Maurice Lacroix Revive PONTOS S Diver in Steel and Bronze

When I think about Maurice Lacroix my mind instantly goes to the Aikon in its various forms, their flagship watch inspired by the design codes of the 1970s. However, if asked what my favourite Maurice Lacroix collection is, I’m more likely to answer the PONTOS, due to it being a far more versatile collection that ranges from the refinement of the Day-Date to the sporty S Chronograph. Now, Maurice Lacroix is expanding on that versatility even further with the launch of the Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver.

If you’ve been following the watch world for a decade, the name PONTOS S Diver might be familiar to you as the range first debuted in 2013. However, the model was subsequently discontinued when the Aikon began to take its place as Maurice Lacroix’s premier timepiece. Now it’s back in a new 42mm diameter case in either stainless steel or, for the first time, bronze. Both are classic materials for dive watches with steel lauded for its corrosion resistance and durability while bronze is celebrated for its nautical heritage and patina.

Compared with the 2013 original, the modern PONTOS S Diver focuses a bit more wearability and everyday use. That’s why it’s 42mm instead of 43mm and it’s a bit less heavy-duty with 300m water resistance instead of 600m and sans helium escape valve. Sure that sounds like a downgrade but it’s always important to keep reality in check. It’s incredibly rare for a watch to actually need 600m water resistance and if having 300m water resistance is the trade-off for appealing to a broader range of collectors by being slimmer and more wearable, then that’s a worthwhile sacrifice.

However, while the case has had some major updates, the display is largely the same. The applied indexes are the same shape but the borders are more pronounced now for better readability and the same is true of the date window and to a lesser extent the minute markers. Naturally, as a dive watch, there’s plenty of lume as well across the markers, hands and internal rotating bezel.

As for colours, there are three variationsof the Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver available, two in steel and one in bronze. The first of the steel versions is the most traditional in black with a faint grained texture and orange accents. Second in steel is a white lacquer dial with blue accents, which is the inverse of the bronze edition that has a grained dial in blue and white accents.

Below the surface is the ML115 automatic calibre (base Sellita SW200), which is the same movement used in the 2013 model so there aren’t any surprises here. It has a 38-hour power reserve and comes with the Incabloc shock resistance system.

In terms of pricing and availability, the two steel models are non-limited at £1,990 while the bronze version is limited to 500 pieces at £2,530. Additionally, the watches come with a corresponding selection of straps, fabric and rubber for the steel models, leather and rubber for the bronze edition. It’s great to see the PONTOS S Diver back in Maurice Lacroix’s collections, especially with the quality of life improvements that make it far more wearable and legible.