Jaeger-LeCoultre have just dropped their new Polaris Chronograph and it’s a great looking versatile piece that many (we think) will love. We’ve been able to preview this piece ahead of the release to give you all the intimate details and photos.
Jaeger-LeCoultre have just released their updated Polaris Chronograph, re-imagining the previous iteration and bringing it in line with the current colourway and design cues of their Polaris line up. Coming in two colourways, grey and blue with multiple strap variations, we had the chance to go hands on with the blue on rubber strap ahead of it’s world wide launch. In all honesty, it ticks a lot of boxes, so look out for our full hands on review on this piece, and a lot more images in the next couple of weeks.
The Polaris dates back to 1968 when Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the Memovox Polaris, a watch housed in an unconventional large case, whose alarm function elevated the piece as an iconic diving watch. It was big and bold for the time, but with highly legible markers, internal rotating bezel and an alarm that sounds when the dive time has been reached (sound travel much better and further underwater, so this actually makes a lot of sense!).
The Polaris is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s slightly less professional divers watch, and one very different to most others on the market today. More refined, a little more dressy but still with the same heritage and design cues that came from the original Memovox. Today this collection is somewhat of a sleeper within the Jaeger-LeCoultre line up, but one that is perhaps worthy of shining a light on it, especially in Australia due to it’s versatility as a dressier sports watch.
The new Polaris Chronograph comes in two colourways as mentioned, a lacquered grey dial, with both black rubber and beige canvas straps, and a lacquered blue dial, with steel bracelet and blue rubber strap. Jaeger LeCoultre have included a quick change mechanism on the straps and bracelet so you can easily swap them out depending on what style you’re going for that day.
Staying true to the Polaris lineage, the new Polaris Chronograph comes in a 42mm stainless steel case, with a combination of brushed surfaces and polished bevelled edges. At 13.4mm thick, it’s on the thinner side for a sports chronograph, as a result does wear smaller than the numbers suggest.
Jaeger-LeCoultre have given both variants lacquered dials that have a deep texture to them, and have achieved this by applying 35 layers of varnish followed by coloured and transparent lacquer to the dial before polishing. The effect is a gradient dial that radiates either colour in the sun. Both have an internal opaline bezel, a grained circle for the hours and indexes, as well as a sunray-brushed centre, which almost looks black in certain light.
To make the dial highly legible, the Polaris Chronograph utilise the applied numerals and indies as they do on the Polaris range and Bâton squeletté hands (skeletonised baton hands) where as the older model had the faceted baton hands. Both the marker and hands are filled with generous amount of Super LumiNova which glow brightly to make night time and low light time reading easy.
Inside the new Polari Chronograph is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 761, an upgrade of the older 751 version. The calibre has less components and jewels, but still with two barrels giving the watch a good 65 hour power reserve – plenty for everyday wear, and the chronograph is a column wheel and vertical clutch set up, making it more accurate and easy to operate.
Final Thoughts
Jaeger-LeCoultre have done a good job with the new Polaris Chronograph. It is proportioned correctly and easy to read, with the dial being the star of the show in our opinion. The addition of the multiple interchangeable straps and bracelet is a nice touch, and kudos to Jaeger-LeCoultre for doing this as many brands are not still, and something that all brands should be offering on their timepieces.
We will have a lot more of an in-depth analysis of this piece in our upcoming Hands On Review, so look out for this, but until then, will reserve all our thoughts for this as we put the watch through its paces in everyday life!
Reference: Q9028181 (Blue) / Q902843J (Grey)
Specification:
- Case: 42 mm and thickness 13.39mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Dial: Grey or Blue Sunburst, grained and opaline dials with gradient finish
- Crystal: Domed Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating inside
- Water resistance: 100 meters / 10ATM
- Movement: Automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 761. Pivoting on 35 jewels and beating at 4Hz/28,800 VPH
- Power reserve: 65 hours
- Bracelet/Strap: Interchangeable Blue Rubber and Stainless Steel bracelet (Blue), Black rubber and beige canvas straps (Grey)
