Maurice Lacroix continues to spread the word about its ground-breaking watch, the AIKON #tide, releasing a new variant created in conjunction with Thai artist and ML Crew member, Benzilla. This special edition watch unites the world of street art and watchmaking, employing an array of vibrant colours. The AIKON #tide Benzilla was unveiled at the opening of the new Maurice Lacroix boutique in Bangkok on the 1st of July.
The recently launched AIKON #tide represents a new, responsible approach to luxury watchmaking. Made from ocean-bound upcycled plastic, it takes 17 bottles to make one watch and its user-friendly packaging, which means 17 fewer bottles polluting the ocean. The AIKON #tide shares the same attributes as other members of the AIKON family, namely Swiss quality, precision timekeeping, urban styling and high perceived value.
Now, the watch brand from the Swiss Jura has collaborated with ML Crew member, Benzilla, the Thai artist, to create the aptly named AIKON #tide Benzilla. A graduate of Bangkok University, Benzilla studied fine and applied art, however, he is now best known for his colourful street art. His work often juxtaposes swathes of concrete with his distinctive, playful use of colour. He adores using numerous hues in his compositions which is quite surprising for a man who is colour blind. However, he has overcome this potential obstacle through determination, culminating in his extraordinary success. Indeed, this inspiring story and success epitomises Maurice Lacroix’s mindset, #BeYourAikon.
Benzilla feels a personal connection with the AIKON #tide initiative. The watch brand, in conjunction with #tide, are collecting plastic bottles from the seas surrounding the various islands around Thailand as well as Indonesia and the Philippines.
The new AIKON #tide Benzilla exploits the use of colour to the max. Enlivened with a plethora of eye-popping shades, the 40mm model features a flat sapphire crystal, augmenting readability, and a quartz movement. The dial is adorned with the Thai artist’s 3-eyed character, ‘LOOOK’, an alien who came from nowhere to live among us. The bezel and crown are dressed in black, while the case body is executed in a vibrant shade of orange. Finally, a funky light blue rubber strap completes the ensemble. Owners of the watch can modify its appearance courtesy of the Easy Strap Exchange system, swapping the strap for an alternative, without the need for tools.
Meanwhile, consistent with the brand’s environmentally conscious mindset, the AIKON #tide Benzilla isn’t presented in excessive packaging but instead comes with a colour-coordinated mug that can be used again and again and….
Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix, remarks, “It is an honour to work with Benzilla, a Thai national and a member of the ML Crew, and it is great to open a new Maurice Lacroix boutique in Bangkok. This is a further example of how we are forging links with this region. Indeed, as part of the AIKON #tide initiative, we are removing plastic waste from the seas surrounding Thailand and beyond, helping to make a difference to the world we all share.”
The AIKON #tide Benzilla will be unveiled at the opening of the Maurice Lacroix boutique on the 1st of July.
Now’s the time for everyone to show their true colours and help make our oceans cleaner!
YOUR TIME IS NOW
#pulseofthecity
Maurice Lacroix AIKON #tide Benzilla Technical Specifications
Ref. AI2008-50YZA-000-0 – 750.00 € Incl. VAT
Movement
- Quartz
- Functions Hours, minutes and seconds.
- Date at 3 o’clock.
Case
- Case diameter: 40 mm
- Case height: 11 mm
- Case material: Made from ocean-bound upcycled plastic
- Case description: Orange case body with a black bezel and crown; black caseback with grey special edition engravement
- Case setting: No
- Water-resistance: 10 ATM
Dial
- Benzilla graphic dial with date at 3’OC
Strap / Bracelet
- Light blue rubber strap with orange M-logo; easychange system
- Buckle Made from ocean-bound upcycled plastic pin buckle
YOUR TIME IS NOW WITH MAURICE LACROIX
For more than 40 years, Maurice Lacroix has demonstrated all of its watchmaking expertise, crafting watches within the brand’s Manufacture in Saignelégier, Switzerland. The company makes accessible timepieces imbued with iconic styling and high perceived value. In 2016, Maurice Lacroix reinterpreted its iconic model of the 90s, the Calypso, releasing the AIKON. Modern and daring, the AIKON is made for a generation of Millennials who are connected, curious, ready to take on the world, ambitious and talented. The contours of the AIKON embody the Maurice Lacroix state of mind: a brand that is inspired by city life and captures its energy. Architecture, culture, sport, ecology and innovation are a constant source of inspiration for the creative team working in the brand’ s Manufacture. With this in mind, Maurice Lacroix chooses to be an active and urban brand that associates its image with a set of activities that capture the vitality of city life.