Naming a collection of watches the Masterpiece collection is a tall order for any watch manufacture as it dramatically raises levels of expectations. A masterpiece is, after all, a work of outstanding artistry and craftsmanship. Maurice Lacroix took up that challenge and aced it with several watches from its Masterpiece collection, wowing the horology industry with its Masterpiece Gravity and Masterpiece Mysterious Seconds, to name just a few. This year, Maurice Lacroix presented the Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Moonphase Retrograde to celebrate the launch of its first-ever Maurice Lacroix watch to feature a retrograde display.

The retrograde display was first introduced to the Maurice Lacroix range in 1999, in the form of the Calendrier Retrograde. Ever since, the retrograde display has been part of the brand’s DNA, reinforcing its personality. It epitomises the spirit of the Masterpiece collection, showcasing the firm’s technical prowess combined with traditional watchmaking skills.

The Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Moonphase Retrograde features a new combination of complications for the brand – a retrograde day indicator, a retrograde date indicator and a moon phase indicator. Continuing the brand’s tradition of using non-circular displays, the day and date indicators are displayed in an arc spanning 150°, positioned at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock respectively. Upon reaching the end of their display journeys, the indicators instantly reset to their point of origin, using a system of springs and cams to start a new week or month. Sitting at the bottom of the dial is a moonphase indicator with a second hand instead of the traditional 28-day lunar date indicator.

All three indicators are symmetrically positioned and artfully decorated, depending on the dial colour. The silver-grey dial features a Clou de Paris finish on the three indicators. The remaining central section is recessed and bead-blasted, creating a textured effect beneath the blued hands. A matching brushed silver-grey chapter ring is applied with blued indexes and a black minute track. The blue dial is endowed with snailed retrograde sectors, which extends to the edge of the minute track while Côtes de Genève motifs adorn the remaining areas of the dial. Rhodium-finished hands, minute track and applied indexes provide the contrast. The applied Maurice Lacroix logo replaces the 12 o’clock index for both watches.

Sitting below the dial is the automatic in-house calibre ML 190. The stainless steel case demonstrates Maurice Lacroix’s contemporary perspective with polished and chamfered surfaces and a recessed mid-case to give the watch a slimmer profile. Three adjustors are set on the bottom of half of the case, two on the left and one on the right for quick advancements of the indicators. The Masterpiece Moonphase Retrograde is topped by a sapphire crystal. A black leather strap with a pinned rhodium Maurice Lacroix logo completes the look of the watch, befitting of the Masterpiece moniker.

Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Moonphase Retrograde Specs and Price

Movement Automatic ML 190 Calibre, 52-hour power reserve

Case 43mm in stainless steel case; water-resistant to 100m

Strap Black leather strap with rhodium plated Maurice Lacroix logo

PRICE US$5,000.