Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver Watch
Starting from 2.300 €The Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver is a Swiss dive watch that reworks the vocabulary of 1960s compressor cases with today's means. Relaunched in 2023 in a tamer 42 mm format, it keeps the line's characteristic double crown, with the one at 2 o'clock controlling the internal rotating bezel. Its 300 metre water resistance, doubly anti-reflective sapphire crystal and automatic ML115 calibre place it in the accessible luxury bracket, somewhere between aquatic instrument and city watch. Offered in six dial, case and strap combinations, it targets fans of versatile divers looking for a credible alternative to the segment's usual references, without excess bulk on the wrist.
Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver dive watch
Founded in 1975, Maurice Lacroix has mostly made its name in recent years through the AIKON collection and its sport-chic watch with integrated bracelet. The PONTOS line, more classic and more versatile, forms the other pillar of the Swiss manufacturer's catalogue, and the PONTOS S Diver is its resolutely aquatic offshoot.
The model was born in 2013 with a 43 mm case, 600 metre water resistance and a helium escape valve. It already borrowed its vocabulary from the compressor divers of the 1960s and 1970s developed by Ervin Piquerez SA, recognisable by their two crowns, one of which operates an internal rotating bezel. Maurice Lacroix, however, moved these crowns to 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock instead of the historical 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock, with the oversized crown at 2 o'clock carrying a ring matched to the dial colour.
Overshadowed by AIKON's success and later withdrawn from the catalogue, the diver was relaunched in May 2023 at an event held in Dubrovnik, in the presence of world freediving champion Lidija Lijić, who was consulted during the development phase. The new generation is meant to be more wearable: the diameter has been brought down to 42 mm, the thickness to 13 mm, water resistance to 300 metres, and the helium escape valve has been removed. The solid caseback, secured by six screws, is stamped with the house logo, the applied hour markers are more pronounced, and a raised minute track frames the display. In 2024 the collection was expanded with a non-limited special edition in sandblasted black DLC steel, proof that the PONTOS S Diver has found a lasting place in the catalogue.
Technical specifications Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver
- Brand: Maurice Lacroix
- Model: PONTOS S Diver
- Reference: Depending on version
- Indicative price: From €2,300
- Movement: Automatic
- Calibre: ML115
- Diameter: 42 mm
- Thickness: 13 mm
- Water resistance: 300 m / 30 ATM
- Materials: Stainless steel
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Dial: Black
- Strap: Rubber, nylon, steel
- Warranty: 2 years
- Box contents: Two interchangeable straps
The Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver dive watch
In a catalogue largely dominated by AIKON and its sport-chic silhouette, the PONTOS S Diver is a reminder that Maurice Lacroix can also build a genuine aquatic instrument. The case measures 42 mm in diameter for 13 mm thick, proportions scaled down from the 2013 generation, which measured 43 mm and carried a helium escape valve. The brushed and polished stainless steel alternates satin and mirror surfaces, a finish that elevates the watch without stripping it of its tool character. The caseback, engraved and secured by six screws, bears the house logo and adds rigidity to the whole.
Legibility remains this diver's priority. The black dial carries applied hour markers and faceted rhodium-plated hands filled with white Super-LumiNova, while the orange-painted tip of the seconds hand signals at a glance that the watch is running. The raised minute track structures the display and brings the graduations closer to the crystal, while the sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment limits glare underwater as well as in bright light. The screw-down crown protects the movement and contributes to the 300 m / 30 ATM water resistance, a level more than sufficient for recreational diving, swimming and regular water sports, in a format that remains wearable day to day under a shirt sleeve.
Six versions and a Swiss automatic calibre
Beneath the engraved caseback beats the automatic ML115 calibre, carried over from the model's first generation. It drives the hours, minutes, seconds and a date at 6 o'clock, runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, counts 26 jewels and offers 38 hours of power reserve. This autonomy requires winding the watch after two days off the wrist, but it matches the standard of widely used Swiss movements in this segment, and the diver retains its Swiss Made label.
The PONTOS S Diver comes in six versions. Two pair a black or white lacquered dial with a stainless steel bracelet, at €2,300. Two others feature the same dials but each come with a pair of quick-change straps: orange rubber and black nylon for the black dial, rubber and dark blue nylon for the white dial, at the same price. Then comes a non-limited special edition in sandblasted black DLC steel, with a black lacquered dial, black-plated hour markers and hands and a black rubber strap, priced at €2,400. Plenty of choice between a versatile diver, a stealthy piece or a watch that can be aged with wear.
Maurice Lacroix PONTOS S Diver dive watch: the compressor heritage revisited
The PONTOS S Diver brings together a 42 mm steel case, 13 mm thick, a sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, a screw-down crown and 300 metre water resistance. The automatic ML115 calibre, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with 26 jewels, offers 38 hours of power reserve and displays hours, minutes, seconds and the date at 6 o'clock. The black dial features rhodium-plated hour markers and hands filled with white Super-LumiNova. Reference PT6248-SS00L-330-J is delivered with two 22 mm straps, in orange rubber and black nylon, interchangeable without tools.
Movement
The Swiss diver is powered by the automatic ML115 calibre, which displays hours, minutes, seconds and the date at 6 o'clock. Running at 28,800 vibrations per hour, it counts 26 jewels and delivers 38 hours of power reserve, an autonomy that requires winding after two days off the wrist. This movement, already used on the first generation of the model, favours ease of maintenance and everyday reliability over technical one-upmanship, which suits the watch's positioning well.
Diameter and materials
The case measures 42 mm in diameter for 13 mm thick, compared with 43 mm on the previous generation. It is made from brushed and polished stainless steel, protected by a sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, and its caseback carries a special engraving. The dial comes in black or white lacquer, with rhodium-plated hour markers and hands. Two other executions exist: a sandblasted black DLC steel special edition.
Water resistance
The PONTOS S Diver offers 300 m / 30 ATM water resistance, a comfortable level for recreational diving, freediving and all water sports. The screw-down crown locks the case, whose caseback is held by six screws, while the helium escape valve of the 2013 generation has disappeared in favour of a more compact construction. The internal rotating bezel, controlled by the second crown, stays protected from knocks beneath the sapphire crystal, and the white Super-LumiNova on the hour markers ensures legibility in dark water.
Accessories
Reference PT6248-SS00L-330-J is delivered with two 22 mm straps: an orange rubber strap bearing the Maurice Lacroix name and a black nylon strap stamped with the brand's logo, both fitted with a stainless steel pin buckle. The Easy Change system allows switching from one to the other without tools, in a matter of seconds. The other versions of the model come, depending on the version, with a steel bracelet, a dark blue rubber strap, a black rubber strap or a brown leather strap.
Warranty
The official product sheet mentions a 2 year warranty, a standard duration among most Swiss watch brands in this segment. It covers the watch under normal use, excluding any additional service mentioned by the manufacturer. On a diver regularly submerged, periodic gasket checks remain advisable to preserve over time the 300 metre water resistance rating announced for this model, particularly after several years of use at sea or in a pool.
Maurice Lacroix Pontos S Diver The pros
and cons
- 300 metre water resistance
- Internal rotating bezel from compressor heritage
- Two straps included
- Tool-free strap change
- Several versions available
- 38 hour power reserve
- Pin buckle rather than deployant
- Steel bracelet lacks Easy Change system
- No chronometric certification announced
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Prices and technical specifications are subject to change. Content and photos are not contractual.
