I was one of the fortunate few that had the opportunity to attend a very special all expenses paid GTG hosted by Maurice Lacroix for watch passionate people like myself. The event was held in Las Vegas on May 31.
I'd like to start off by saying THANK YOU to Maurice Lacroix, Hartmut Kraft (President DKSH), Sandro Reginelli (Product and Marketing Director), Lydia Moon (Marketing Coordinator), and Blair Bunting (Brand Ambassador) for an amazing weekend. Though I do not own a Maurice Lacroix right now, I've always been a fan of the brand. And after having the opportunity to get to know more about the brand and the people that are part of this brand, I must admit that I am now in love with the brand. More than beautiful manufacture watches, it is the people from the Maurice Lacroix family that have won me over in so many ways. Mr. H is incredibly kind and his thoughtfulness has even made my wife a big fan of the brand even though she was not able to attend this weekend. These individuals are just great people and a lot of fun to be around with. With this amazing team behind the Maurice Lacroix brand, I am confident that the future of Maurice Lacroix will be a bright and successful one.
The fun started when I boarded on my Virgin America flight from LA to Las Vegas in first class cabin... seating across me was one of the Jackson sisters. Check out the leg room! My watch for that weekend was the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore 44 mm Stainless Steel (ref. 26400).
More legroom than I needed.
And the mandatory arrival at the airport wrist shot... I usually drive to Vegas so I wasn't aware that they now had a Terminal 3. Such a beautiful terminal.
Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport.
Our hotel for the night, the modern and hip Aria Resort & Casino.
Audemars Piguet quite happy at Aria.
It was then time to go to the Maurice Lacroix suite in the Mandalay Bay where the Swiss Watch event was being held.
Beautiful banners around the Mandalay Bay.
And here's an exclusive look inside of the Maurice Lacroix suite. This event is only for retailers and media, so I definitely felt very fortunate to be there.
The Maurice Lacroix Suite.
Then we had the opportunity to play and enjoy many Maurice Lacroix timepieces... specially the new novelty pieces for 2014! The two that really caught my attention were the Masterpiece Mystery (limited to 250 pcs per model) and Masterpiece Gravity (limited to 250 pcs per model). Photos do not do these pieces justice... you really need to see them in the flesh to appreciate their beauty and the attention to detail.
First off, the Masterpiece Mystery. What makes this piece really unique is the way that the seconds hand is displayed. Sandro Reginelli, the very own creator of this design, explained to us how it actually works and I must say that it is quite clever. Not that it is a secret anymore, but I don't want to ruin the mystery for everyone so PM me if you really want to know how it works ;-).
The Masterpiece Mystery.
Available in white or black dial.
Now my favorite of the 2014 releases has to be the Masterpiece Gravity. It has a beautiful dome sapphire crystal (I'm a huge sucker for dome crystals!), exposed balance wheel and all-silicon assortment, stunning blued hands, a lacquered dial, and the list of things to love about this watch continues! This is quite possibly my next watch... I love it that much.
The Masterpiece Gravity.
Stunning convex sapphire crystal on the Gravity.
Though most of the 2014 models we saw were "prototypes", I was told that the actual production models would be exactly the same. Where else can you find a caseback engraving with "Baselworld 2014" on the back!
Prototype watches straight from Baselworld 2014.
Another 2014 stunner is the Pontos S Superchaged. At 48mm, it has tons of wrist presence and the vibrant colors in these models work really well with the overall look of the watch. Who doesn't love black and yellow?
Available with yellow or red accents.
How about this Masterpiece Square Wheel Cube? Limited to 88 pcs... definitely a conversation piece too!
Masterpiece Square Wheel Cube.
Maybe you have a girlfriend or wife that would also appreciate the unique style of the Masterpiece Square Wheel? Don't worry! They also released this gorgeous Masterpiece Square Wheel Pink Pearl for the ladies... also limited to 88 pcs.
Masterpiece Square Wheel Pink Pearl.
A few random shots of all the Maurice Lacroix watches present...
Pontos S Extreme, made of new Powerlite allow case.
Masterpiece Limited Edition Chronographe Squelette. Limited to 188 pieces.
Beautifully designed and crafted manufacture movements.
The Masterpiece table shot.
And for those who are unfamiliar with Sandro Reginelli, here is a photo of the mastermind behind the beautiful Maurice Lacroix designs (standing right under the Maurice Lacroix sign).
Sandro Reginelli, Product and Marketing Director for Maurice Lacroix.
After admiring all the different Maurice Lacroix watches and discussing the designs with Sandro Reginelli, it was time for dinner... a fantastic seven course meal with wine/champagne at Aureole (by chef Charlie Palmer).
The restaurant is also known for their insane four-story wine tower, with more than 3,200 bottles to choose from.
Wine tower inside Aureole Restaurant.
Private room for that special VIP treat.
The Mystery and Gravity joined us for dinner.
My cousin's ROO with mine, meeting their new friend.
Dinner was a lot of fun as well... during the meal we played trivia with Mr. H and Sandro to test each others' knowledge in horology.
A few shots of the food... with some watch eye candy. Unfortunately I was not able to get a photo of all seven courses... apparently I was too distracted with the watches LOL.
Masterpiece Squelette and rare steak.
Mr. H himself saying a few words of wisdom during our dinner...
And as if all of that wasn't enough, the night was merely starting!!! They then took the whole group to an indoor Go-Kart place where we would battle to win a Maurice Lacroix watch! Unfortunately, I was not the lucky winner... but another TimeZone member was and I'm sure he is enjoying his new Maurice Lacroix today :-).
H ready for action.
At the entrance of Fast Lap in Las Vegas.
Action shot.
And the mandatory group wrist shot at the Go-Kart...
Group wrist shot.
We ended the night at a private Craps table at the Mandalay Bay... A few chocolate chips that magically converted to real casino chips courtesy of Maurice Lacroix.
Craps at the Mandalay Bay.
Finally, I just wanted to say that this past weekend was nothing short of spectacular. More than making me feel like a VIP (which I definitely did), they made me feel like part of their family. To be able to share these moments with respectable figures of the watch world is something truly unique. Thank you once again to the entire Maurice Lacroix team and I hope to meet everyone again in the future!
