With this year’s edition of Watches & Wonders underway, Jaeger-LeCoultre has expanded its Polaris line with a new timepiece that introduces a perpetual calendar complication to the collection for the very first time. The revamped Polaris collection has been a part of the Jaeger-LeCoultre catalog since 2018 after the historic name was resurrected to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Memovox Polaris from 1968. A perpetual calendar is one of the most challenging complications to master for a watchmaker and its addition to the Polaris line-up will only help increase its universal appeal. The modern reinterpretation preserves the sporty aesthetics and the robustness of the vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre dive watch, which is considered by many as one of the coolest and rarest classic JLC timepieces.
As far as the styling goes, the new Polaris Perpetual Calendar features the signature design elements of the collection which include taut lines, fine bezels, glass-box crystals, and a beautiful blend of brushed and polished finishes. The 42 mm round case is available in a choice of steel or pink gold. Inspired by the Polaris Mariner Memovox, the dial of the Polaris Perpetual Calendar is finished in a deep gradient-blue color that mimics the transition of the sky from day to night. While the watch preserves the collection’s distinct design details like the trapezoidal indexes, Arabic numerals, and Super-LumiNova coated hands, the watch gets three sub-dials for the calendar indications. The date, month, and day indicators are at 9, 12, and 3 o’clock respectively, while the year is displayed within the month indicator. The moon phases are displayed in the fourth dial at 6 o’clock.
Housed inside the case is Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868AA – an upgraded version of the well-proven perpetual calendar movement that first appeared in 2013. The watchmaker says the movement has been updated “in line with the latest production technology and significantly modified,” thanks to which the movement now features a retrograde display of Southern Hemisphere moon phases along with an increased power reserve of 70 hours. The Polaris Perpetual Calendar gets a newly developed interchangeable strap system which makes changing straps incredibly by just pressing on the pushers integrated into the attachment point between the lugs. The steel model comes with a three-link steel bracelet as well as a textured rubber strap, while the pink gold model if offered with a blue rubber strap and a more formal-looking alligator strap with a folding buckle. The pricing and availability are yet to be announced.
