Last week at SIHH 2018, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled the new Polaris collection. There are five new watches in total, and each is inspired by the original 1968 diver’s alarm Polaris, a classic if there ever was one, though there are lots of new little features and design traits too. It’s never easy to take something beloved and do something different with it, but here JLC has created a set of thoroughly modern sports watches while also paying tribute to its history. For the full story, go to https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/inside-jaeger-lecoultre-polaris-collection-2018
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The master compressor memovox is my fav sport watch from them.
Can these watches be used to launch nuclear missiles from under the sea? If not, then why call this line Polaris?
This is so borrrrrrrrrrrring.
Nice introduction of the Polaris collection. Thank you.
So until today I’ve never seen a worldtimer that did anything at all for me. That being said this one makes my manly bits tingle, a lot.
People: EPSA super compression diver. That’s where the design begins, stop pretending it was another brand. EPSA, and then the over 100 brands they sold their cases to, including JLC, Longines, Enicar, Bulova, etc.
I prefer my tribute to polaris 68 to any of those…
There’s a lot of people hating on this line, but I love it.
The case of the Polaris is hand-finished with both satin and grained finish. It has three contrasting finishes within the dial. This is what sets it apart from Rolex Explorer, Omega, etc. I see it as the classiest of the sport segment. I’m a fan!
Perhaps it’s because they are from the same era, but the divers remind me of Seiko’s SLA017J1 reissue (anthracite dial, blocky markers, etc.).
Basically just permutations of the Longines legend diver haha
Really liking the world time chronograph. The other ones… not so much
I dont like the “baby” music hodinkee uses in the videos
I typically like jlc. I don’t not like this line this year aesthetically. It’s over all not up to jlc usual attention to detail. Too big of case size with tiny movements. You see this in the $1000-2500 range of Swiss watches. You shouldn’t see it here.
Is Geoffrey Lefebvre related to Ludo Lefebvre the famous chef? They look and sound so similar.
Wow. I love this
Disgusting …
You guys should do a video on how to properly appreciate watches, what aspects of the watch to be conscious about
I’m in the minority here but I like these
very thick case
JLC are by far one of best watch makers of haute horology but I must say that these two JLC is missing that the craftsmanship JLC is known for and I am disappointed.
Massive vintage Memovox fan here, this new line does nothing for me.
I am sorry to say but they look like hamiltons…
I’m sure the movement is great, but the overall aesthetic is underwhelming.
No thanks.
This collection is meant to be a tool/sport watch collection and is not supposed to be elegant and charming like the reverso, duometre and master series that we are all so used to see from jlc. I see the Polaris collection as a competitor to mid luxury tool watch models such the Rolex explorer, Omega speed master etc…
It will take time for consumers to get used to it but I think as long as jlc continues to fine-tune the Polaris collection in terms of case size and colours, the Polaris will be a force to be reckoned with over time. You get a sports watch at a fair price from the watchmaker’s watchmaker.
Not many brands can have such a complete suite of product across different catergories like jlc.
0:40 “[the character] is more important than the details”. Maybe this is why I find the Polaris releases so underwhelming? IMO, they simply look boring. If they wouldn’t have a certain kind of heritage aspect, they were nothing but technically well executed (this I cannot negate) timepieces. Especially the blue-dial Polaris Chrono looks like a mediocre Frederique Constant (the quintessence of undistinguished and uninspired ‘luxury’ watches). Additionally, however this is a more personal aspect, I am not quite ready to appreciate the post 1960’s design. The blocky 12-6-9 numerals, the oversized ananas-slice (makes me think of Pizza Hawaii… ugh) lume plots… This is a watch that marks the point when watches got ugly in the 1970’s.
Boring, btw. nice sugar-coating from Hodinkee
I’m loving the no-date black dialed version, as well as the chrono world time. Not bad!
Interesting collection. I love the world-timer in 44.
Long overdue from JLC
They look like something from Orient.
Looks cheap to me.
Looks like JLC used the similar style in Dagaz’s modern FFF dial.