For several years now, the watch industry has been questioning the future of quartz watches. Long regarded as the symbols of a technological revolution, they have gradually ceded the spotlight to the triumphant return of mechanical watchmaking. Yet certain innovations continue to prove that quartz has not had its last word. With the new Pontos S Solar and Pontos S Solar Chronographe, Maurice Lacroix brings a particularly compelling answer to this debate: pairing the precision of Swiss quartz with a clean, inexhaustible and universal source of energy, that of the sun.
The result is a modern sports collection that combines power reserve, robustness and practicality in a price segment where the offering remains surprisingly limited.
A solar first for the Pontos collection
At Maurice Lacroix, the Pontos line holds a special place. Sportier than the Masterpiece collection and more technical than the AIKON, it has long been the playground of those drawn to action, sailing and adventure.
With the arrival of the Pontos S Solar and Pontos S Solar Chronographe, the Swiss manufacture takes an important step by integrating a solar movement into this iconic collection for the first time.
A choice that is anything but trivial.
At a time when sustainability is becoming a central concern, solar power offers an elegant answer to one of the main drawbacks of traditional quartz watches: the periodic replacement of the battery.
The three-hand version is fitted with the Swiss Ronda 215 caliber, while the chronograph adopts the Ronda 2040.D. Two new-generation movements capable of storing several months of energy after a full charge. Eight months of power reserve for the standard version and five months for the chronograph, with a stated service life exceeding ten years with no battery replacement.
A level of performance that places these new releases among the most compelling propositions on the market in their category.
The diver’s spirit reimagined
From the very first glance, the new Pontos S Solar models assert their sporting DNA.
The 42 mm case retains the codes that built the collection’s success: distinctive lugs, an integrated crown guard and a robust construction made entirely of stainless steel.
The unidirectional rotating bezel confirms the model’s aquatic ambitions. Combined with 200 metres of water resistance, it allows the watch to fully embrace its status as a versatile dive watch.
While Maurice Lacroix is not looking to rival professional watches designed for great depths, the Pontos S Solar has more than enough capability to accompany lovers of water sports and recreational diving, or simply those seeking a watch able to handle the demands of everyday life without the slightest worry.
The case back, engraved with a maritime compass and waves, reinforces this identity oriented toward exploration.
Light at the heart of the design
The true originality of this new collection lies, however, in its dial.
To allow light to power the movement, Maurice Lacroix developed a smoked translucent dial whose transparency ranges between 20 and 30%. An aesthetic feat that lets the photovoltaic cells capture light energy without compromising the watch’s visual identity.
The result is particularly successful.
Depending on the version, the dial takes on deep black or blue shades that create a subtle, modern sense of depth. This smoked aesthetic adds dimension to the whole while retaining excellent legibility.
In the dark, the watch reveals another side of its personality.
Maurice Lacroix chose to use two distinct colours of Super-LumiNova to optimise the instant reading of essential information. The hours and indexes glow green, while the minute hand and the first fifteen minutes of the bezel light up in blue.
An intelligent visual hierarchy that echoes the codes used on certain genuine professional dive watches.
Fluorescent versions that embrace their character
Alongside the classic models, Maurice Lacroix also unveils two particularly bold editions.
The green Pontos S Solar and the orange Pontos S Solar Chronographe play the card of visual energy with an unapologetic personality.
Here the cases receive an anthracite or Gun DLC treatment that contrasts sharply with the fluorescent accents of the dial, hands and straps.
The electric green of the three-hand version evokes the world of extreme sports, while the vivid orange of the chronograph recalls maritime safety equipment or professional instruments built for the most demanding environments.
These variations bring a welcome freshness to a watchmaking world that is sometimes overly conservative.
A coherent proposition in a rapidly evolving market
One of the most interesting aspects of this new collection lies in its positioning.
While many brands focus their efforts on ever more complex and costly mechanical watches, Maurice Lacroix opts to offer a pragmatic, modern and accessible solution.
Starting at 990 Swiss francs for the Pontos S Solar on a rubber strap and 1,290 Swiss francs for the chronograph, the brand offers a credible alternative to entry-level and mid-range automatic dive watches.
Remarkable precision, exceptional power reserve, reduced maintenance, high robustness and Swiss craftsmanship: the arguments are plentiful.
In a context where consumers increasingly seek watches able to accompany them effortlessly for many years, this approach proves particularly relevant.
Passion Horlogère’s verdict
With the Pontos S Solar, Maurice Lacroix is not trying to reinvent the dive watch. The brand prefers to explore a path still relatively untrodden in Swiss watchmaking: that of high-quality solar power.
The gamble pays off.
The collection combines an appealing contemporary aesthetic, convincing technical performance and a usage philosophy perfectly suited to today’s expectations. The translucent dials deliver a genuine visual signature, while the solar Ronda movements answer a growing demand for reliable, self-sufficient watches that are simple to live with.
In an industry often fascinated by complexity, the Pontos S Solar is Maurice Lacroix’s reminder that a relevant innovation is not necessarily one that adds complications. Sometimes it simply means making intelligent use of the most universal energy there is: light.
And when the sun becomes the engine of time, the adventure can begin.
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