Maurice Lacroix Presents 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde Equipped with a New Masterpiece Caliber

After its 50th anniversary last year, January 2026 marks another milestone for Maurice Lacroix. Celebrating more than 25 years of expertise in retrograde indications, the Swiss manufacture unveils the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde, powered by its 26th Masterpiece caliber. The new ML302 movement unites a retrograde weekday display with a large date at 12 o’clock, presented through a striking sapphire dial and housed in a classically styled 42-mm stainless-steel case topped by a box-shaped sapphire crystal.

Retrograde displays have long been synonymous with Maurice Lacroix. From the Calendar Retrograde in 1999 to the Double Retrograde in 2002 and the more recent Triple Retrograde, the brand has consistently explored this dynamic complication through proprietary mechanisms. In the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde, that legacy continues with a clear focus on legibility and mechanical theater. The retrograde day indication occupies the lower portion of the dial, its blued hand sweeping across a slender sapphire arc from Monday to Sunday before snapping back to begin a new cycle. The display is intuitive, dynamic, and unmistakably Maurice Lacroix. The watch’s sapphire dial reveals a carefully orchestrated, multi-level construction. The sandblasted mainplate, treated in black rhodium, forms a dark backdrop against which rhodium-finished, trait tirée bridges stand out with crisp contrast. From the front, and also from the side through the box-shaped sapphire crystal, the wearer gains a layered view of depths, textures, and finishes normally concealed. Trapeze-shaped, rhodium-plated hour and minute hands filled with white Super-LumiNova ensure readability, while a rhodium external flange subtly frames the open-worked display. At 12 o’clock, the large date display uses two fully exposed discs to indicate tens and units. Drawing on experience gained from the Aikon Master Grand Date, Maurice Lacroix emphasizes transparency, allowing the wearer to observe the date mechanism in action rather than hiding it beneath the dial.

Visible through the exhibition case back, the automatic Manufacture caliber ML302 beats at 4 Hz and offers a power reserve of approximately 38 hours. The movement is richly decorated with Côtes de Genève, perlage, and colimaçon finishing, complemented by a skeletonized rhodium rotor engraved with Masterpiece details. Housed within a 42mm steel case with alternating brushed and polished surfaces, the watch measures 12.75mm thick and offers a water resistance to 50 meters.

The 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde is delivered on a black calf leather strap with an alligator-style embossing and stainless-steel butterfly clasp. Maurice Lacroix’s Easy Strap Exchange system allows for quick, tool-free changes. Pricing is marked at $8,600. 

To learn more, visit Maurice Lacroix, here.