Maurice de Mauriac, from Zurich to Lyon

The exciting thing about watchmaking is that there are always new brands to discover. I come across new ones almost every day. Some don't catch my eye; others do, such as Maurice de Mauriac. I discovered this family business, founded by Daniel Dreifuss, a former banker who fell in love with the city of Zurich and decided to set up his watchmaking brand there. Together with his sons Leonard and Massimo, they create watches that reflect who they are. The more I learned about them, the more I warmed to these three men, who each share their passion for watchmaking and for Zürich in their own way. After a few simple and friendly exchanges, I received one of their flagship models early one morning, at my home in Lyon: the L2 Deep Brown Bronze.

Often, the first impression is the decisive one. With the L2, it was excellent. At first glance, I found everything I had liked in the photos: that almost meditative design, born of the collaboration between Maurice de Mauriac and the designer Fabian Schwaerzler. The contrast between the luminescent indexes and hands on one side, and the chocolate sunray dial on the other, is truly striking. The indexes are painted in a thick, precise layer, slightly thinner at 12, 6 and 9 o'clock. The hands, as brilliantly white as the indexes, reinforce this contrast. At 3 o'clock, the date is beautifully integrated, white on a brown background. The luminescent index has been preserved there too: nicely done.

The bezel is interesting as well. In the same spirit as the dial, a white, understated fifteen-minute graduation dresses this bezel, which is fitted with an insert, brown once again but matte this time. This graduation lets you play with the position of the bezel: it can sit on the first fifteen minutes of the dial or the last fifteen.

Rather early in the morning, we wanted to enjoy the first rays of sun. I wrapped up warmly and we set off towards the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon. Starting from Croix-Rousse, a district perched on the heights of the city, we took the discreet stairways, where the atmosphere is calm.

At sunrise, parks have a particular quality: they give off a relaxing yet mysterious atmosphere. The Parc de la Tête d'Or is no exception. The birds challenge one another with their song, perched in trees that seem to regard us as intruders.

The few residents of the park wake up and keep an eye on us.

The motionless rides add a little more mystery to the overall mood.

In this sleepy setting, the L2 blends in perfectly. The patinated bronze of its case captures the light without reflecting it. This case, relatively thick but well designed, sits perfectly on the wrist thanks to its curved lugs. The weight is far from negligible, though it is explained by its impressive water resistance of 300 metres. Even so, the watch is quickly forgotten on the wrist. The whole gives this L2 a sense of robustness and longevity.

The sun is now high in the sky. The air has warmed up and the park has quickly filled. The atmosphere is quite different from the one I felt a few hours earlier. There is life: children laughing and people enjoying their time outdoors.

I couldn't resist bringing a few straps along to dress the L2 in different ways. I chose one of my favourite NATO straps. The khaki and the bronze patina are a perfect match.

The slightly domed sapphire crystal offers good visibility. The anti-reflective coating works very well. It makes the occasional appearance, giving the glass a bluish tint. This might bother some people; personally, I find it adds character to the watch.

Back home, it's time to relax with, as always, a hot drink and some reading. This is my chance to change the strap once again and opt for a brown leather one. The combination works very well too.

The Maurice de Mauriac L2 wins me over more and more, especially for its ability to take any kind of strap and so adapt to many situations. Fitted with a Marine Nationale strap at sunrise, then a NATO, it now takes leather just as happily for a look suited to the comfort of a warm interior or a more formal setting.

Fitted with a black NATO or a sandy Cordura, it will make you want to be an adventurer.

A chameleon watch

The L2 Bronze is a true chameleon. This watch adapts to any situation, peaceful or hectic, casual or formal. You can count on its adventurous features and versatile design. This L2 Deep Brown Bronze will be your companion for any occasion.