Sale
16896 - Fine Watches & Wristwatches, 2 Dec 2009
New Bond Street
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Lot No: 148
Jaeger LeCoultre. A fine and rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch with alarm
Polaris, circa 1960
Jewelled automatic movement with alarm, black dial with Arabic numerals and indexes, outer dot minute divisions with 5-minute/ seconds markers and Arabic quarters, aperture for the date, luminous steel baton hands, polished and brushed case with chamfered bezel, fitted leather military style strap with stainless steel buckle, case dial and movement signed
42mm.
Sold for £9,600 inclusive of Buyer's Premium
Footnote:
The Memovox Polaris was equipped with the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 825, featuring an alarm, date window and a cadence of 18,000 vibrations per hour. Like the case itself, the movement was exceptionally large for a wristwatch, corresponding to 14 lignes, meaning 31.6 mm in diameter and 7.5 mm thick. These spacious dimensions made it possible to endow the mechanism with all the attributes required of a sports watch: durability, precision, reliability and useful functions.
The name Polaris was suggested by the American market as being entirely in tune with the adventurous spirit typical of this period where people were fascinated by polar exploration, oceanographic discoveries and the space race.
Jaeger-LeCoultre began preliminary studies on the Memovox Polaris E859 in 1962 and a pre- series of 50 was launched in 1963. Made and marketed in a total production run of 1,714 watches issued between 1965 and 1970, the Memovox Polaris was delivered on a rubber and steel band. It is still one of the most highly sought-after diver's watches among collectors. More than ever today, its distinctive design and its penchant for daring accomplishments continue to inspire the creative talents within the Manufacture.
In 1971, a second version was created and named Memovox Polaris II. Enriched with the latest technological breakthrough developments, it took the conquest of precision to a new level. Its Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 916 belongs to the generation of high-frequency automatic movements that the Manufacture began creating from the 1970s onwards. Its balance oscillates at a cadence of 28,800 vibrations per hour, enabling it to reach new heights of accuracy. The oscillating weight replacing the former winding system spins freely on its axis and was hence dubbed the 'rotor'. Whichever way it turns, the device equipped with an eccentric and with two spring-clicks winds the barrel. The fact that this movement is still used today in the Master Compressor Memovox is eloquent proof of its incredible performances.
The Memovox Polaris II was housed within a revolutionary design. The extremely large egg- shaped case framed a dial in blue – the last colour still visible below water.
1,120 Memovox Polaris II watches were made between 1970 and 1972. The dials of the American models carried the initials "HPG" (High Precision Guarantee) indicating they were equipped with a high-frequency movement, while some of those for the French market featured "GT" letters shaped to form a triangle and standing for Grande Taille (large size).
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