Why Maurice Lacroix Aikon is 6 times more expensive than Casio Edifice

Quartz Maurice Lacroixe Aikon and Casio Edifice

Friends, hello everyone, you are on the Feeltime watch channel, my name is Stanislav, and today we will talk about quartz watches in completely different price segments. These are the Japanese Casio Edifice, which unexpectedly pleasantly surprised me, and the Swiss Maurice Lacroix Aikon.

The task will be very simple. Look at the quality. Understand why Maurice is 6 times more expensive, understand why Maurice is 6 times more expensive, and it's not mechanical. And is it even adequate to buy a watch for almost $2,000 with a quartz movement?

Now we will look at the watches, and I will answer all these questions at the end, summing up.

Let's start with a more popular one, the Casio EDIFICE Classic EFS-S630D-1AVUEF watch.

It so happened that yesterday, in front of me, the girls in the store showed me this watch, asked my opinion about it, I looked at it and thought: "For 12 thousand - awesome."

And the first thing I immediately noticed was the bracelet integrated into the case, in which I expected to see stamped, i.e. half-hollow links, but in fact the bracelet is cast. And this is unexpectedly pleasant.  

And this, I must emphasize, is more of an exception, because Edifice is a fairly budget series of the brand. And usually it's the bracelets that are lacking.

Of course, this is not a top bracelet. The workmanship is not bad, but of average quality, there are some backlashes, rattling, but overall it is really good for the Japanese.  

Clasp type. They are comfortable and fit this bracelet well.  

The case is quite neat.  

Diameter - 42 mm, from lug to lug - 48 mm, thickness - 12 mm, weight on the full bracelet - 147 grams

They fit perfectly on my thin wrist. The lugs are quite short, which contributes to a good fit.  

Let me remind you that my hand is 18 cm in circumference.

The watch case is also quite nicely made.

316l stainless steel. A combination of satin and mirror polish. Again, I can say that the quality is good, but far from top-notch.  

In terms of characteristics, this watch is very different from the same G-Shock, because these are still casual, everyday versions.  

We have a chronograph (stopwatch), and a 12/24 hour function in the upper, small dial, which shows what time of day the time is set to.  

Another nice thing is that sapphire glass is installed. And here you should think about it. It happens that Casio puts mineral water on a watch that is 3 times more expensive. Apparently not for no reason, not for the sake of economy. Because mineral water, for example, is easier to scratch, but harder to break, which is not desirable in the same G-Shock.

This watch has a solar battery that will last you 8 to 10 years.  

And as I understand it, you can even see the battery level through the lower, small dial. Press the lower button for a few seconds and the arrow will point to one of the divisions. I can guess that this is the abbreviation for low, medium and high, which shows the battery level.

The dial looks cool too. Everything is quite voluminous.  

The applied hour markers are luminescent and glow in the dark. The chronograph windows also have applied bezels, but they extend all the way to the bottom of the dial.  

That is, we have several levels and it all looks quite nice.

Water resistance 100 meters, you can swim, but without submerging.

Well, the price today is only 12,750 UAH. Honestly, for a Japanese watch on a cast bracelet with a solar battery and sapphire glass, it's really not bad.  

Well, let's take a look at the Maurice Lacroix AIKON Quartz Chronograph AI1118-SS002-230-1 Swiss watch.

And you can see that I didn't pick the watches randomly. They are very similar in shape, almost the same size, the bracelets are integrated into the case. Even the arrangement of the elements on the dial is almost the same.  

But I want to ask you. Just for the record. Sometimes you take off a Maurice Lacroix watch and they write to you: "Well, for that kind of money you can buy a Casio and they will be just as well made."  

In fact, the Maurice Lacroix "Akon" looks very noticeably more expensive than the Casio.  

These are quartz new products that arrived at my Feeltime store in 4 dial colors.  

I won't talk about the design, because it's the classic "Akon" that many people love so much. And no matter what anyone says, I can always see from afar on a person's hand that it's a Maurice Lacroix "Akon."

The quality of the case finish is gorgeous. It has a satin finish and strips of mirror polish at the transitions.  

Casio does all this significantly cheaper.  

There is also something that is not on the surface. Well, firstly, the buttons are made in more detail and look more expensive, and secondly, they are very clearly pressed and adjustable.  

With Casio, it's unclear whether you've pressed the button or not. It's kind of soft and uncertain.  

The bracelet is also made at a high level. Quick change system. Excellent attachment to the case without any play. Excellent geometry and finish.  

Butterfly clasp. Again, much better than Casio's, but here I want to say that Maurice is still less sporty, so this clasp is more suitable here from a purely stylistic point of view. Casio's one that is currently available is suitable.

As I said, they are almost the same size.  

Diameter - 42 mm, from lug to lug - 48 mm, thickness is less - 11 mm, weight is slightly more - 171 grams.  

On a small hand, 18 cm in circumference, they fit perfectly.  

According to the specifications of Maurice Lacroix, the water resistance is 100 meters. But here the head is screwed for better tightness.

And, note, there is Swiss quartz on board, which the brand didn't even mention in the description. But it's most likely either ETA or Ronda.  

I'll talk about whether it's adequate for that kind of money.  

And sapphire glass with anti-reflective coating.  

The dial is simply beautiful.  

It actually looks much more expensive than the Casio. And you don't even have to look through a magnifying glass. You can feel it right away.  

Beautiful finish on the main plate, delicately applied hour markers and the brand logo at 3 o'clock.

All hands and markers are rhodium-plated and are corrosion-resistant.  

The blue chronograph dials blend perfectly into the design.  

The main seconds hand and date window sit perfectly at the 6 o'clock mark.  

This is really top-notch. The dial on a watch is half the battle. And here it really looks expensive.

The price tag today in my online store Feeltime is 69,770 UAH, which, as I said, is almost 6 times more expensive than Casio.  

And let's start naming the points why Maurice is so much more expensive.  

The first and main point is brand status and positioning.  

Maurice Lacroix is a Swiss independent brand in the premium segment.  

Casio is a very well-known brand, but it is still associated with folk watches that cannot be killed.  

That is, the status is different.  

Everything else is just quality. It doesn't take many words to say that Maurice is made noticeably better. And you don't have to be an expert. Take both watches in your hands and you will see and feel it yourself.  

The question here is more for the Morriss, is it appropriate to buy a quartz watch for that kind of money?

Well, first of all, let's go back to the brand's policy. There is a certain price threshold that the brand supports.

Well, for example, there is Breitling "Endurance", correct me on the name if I'm wrong. They are made of carbon and are somewhat similar to Luminox. Also quartz, but 8 times more expensive. Because the status of the brands is completely different.  

And here you need to keep this in mind.  

Another point is that not everyone likes mechanics, some like practical quartz. And Maurice Lacroix is one of those premium brands that gives this opportunity. Want your watch to look expensive and with quartz - no problem.

Do you want the same mechanics? Pay a little more and it will be like this!  

That is, it is a matter of your choice. For example, I don't see a problem at all in buying a quartz watch for up to $2,000. More expensive ones, somehow, intuitively, I want a mechanical one.  

These are my conclusions.  

And you can buy these models, and other models of the Casio and Maurice Lacroixe brands, in my online store Feeltime with an official 2-year warranty in Ukraine.

Also, in large cities of Ukraine, you can bring it to physical stores and pick it up locally. If you have any questions, please write to Telegram , the link to which I will leave in the description of this video.