Maurice Lacroix is one of Swiss watchmaking's most improbable success stories: a brand founded in 1975 with no heritage, no founder named Maurice, and no Lacroix family—yet it developed genuinely innovative complications that established brands couldn't match. The Square Wheel, in particular, ranks among the most creative mechanical inventions in modern watchmaking.
A Name, Not a Person (1975)
There was no Maurice. There was no Lacroix. The name was invented by Desco von Schulthess, an Austrian watch component supplier, to brand watches assembled from their parts. The company was based in Saignelégier, Switzerland, and the fictional founder gave it the appearance of heritage it didn't possess.
Despite these inauspicious beginnings, Maurice Lacroix grew steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, establishing a reputation for quality Swiss watches at accessible prices.
The Masterpiece Collection
Maurice Lacroix's transformation from competent assembler to genuine manufacture began with the Masterpiece collection. These watches featured increasingly sophisticated complications and, eventually, proprietary movements developed in-house.
The message was ambitious: a brand without heritage could create complications that matched or exceeded century-old houses. The watch world was skeptical—until the Square Wheel.
The Square Wheel (2010)
The Masterpiece Seconde Mystérieuse ("Mysterious Second") launched in 2010 featured something unprecedented: a square wheel that somehow rotated smoothly. Watch enthusiasts couldn't understand how it worked—square gears shouldn't function.
The mechanism uses a complex arrangement of Geneva drives and specially shaped cams that allow a square wheel to rotate continuously while meshing with round gears. It's mechanically functional and visually mesmerizing—a genuine innovation in an industry where most "innovations" are refinements.
How It Works: The square wheel doesn't mesh directly with round gears—that would be mechanically impossible. Instead, a sophisticated transmission converts the square wheel's rotation into usable motion. The effect is hypnotic: a geometric impossibility performing correctly before your eyes.
Further Complications
Following the Square Wheel, Maurice Lacroix developed additional innovative complications:
• Roue Carrée: Square wheel telling hours (2012)
• Gravity: Silicon escapement with visible balance (2014)
• Double Retrograde: Innovative retrograde displays
• Mysterious Seconds: Floating seconds hand with invisible mechanism
Each demonstrated that innovation could come from unexpected sources.
The AIKON Collection (2016)
While Masterpiece showcased technical creativity, the AIKON (launched 2016) brought Maurice Lacroix into the integrated-bracelet sport watch market. The design featured a distinctive clawed bezel and versatile quick-change strap system.
AIKON positioned Maurice Lacroix against the likes of Royal Oak and Nautilus—at a fraction of the price. It became the brand's best-seller and introduced Maurice Lacroix to new audiences.
Brand created by Desco von Schulthess
Masterpiece collection launched
First in-house movement developed
Square Wheel complication debuts
AIKON collection launches
AIKON Venturer expands sporty offerings
Independent Ownership
Maurice Lacroix has changed ownership multiple times but remains independent of the major luxury groups. Current ownership (DKSH) has maintained the brand's innovative direction while expanding distribution, particularly in Asia.
The AIKON Success Story
The AIKON deserves special attention. In a market flooded with integrated-bracelet sports watches inspired by the Royal Oak, AIKON distinguished itself through:
• Accessible pricing: Starting around $1,000
• Quick-change system: Swap bracelets and straps without tools
• Multiple sizes: Including 39mm versions for smaller wrists
• Genuine design identity: The clawed bezel is distinctive, not derivative
Today's Maurice Lacroix
Maurice Lacroix produces approximately 80,000 watches annually from its facilities in Saignelégier and Montfaucon. The range spans from accessible AIKON models (starting around $1,000) to Masterpiece complications exceeding $50,000.
The brand proves that innovation doesn't require centuries of heritage. A fictional founder and a spare-parts origin couldn't prevent Maurice Lacroix from creating genuinely novel complications that earned respect from an industry obsessed with tradition.