The "Masterpiece" collection, Maurice Lacroix's signature mechanical line, began in 1990. While the entire collection showcases the exquisite charm of mechanical timekeeping, the "Masterpiece" series is particularly renowned for its "retrograde mechanism," where hands move back and forth to display the time. The "Masterpiece Double Retrograde" introduced here is one of its most popular models, positioned as a staple of the collection, featuring not one, but two retrograde complications.

At the 12 and 6 o'clock positions on the dial are fan-shaped subdials, displaying the second time zone (24-hour format) and the date up to the 31st, respectively. At 12 o'clock, the hand moves every hour, and at 6 o'clock, it moves every day, jumping back to the left end upon reaching the right edge. The profound allure of this unique mechanism lies in its entirely mechanical operation, with no electrical components whatsoever. The serpent-shaped hand for the second time zone at 12 o'clock is another iconic element of this model. The main dial features traditional guilloché engraving, while the hour and minute hands are blued Breguet hands. The three subdials are adorned with soleil guilloché.



The movement is the hand-wound Caliber ML100. Based on the classic "Unitas 6497-1," once used in pocket watches, it is completely disassembled, meticulously finished with chamfering, decoration, and polishing, and then reassembled with an original module. A power reserve indicator is positioned at 3 o'clock, and a small seconds subdial at 9 o'clock. As seen in the photo below, the intricate gear train is visible from the dial side of the movement. Naturally, the movement is not typically visible from the dial side. However, through the exhibition case back, one can glimpse the traditional balance wheel with its regulating screws, majestically ticking away at 18,000 vibrations per hour.