Maurice Lacroix 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde
Key Highlights
- Retrograde day display paired with a grand date in the new Masterpiece calibre ML302.
- Skeletonised sapphire dial with black rhodium mainplate and rhodium trait tirée bridges for architectural depth.
- Box-shaped sapphire crystal and 42 mm stainless-steel case with mixed brushed and polished finishes.
- Exhibition caseback revealing an automatic movement with perlage, Côtes de Genève and colimaçon finishing.
- Black calf leather strap with Easy Strap Exchange for tool-free versatility.
A new Masterpiece perspective on time
Maurice Lacroix has explored alternative time displays since 1975 and has treated the retrograde indication as a signature for over a quarter of a century. The 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde continues this line, introducing the brand’s 26th Masterpiece calibre in a skeletonised execution that balances mechanics, depth and legibility.
The watch is housed in a 42 mm stainless-steel case with brushed and polished surfaces and is defined by a generous box-shaped sapphire crystal. This crystal floods the dial architecture with light, making the indications easy to read while revealing the layered construction beneath, in line with the Manufacture’s pursuit of accessible excellence.
Skeletonised clarity and retrograde theatre
The dial side reveals the underside of the mainplate, treated in black rhodium with a sandblasted finish that serves as a discreet backdrop. Rhodium-plated trait tirée bridges span this darker surface, while a rhodium external flange frames the sapphire dial. Trapeze-style hour and minute hands filled with white Super-LumiNova, together with a rhodium seconds hand and blued facetted retrograde hand, preserve legibility in different light conditions.
The retrograde day indication occupies the lower part of the dial. The blued hand travels from Monday to Sunday along an arcing scale before snapping back to its starting point as the new week begins. Its track is a slender arc of sapphire crystal, intentionally kept thin to maximise transparency and reveal components beneath, illustrating the brand’s use of sapphire as a structural element rather than only as protection.
The grand date and ML302 calibre
Drawing on experience with the AIKON Master Grand Date, Maurice Lacroix integrates a prominent grand date at 12 o’clock. Two separate discs display the tens and units, with the mechanism exposed so that the motion of wheels and discs becomes part of the visual experience while enhancing legibility.
The automatic Manufacture ML302 calibre unites the grand date and retrograde day complications in a dedicated in-house module. It beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of approximately 38 hours, and is visible through a large exhibition caseback with a glass box. Decoration includes Côtes de Genève, perlage and colimaçon on the rotor side, a black rhodium sandblasted front plate, trait tirée bridges and a skeletonised rhodium rotor with further trait tirée and colimaçon, while the engraving “Masterpiece ML302” on the front plate affirms its status within the calibre family.
Considered wearing experience
The 12.75 mm-thick case is water-resistant to 5 ATM and is paired with a black calf leather strap with an alligator-style texture, tone-on-tone stitching and a polished stainless-steel M-logo. A stainless-steel butterfly buckle secures the watch, while the Maurice Lacroix Easychange system enables tool-free strap changes in a few steps, and the retail price of 6,950 CHF reflects the brand’s positioning between Swiss craftsmanship and perceived value.
Why it matters
The 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde distils more than 25 years of retrograde expertise and 26 Masterpiece calibres into a contemporary design rooted in Maurice Lacroix’s heritage. By combining an in-house grand date and retrograde day module with a transparent, multi-level architecture, the watch offers collectors a mechanical statement that remains deliberately accessible. For enthusiasts in the GCC seeking a distinctive daily companion with clear horological substance, it stands out as a strong proposition from a Manufacture that continues to refine its core values.
