A TOUCH OF PINK FOR ELA. MAURICE LACROIX SUPPORTS THE EUROPEAN LEUKODYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION
Maurice Lacroix is taking part in Watches for ELA for the first time. The Maison has specially created a unique 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde with pink accents. The proceeds from the auction, to be held by Christie’s on November 9, 2026, will contribute to the fight against leukodystrophies.
Some causes demand action. When a rare genetic disease strikes a child, an entire family’s life is turned upside down. Faced with this reality, Maurice Lacroix has chosen to contribute what it does best: its watchmaking craftsmanship. The Maison is standing alongside the European Leukodystrophy Association (ELA) and supporting its mission for the first time. The association brings together families affected by these rare genetic diseases that impact the nervous system and helps advance research.
On November 9, 2026, in Geneva, the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde created for ELA will be auctioned as part of Christie’s Rare Watches sale. The event will bring together around twenty watch brands in support of this cause. A dedicated ambassador for ELA since 2000, Zinédine Zidane will also show his support by auctioning his very first watch.
For this unique timepiece, Maurice Lacroix reinterpreted one of its most sophisticated watchmaking creations: the 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde. It combines two hallmark complications of the Maison’s expertise: a large date display at 12 o’clock and a retrograde day indication at 6 o’clock. Its sapphire dial reveals the watch’s inner workings, powered by the Manufacture automatic calibre ML302, the 26th Masterpiece calibre developed by Maurice Lacroix.
For Watches for ELA, touches of pink highlight the displays and contrast with the watch’s mechanical aesthetic. The minute track on the sapphire dial and the retrograde day hand stand out in pink above the visible movement components, including the bridges and the large date discs.
Finally, the ELA logo is printed in pink on the sapphire caseback, above the rhodium-plated ML302 calibre, which features perlage finishing, spiral-decorated bridges, and a skeletonised oscillating weight adorned with vertical Geneva stripes. The 42 mm stainless steel case combines brushed and polished surfaces. The pink theme returns in the stitching of the black alligator-style leather strap.
With this unique 1975 Master Grand Date Retrograde, Maurice Lacroix places its watchmaking craftsmanship in the service of ELA, families affected by leukodystrophies, and ongoing medical research.
