The Maurice Lacroix 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde is a technical calendar watch with its mechanics pushed into view, combining a large date at 12 o’clock, a retrograde day display and an automatic movement with an in-house module.
It also arrives at a useful moment for the brand: Maurice Lacroix was founded in 1975, and this watch neatly connects that anniversary-era identity with one of its long-running strengths, the retrograde indication.
A Calendar Display Built in Layers
Rather than using a conventional dial, the watch turns the mainplate, skeletonised bridges and sapphire elements into the visual stage.
The grand date sits prominently at 12 o’clock, using separate discs for the tens and units to create a broad, easily read display, while part of the mechanism remains visible in the upper right portion of the dial.
The retrograde day indication arcs between 5 and 7 o’clock on a curved sapphire track, with white printing and a blue pointer adding both legibility and a measured hit of colour.
The 42mm Case Keeps the Focus Up Front
The stainless steel case measures 42mm across and 12.75mm thick, but short lugs help it wear more compactly than the diameter might suggest.
Maurice Lacroix has kept the case architecture restrained, using polished and brushed surfaces, a slim polished rim around the box sapphire crystal and no dominant bezel to crowd the display.
Two correctors in the caseband handle calendar adjustments, while the fluted crown, 50-metre water resistance and exhibition caseback give the watch the expected practical details for daily use.
ML302 Movement and Visible Finishing
Inside is the automatic Masterpiece ML302 calibre, pairing a Sellita SW 200-1 base with a Maurice Lacroix module for the grand date and retrograde day functions.
The movement runs at 4 Hz, uses 39 jewels and offers around 38 hours of power reserve, with the caseback revealing a skeletonised rotor, perlage, Côtes de Genève and colimaçon finishing.
- Functions: hours, minutes, central seconds, grand date and retrograde day
- Case: stainless steel, 42mm by 12.75mm, sapphire front and display back
- Movement: automatic ML302 with in-house calendar module
- Strap: black calf leather with alligator-style texture and Easychange system
- Price: CHF 6,950
A Strong Value for a Complicated Maurice Lacroix
The black calf leather strap suits the monochrome character of the watch, and the brand’s Easychange system makes strap swaps possible without tools.
At CHF 6,950, the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde offers a compelling route into a visibly complicated Swiss calendar watch, especially for collectors who like mechanical architecture but still want the information to remain clear at a glance.
