High watchmaking once again places its technical mastery at the service of medical research and solidarity. On this occasion, Maurice Lacroix is taking part in the charity auction Watches for ELA for the first time, donating an unrepeatable creation: the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde Unique Timepiece (Ref. 758008-S1S12-000-3).
The timepiece will be auctioned by Christie’s in Geneva on November 9, 2026, as part of the Rare Watches sale[cite: 4]. All proceeds will benefit the European Leukodystrophy Association (ELA), an organization dedicated to supporting families affected by these rare genetic diseases impacting the nervous system and advancing medical research. The event will also feature the support of iconic figures such as Zinédine Zidane, a committed ambassador for ELA since 2000, who will also auction his very first watch.
Transparent Architecture and Symbolic Accents
For this special collaboration, the Manufacture in Saignelégier chose to reinterpret its newly introduced 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde, infusing its mechanical aesthetic with the association’s signature color codes.
Housed in a 42 mm stainless steel case with a thickness of 12.75 mm combining brushed and polished surfaces, the watch stands out with its generous box-shaped sapphire crystal. This construction enhances the depth of a completely transparent sapphire dial, dispensing with traditional hour markers to fully reveal the intricate movement architecture beneath.
Pink, serving as a symbol of hope in the fight against the disease, subtly highlights key elements:
- The perimeter minute track on the sapphire dial and the rhodium-plated external flange.
- The retrograde day indicator hand.
- The contrasting stitching on the black alligator-embossed leather strap
- The printed ELA logo on the sapphire caseback.
Manufacture Calibre ML302: Big Date and Retrograde Day
On the technical front, the heart of this unique timepiece is driven by the automatic Manufacture Calibre ML302, the 26th in-house movement developed within the prestigious Masterpiece collection.
Beating at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), featuring 39 jewels, and offering a power reserve of approximately 38 hours, its complication brings together two of the Maison’s most hallmark mechanical signatures:
- Grand Date at 12 o’clock: Displayed via two independent discs seamlessly visible through the crystal.
- Retrograde Day of the Week at 6 o’clock: A dynamic indication whose pink hand performs an instantaneous jump upon completing the weekly cycle.
The decoration of the movement has been meticulously executed to reward observation from both sides. On the dial side, the front plate features a black rhodium-plated sandblasted finish. Turning the watch over reveals bridges adorned with perlage and colimaçon, along with a skeletonized rhodium-plated rotor decorated with vertical Côtes de Genève.
Technical Specifications: Maurice Lacroix 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde «Watches for ELA»
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Reference | 758008-S1S12-000-3 (Unique Timepiece / Piece Unique) |
| Case | Brushed and polished stainless steel. Box-shaped sapphire crystal. Open caseback with printed ELA logo. |
| Dimensions | Diameter: 42 mm | Thickness: 12.75 mm |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM / 50 metres |
| Dial | Transparent sapphire dial[cite: 6]. Rhodium-plated external flange with pink minute track. No indexes. |
| Hands | Trapeze rhodium-plated hour and minute hands with white Super-LumiNova (green emission). Pink faceted retrograde hand. |
| Calibre | Automatic Manufacture Calibre ML302. 39 jewels. |
| Frequency / Power Reserve | 28,800 vph (4 Hz) | Approx. 38 hours of power reserve |
| Complications | Hours, minutes, seconds. Grand Date at 12 o’clock. Retrograde day at 6 o’clock. |
| Strap | Black alligator-embossed leather strap with pink stitching. Stainless steel butterfly buckle. Easy-change system. |
| Destination | Watches for ELA charity auction by Christie’s (Geneva, November 9, 2026). |
