Maurice Lacroix Les Classiques Ref. LC1048 Chronograph Quartz Moonphase and Date

Stainless steel case, white dial with black Roman numerals and 3 subdials for the moon phase at 6, the 30-minute and 60-minute counters next to the "3" and "9"

EZ 2: barely noticeable signs of age and wear, glass good, dial unrestored flawless, lid closes flush, starts and runs

History of the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Maurice Lacroix (Source: Wikipedia):

Maurice Lacroix produces 120,000 watches annually, 50,000 of which have mechanical movements.[2] The company, under the holding company of the same name and headquartered in Zurich, has been part of the Zurich-based DKSH since 2011[3] and employs around 200 people, of which around 170 work at the international headquarters in Biel and at the production sites in Saignelégier and Montfaucon in Switzerland.

"Maurice Lacroix" was the name of a member of the parent company's board of directors. He passed away just as the company was considering launching its own watch brand. His name was chosen as the brand name in his honor.

Founding and company history

The brand was founded by Peter Brunner, President and CEO of Desco von Schulthess AG. In 1961, Zurich-based Desco von Schulthess AG acquired an assembly plant in Saignelégier, Jura, for the production of private label watches for the national and international markets. The brand was then founded in Saignelégier in 1975, and the company marketed the first watch in Austria under the Maurice Lacroix name.

The brand name was introduced in Spain in 1976. In the 1980s, an international distribution network was established, and the company's German headquarters was opened in Pforzheim. In 1989, Maurice Lacroix acquired the Swiss case factory Queloz SA, which also produces cases for other renowned watch brands.

In addition to numerous models with quartz movements, a mechanical watch collection with technical innovations as its hallmark was launched in 1990 under the name Masterpiece Collection, featuring blued screws and polished bridges. As a mark of quality, Maurice Lacroix was one of the first manufacturers to offer a view of the movement through glass case backs.

In the fall of 2001, Maurice Lacroix SA, previously a division of Desco von Schulthess AG, became an independent legal entity. Since July 2011, DKSH has held a majority stake in Maurice Lacroix. In 2006, Maurice Lacroix introduced its first chronograph caliber (ML 106), developed in collaboration with watch inventor and designer Andreas Strehler.

The complex movement components for mechanical calibers are manufactured in the company's own workshops in Montfaucon near Saignelégier. This allows Maurice Lacroix to be considered a Swiss watch manufacturer. Today (2012), Maurice Lacroix is ​​represented worldwide with around 200 employees in approximately 3,300 specialist stores in over 60 countries.