A signature model of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Memovox Polaris has been a mainstay of uniquely utilitarian watchmaking since its introduction in 1968. Diving watches are a staple of any sports watch collection, but few have maintained as consistent a following over the decades as the Memovox Polaris.

Launched in 2018, the Polaris Date drew inspiration from the 1968 Memovox Polaris, one of the most popular Polaris models of all time, demonstrating the durable appeal of this design, with its subtle vintage touches through the vanilla luminescent coating. In 2022, the Polaris Date is now available with a gradient deep green dial.

A lacquered, double-gradient dial with multiple textured finishes allows the Polaris Date to prioritise legibility without the slightest compromise in aesthetics. A balanced mix of opaline, grained and sunrayed surfaces clearly defines each key dial segment, from the mobile inner bezel ring to the minute track. The colour gradient ranges from light olive to verdant rainforest, taking on different shades according to the angle of reflected light. A coat of translucent lacquer brings mesmerising depth to the dial, allowing the vanilla-tinted dial indexes to stand out with perfect clarity.

At the core of the Polaris collection is its high levels of performance in extreme environments. The mobile inner bezel, controlled by the crown at the 2 o’clock position, is a key feature of a true diver’s watch, permitting the wearer to measure timing offsets or countdowns with great precision. The Polaris Date features a transparent case-back, while being water resistant to 200m, making it equally at home in an urban cityscape or the pelagic depths of the ocean.

Measuring 42mm in diameter, the case of the Polaris Date remains subtle, thanks to its satin-finished surfaces, with polished chamfers on the case lugs and narrow bezel. This allows the dial to take centre focus, showcased by the glass-box crystal that recalls the Plexiglas dial crystals of mid-century timepieces.

For maximum versatility in wear, the Polaris Date comes with a green rubber strap that is equipped with a quick-change system. Within seconds, the strap can easily be swapped with a wide range of Jaeger-LeCoultre bracelets and straps with perfect compatibility.

The new green dial of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date represents the all-terrain nature of the timepiece, emphasised by its rugged, matt-finished case construction. Its heritage shines through in the vanilla-hued Super-LumiNova® indexes, suggestive of a well-aged aesthetic. Within the 42mm steel case beats the latest-generation Calibre 899, with 70 hours of power reserve. Now, more than ever, the Polaris is the elegant sports watch for a life of adventure.

The Polaris Date is a Boutique Edition and will be available exclusively from Jaeger-LeCoultre e-commerce for a month.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

POLARIS DATE

Dimensions: 42mm x 13.92mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899AB

Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, date, rotating inner bezel

Power reserve: 70 hours

Frequency: 28,800

Dial: gradient green lacquer with opaline, grained and sunrayed finishes

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 200m

Strap: interchangeable green rubber strap

Reference: Q906863J - Boutique Edition

2022 marks the 30 years of the Master Control, launched in 1992 as a demonstration of the Maison’s commitment to the very highest levels of watchmaking excellence. The Master Control marked the beginning of the 1000 Hours Control certification of internal quality standards at Jaeger-LeCoultre, a system subsequently incorporated throughout the full range of watches and which is now emblematic of the Maison’s fine watchmaking promise to its customers.

In full alignment with this unceasing commitment to timeless quality that maintains Jaeger-LeCoultre at the forefront of 21st-century horological craft, the Master Control collection has been enriched with two stainless steel models with sunray-finished dials in a refined shade of blue. All the essential codes of the Master Collection can be found in the Master Control Date and the Master Control Calendar. These include features such as the combination of applied Arabic numerals with faceted dart markers for the hours, faceted dauphine hour and minute hands, and bevelled case lugs that curve towards the strap attachment point. The slim case bezels bring an open feel to the 40mm cases, symbolic of the inherent versatility in this case diameter.

Legibility and readability are emphasised, using minute scales in a subtly contrasting lighter blue, with distinct minute divisions intercut with dot markers in Super-LumiNova® for an intuitive and precise indication of the time. With the Master Control Calendar, the jumping date indication makes a welcome reappearance. A slender date hand extends outwards from the centre of the dial, ending in a red-lacquered Jaeger-LeCoultre logograph that points towards the date on the outer periphery of the dial. For optimal reading of the dual-display moon phase and small seconds subdial, the date hand makes a 90° jump between the 15th and 16th day of each month. This ensures that the moon phase and small seconds subdial is never bisected by the date hand; a small yet effective detail that increases the design clarity of the Master Control Calendar.

To complete the overall harmonious aspect of these two new models, the date ring of the Master Control Date is also in blue, with white transferred Arabic numerals. The white-on-blue day and month indications of the Master Control Calendar provide similar aesthetic integration with the rest of the watch, with additional visual refinement found in the snailed finish of the small seconds subdial. The upper half of the subdial reveals the moonphase disc decorated with a star-studded background.

Both the Master Control Date and the Master Control Calendar come with matching blue straps in calf leather. The straps are trimmed in complementary blue stitching that continues across the strap attachment point for a touch of vintage allure. These straps have been fitted with a quick-change mechanism, allowing the wearer to easily switch between a range of straps for a completely different look.

Within these new models beats two Jaeger-LeCoultre in-house automatic movements. The Calibre 899 of the Master Control Date and the Calibre 866 of the Master Control Calendar have 70 hours of power reserve, bringing close to three days of running autonomy even when they are not being worn. Each model is limited to 800 pieces.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

MASTER CONTROL DATE

Dimensions: 40mm x 8.78mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899AC

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: deep blue sunray-brushed, light-blue minute track

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Calf leather

Reference: Q4018480 - Limited to 800 pieces

MASTER CONTROL CALENDAR

Dimensions: 40mm x 10.95mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 866AA

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, day, month, moon phases

Power reserve: 70 hours

Dial: deep blue sunray-brushed, light-blue minute track

Case: stainless steel

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 5 bar

Strap: Calf leather

Reference: Q4148480 - Limited to 800 pieces

Thanks to the Manufacture’s expertise in striking movements, the Memovox has become the reference in wristwatch alarm calibres since it was introduced 70 years ago – employed in watches designed for both urban lifestyles and underwater sports.

Back in the fifties, scuba diving was a risky and challenging military activity. The only tool available for diving was the watch, which created a strong demand for professional diving timepieces. In 1959, Jaeger-LeCoultre responded with a unique solution, a self-winding Memovox movement, which provided an aural warning that it was time to return to the surface. This was followed in 1968 by the Memovox Polaris, with an internal rotating bezel as well as the alarm, and a triple-layer case-back for better sound transmission.

A new generation with a transparent sapphire case-back

Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner draws on this diving watch heritage, presenting two new models that unite fully ISO 6425-compliant specifications with the sporty aesthetic of the contemporary Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date.

The 42mm cases feature the key design codes of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris cases with their taut lines, glass-box crystals, and dynamic mix of brushed and polished surfaces. In keeping with their purpose as a high-performance diving watches, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner cases are water-resistant to 300 metres (30 bar). Furthermore, the crown used to set the notched inner-bezel is screwed-down to avoid any unintentional movement, with the addition of an orange security band to warn divers when it is not fully screwed down.

Distinguished by their rich gradient-blue colour, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner dials also remain true to the contemporary Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris aesthetic, comprising three concentric circles finished in different textures and featuring bold trapezoid-shaped indexes and three Arabic numerals. The central disc of the dials is sunray-brushed, complementing the subtle graining of the middle ring and the opaline finish of the outer ring, which serves as the unidirectional rotating bezel.

The hands, indexes and numerals are filled with SuperLumiNova® to ensure excellent legibility in low light, as required of all diving watches. However, Jaeger-LeCoultre has gone a step further, maximising divers’ safety by using different colours to distinguish the hour and minute hands. The running seconds hand is tipped in orange for daylight visibility, with a central luminescent section to avoid any possibility of confusion with the other hands.

POLARIS MARINER MEMOVOX

Celebrating THE SOUND MAKER™, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox pays direct homage to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s first diving watches, with their robust capabilities and distinctive aesthetic. The self-winding movement, Calibre 956, is also a direct descendant of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s first automatic alarm watch calibres. Introduced in 2008, it has been comprehensively revised by the Manufacture’s engineers for this latest generation of alarm watches. Previously, Memovox watches had a closed case-back, to which the gong was attached; however, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox has a transparent sapphire case-back, allowing the wearer to watch the hammer in action. This demanded a complete redesign of the striking mechanism, with the gong now attached to the case side. The open-worked heavy metal rotor ensures an unobstructed view of the strike-works, its Côtes de Genève decoration matching the fine finishing on the movement plates. One important element remains unchanged, however: the signature “school bell” sound of the alarm, which lends such charm to the Memovox.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Memovox retains the signature three-crown configuration of the earliest Memovox diving watches. The top crown controls the alarm, turning the central disc of the dial so that the triangular pointer lines up with the desired alarm time; the central crown operates the inner dive bezel and the lowest crown sets the time.

POLARIS MARINER DATE

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date offers the classic diving-watch functions of hours and minutes, with a running time indicator (seconds hand) and unidirectional inner bezel, and the addition of an instantly-jumping date display. The dual-crown configuration is typical of super compressor-type diving watch cases, with the upper crown for operating the inner bezel and the lower one for setting the time and date.

Since Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Calibre 899, its engineers have constantly updated it to incorporate the latest performance-enhancing technology. The new-generation version powering the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date is fitted with some technical improvements to guarantee a power reserve of 70 hours.

True to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s guiding philosophy of uniting innovation and tradition, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner timepieces pay homage to the Maison’s past, while adding two entirely new high-performance diving watches to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

POLARIS MARINER MEMOVOX

Dimensions: 42mm x 15.63mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 956

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm, unidirectional rotating inner bezel

Power reserve: 45 hours

Case and Bracelet: stainless steel

Dial: gradient blue dial, sunrayed, grained and opaline finishes

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 30 bar

Reference: Q9038180

POLARIS MARINER DATE

Dimensions: 42mm x 13.92mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 899

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, unidirectional rotating inner bezel

Power reserve: 70 hours

Case and Bracelet: stainless steel

Dial: gradient blue dial, sunrayed, grained and opaline finish

Case-back: open

Water resistance: 30 bar

Reference: Q9068180

A new watch with classic appeal

Drawing inspiration from the 1970 Polaris II, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date features a new hand-lacquered, blue double-gradient dial with sunrayed, grained and opaline finish, unique to this special model. The central disc and main dial now each incorporate a shimmering, color-change effect - from deep turquoise to a brilliant shade of royal blue. The blue rubber Clous de Paris strap, also unique to the model, is color-matched to the inner bezel, which, like the original Memovox Polaris and Polaris II, rotates for added functionality.

Keeping with the signature look of the Polaris collection, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is instantly recognizable thanks to its elongated Arabic numerals, trapezoidal hour markers, and baton-style hands. These elements are each treated with Super-LumiNova™ to provide maximum legibility in low-light scenarios. For this application, the luminescent coating is vanilla-tinted, another nod to the famed Polaris watches of the 1960s and 1970s. Still, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is a fundamentally modern creation. Hewn from stainless steel, the case measures 42mm in diameter and has two prominent crowns—one to adjust the time, the other to control the aforementioned rotating bezel. Incorporating brushed and hand-polished surfaces, the case’s graceful appearance belies its real-world sporting credentials, as the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is water resistant to 200 meters.

Inside, a self-winding mechanical movement delivers all the precision and craftsmanship one would expect from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The in-house Calibre 899A/1 faithfully keeps the seconds, minutes, hours, and date (displayed through a dedicated window at the three o’clock position) while offering a power reserve of 38 hours. It’s secured by a closed caseback, which has four special engravings, including a SCUBA diving insignia, the Jaeger-LeCoultre crest, and the phrase “1000 HOURS CONTROL”, denoting the assembled watch has undergone 1,000 hours of testing before leaving the Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland. Finally, the words “Limited edition - One of 800” are inscribed near backing’s outer edge.

An evolving tradition

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is the latest addition to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection, which is inspired by the iconic Memovox Polaris. This historic model was developed at the suggestion of the American market, and produced between 1965 and 1968. Today, the original Memovox remains synonymous with adventure and technical innovation, as it introduced a revolutionary amplified underwater alarm function for divers. The watch is also remembered for its distinct, sophisticated design code: a three-ring concentric dial layout, rotating inner bezel, and multi-crown case. The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris collection pays homage by continuing to carry these visual elements, but has been entirely redesigned for the modern era, with shorter lugs, a slimmer bezel, ergonomic crowns, and a sapphire glass box crystal.

Technical characteristics:

Dimensions: 42 mm

Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 899A/1

Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, rotating inner bezel

Power reserve: 38 hours

Case: stainless steel

Dial: special blue double-gradient, hand-lacquered, sunrayed, grained and opaline finish

Water resistance: 20 bar

Reference: Q9068681, limited to 800 pieces *(pre-launch in North America)