Jaeger-LeCoultre has added a perpetual calendar watch to the Polaris line for the first time. Featuring a deep gradient-blue lacquer dial amplifying its sporty-elegant style, the Polaris Perpetual Calendar takes its aesthetic cues from the Polaris Mariner Memovox.

Its newly developed, in-house movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868AA provides a display of the moon phases in both hemispheres, as well as an extended power reserve of 70 hours, in addition to the perpetual calendar displays and rotating inner bezel – a signature of the Polaris line.

The historic Polaris name was reintroduced by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 2018 with an entirely new line of watches that harness the Manufacture’s distinguished legacy of diving watches, and translate the spirit of the celebrated 1968 Memovox Polaris into contemporary form. Conceived for everyday adventures, with a combination of robust capabilities, practical functions and a distinctive aesthetic, the Polaris collection has redefined the modern sporty-elegant watch.

Perpetual calendar is among the most challenging complications to master; a miniature mechanical computer, it must automatically adjust for months of different lengths and even for leap years.

At the end of the 19th century, LeCoultre & Cie developed its first perpetual calendar pocket watches. Due to the difficulty of creating such complex mechanisms on the tiny scale of a watch, the complication was still extremely rare when Jaeger-LeCoultre presented its first perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1937. Since then, the Manufacture’s watchmakers have continuously improved the precision and quality of these remarkable mechanisms.

The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868AA developed for the Polaris Perpetual Calendar has evolved from the well-proven in-house perpetual calendar movement that first appeared in 2013.

It has been upgraded in line with the Manufacture’s latest technical innovations and significantly modified, with a retrograde display of Southern Hemisphere moon phases complementing the classical Northern Hemisphere moon-phase display, as well as an increase in power reserve to 70 hours. Supplementing the calendar indications, the rotating inner bezel – a Polaris signature – offers the practical function of measuring elapsed time.

Lacquered in a deep gradient-blue colour, the dial of the Polaris Perpetual Calendar takes its aesthetic cues from the Polaris Mariner Memovox. The graduated blue suggests the transition from day to night – a subtle reminder of the connection between celestial phenomena and time measurement.

With an emphasis on balance and legibility, the calendar indications are displayed in three sub-dials. The date, month and day indicators are at 9, 12 and 3 o’clock respectively, with the year displayed within the month indicator. The moon phases are displayed at 6 o’clock – with a retrograde display for the Southern Hemisphere framing a classical display for its Northern counterpart. Each of the four sub-dials is slightly recessed and finished in different textures, adding visual richness as the light plays across them.

At the centre of the dial, a small security zone indicator shows red between the hours of 20:00 and 04:00 to warn the user not to adjust the time or calendar indications. Skeletonised hands allow greater visibility of the indications and, in keeping with the contemporary Polaris design codes; bold trapezoid-shaped indexes balance the complexity and fine detail of the calendar displays. Luminescent coating on hands and indexes enhances legibility in all light conditions.

The 42mm cases, in steel or pink gold, feature the key Polaris design codes: taut lines, fine bezels, glass-box crystals, and an eye-catching mix of brushed and polished surfaces. A transparent sapphire crystal case-back and an open-worked pink gold winding rotor reveal the fine decorative finishes on the movement.

Crucially for a timepiece designed for everyday living, the Polaris Perpetual Calendar is easy to operate and adjust. The top crown rotates the inner bezel – both features being Polaris signatures – while the lower crown is for setting the time and winding the watch. Calendar settings are adjusted via a single pusher.

Thanks to a newly developed interchangeable strap system, which is operated by simply pressing on the pushers integrated into the attachment point between the lugs, the Polaris Perpetual Calendar is adaptable for every adventure.

Capitalising on its sporty character, the steel model is available with both a three-link steel bracelet and textured rubber strap, while the pink gold model comes with a blue rubber strap and, for a more formal look, an alligator strap with a folding buckle.

Adding to the options for personalisation is a collection of calfskin straps in a variety of colours.

Technical details

Model: Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Perpetual Calendar

References
Q9088180: Steel version
Q9082680: Pink gold version

Case
Steel or pink gold
Dimensions: 42mm x 11.97mm
Water resistance: 100m

Movement
Calibre: automatic mechanical Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 868AA
Frequency: 28,800 vph
Power reserve: 70 hours

Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with moon phases in two hemispheres and red security zone, inner rotating bezel

Dial
Gradient blue lacquer

Strap
Steel version with interchangeable steel bracelet and rubber strap
Pink gold version with interchangeable rubber strap and alligator leather strap