black Steel, Chronographs, Date, Diving Watch, Internal Bezel, Leather, Limited Edition, Maurice LaCroix, Mechanical Watches, Men's Watches, NATO Strap, Pontos S, Power Reserve, Sapphire Crystal, Selfwinding Watches, Stainless Steel, Swiss Made, Unidirectional Bezel, Water Resistant