Maurice Lacroix presents the „1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde“
Maurice Lacroix | Hall A1, stand 100
For more than 25 years, Maurice Lacroix has been crafting watches with retrograde displays. Unlike conventional time displays, the hand doesn't travel in a circle, but rather along an arc. At the end, it abruptly jumps back and begins its cycle anew. A captivating spectacle on the wrist every time.
Twenty-five years after its first watch with a retrograde display, the Swiss brand Maurice Lacroix presents its 26th Masterpiece caliber, equipped with a retrograde day-of-the-week display as a complement to the large date. Visually, the "1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde" impresses with its elaborate skeletonized dial.
Since its founding in 1975, Maurice Lacroix has designed numerous watches that reinterpreted the display of time. In 1999, the brand launched the "Calendar Retrograde," followed three years later by the "Double Retrograde"—both featuring in-house mechanisms. Last year, the brand finally presented the „Aikonic Master Triple Retrograde“ with three retrograde displays on the dial.
Stéphane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix, explains:
„For more than 25 years, we have been developing models with retrograde displays – a rare complication in the watch industry that has become a signature of our brand. With this model, we chose to combine a retrograde day display with a large date complication, another specialty of our house. We housed the movement in our ‚1975‘ model, a classic design with traditional lines and a retro-modern box sapphire crystal. Masterfully crafted in our manufacture in Saignelégier, this watch represents accessible excellence, respects our heritage, and offers a glimpse into our vision for the future.“
„1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde“ by Maurice Lacroix
Now comes the „1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde“. The watch features a generously sized box sapphire crystal that captures plenty of light, thus improving legibility.
Furthermore, it combines a retrograde display with a large date display.
The skeletonized dial reveals several components that are normally hidden, such as the date discs.
The underside of the main circuit board is visible from the front and features a sandblasted surface with black rhodium plating, which highlights the displays above. Bridges with a rhodium-plated trait-tirée finish rest on the circuit board, creating a harmonious contrast.
The trapezoidal hour and minute hands are coated with white Super-LumiNova, while a rhodium-plated outer rehaut frames the dial.
The retrograde weekday display
The blue hand begins its weekly journey at "Monday" and then moves to the right. As soon as it reaches its endpoint and Sunday is over, it jumps back to the left in a flash, and a new weekly cycle begins.
The curved scale is made of sapphire glass and is deliberately designed to be very delicate in order to ensure maximum transparency and to reveal the components underneath.
Intensive development phase for a coherent design
During the development phase, Maurice Lacroix experimented extensively with the design of the front bridges. Their thickness was refined, symmetry was taken into account, and the functionality of the display was optimized.
Viewed from the side, the box-shaped sapphire glass reveals a layering of different levels. The side view shows depth, colors, textures, and angles, as well as several simultaneous mechanical processes.
In-house module for reliable precision
For the „1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde,“ Maurice Lacroix developed an in-house module that combines two complications: a large date display and a retrograde day display. The 42-millimeter stainless steel case with brushed and polished surfaces features a sapphire crystal case back, revealing the ML302 caliber with a 38-hour power reserve. This movement is decorated with various finishes, including Geneva stripes (Côtes de Genève), perlage, and colimaçon.
(RRP €7,950)
