For the second time, La Grande Maison gives to PuristSPro the exclusivity on the release of a new watch to come.
Last year, I was lucky to play with the Deep Sea Alarm Prototype.
This year, rather than presenting the new watch in the comfortable saloon of a Boutique or of an Hotel, the Manufacture opted for an unexpected place.
I had the privilege, on the 19th of December, to attend an original experience, in Paris.
As for the introduction of this Deep Sea Chronograph, Jaeger-Lecoultre decided to require the assistance of some professional divers who brought us in a very original place, one of the very few places in which you can have some diving tests, and invited your servitor, as well as a french Journalist, my friend Stefan Ciejka who is the redactor in chief of " La Revue Des Montres ".
The first who will guess what is this mysterious place will receive an Ipad from JLC, by the way, so try your chance!
That being said, let's first discover this strange decorum, then we'll focus on the new watch...
1/ The decorum:
Meeting point: 9.45 AM, in front of the msyterious place.
Stefan Ciejka in action:
Do you want to meet Mephisto? Follow the guide:
Corridors which lead to nowhere.... A hell of a Place.
Some strange tags on the wall... POY, were you there with your girlfriend or what?
You seem to be very popular, by the way:
Some weird machines, too...
Some had to face a brief encounter with the Police, but luckily a lawyer was among us, to assist and help him to wuickly recover his freedom:
Time to prepare and check the necessary material for the Diving Experience:
And also the cameras...
An underwater camera, too:
This is the strangest get together I had the chance to attend, by far...
I saw two Master Compressor Diving Pro Geographic, the on on the cameraman's wrist, the other belonging to Stefan, who used it as his favourite toolwatch, which is obvious when you pay attention to the condition of the watch, but after all, this is what it is made for!
A Master Compressor Diving Chronograph GMT Navy SEALs, a solid piece of rose gold, in a rough environment.
A surprising contrast!
A Tribute To Deep Sea Alarm... What better watch to choose to introduce the new Deep Sea?
A few Vintage were there, to celebrate the birth of their Sister:
The Geophysic... not a diving watch, but a watch for adventurers, which is very à propos, in this case:
And the Polaris 68, in the best of health:
But only one had the honors of the day... The Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph, or two, to be more precise, but I have to keep a certain dose of mystery, for such a mysterious topic, don't I?
It is time to let the curtain fall on the latest star:
... In its proper environement:
On the diver's wrist....
Before the inaugural bath, which has nothing to see with the sunny Bahamas Coasts:
And... In action, with some nice underwater photos:
2/ The Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph:
What is the idea behind the Deep Sea Alarm Vintage Chronograph?
One year after the unveil of the Tribute To Deep Sea Alarm, which purpose was to get a very close and faithful re edition of the original model, Jaeger Lecoultre wanted to give another expression to this sensual watch.
The Deep Sea Chronograph never existed.
There was a Vintage Diving Chronograph in the JLC family, but it came 10 years after the Deep Sea Alarm.
Its name? The Shark.
The Tributes To Deep Sea Alarm:
The Chronograph Shark:
Despite its name " Deep Sea VINTAGE Chronograph ", we don't have a Tribute here, it cannot be seen as a Tribute.
BUT it is very close to the spirit of the Deep Sea Alarm, in its look, flaws and qualities.
Exit the Alarm, welcome the Chronograph.
The dial is clearly inspired from the DSA Europe, with its long and thin triangular indexes, as well as the hands,the bezel, which doesn't turn, still, and the sublime case, which has the same dimensions than the Tribute To DSAs ( 40, 5 mm ), the warm plexy, and the engraved case back, with the diver swimming among the bubbles.
On this model, no date, just two counters, and a few wordings, to enhance the symmetry, the balance and the purity of this dial
I like the way " Automatic " is written, in italics, which adds a subtle vintage touch.
The profile is very appealing, and familiar to all the DSA lovers, of course.
A big crown, to wind the watch and set the time, and two correctly sized pushers for the Chronograph,
Another view on the profile of the case, one of the nicest, if not THE nicest, among the modern offer:
No see through case back, here, but who would complain, when you see the lovely diver among his air bubbles...
The movement is the Cal 751G, an automatic and well known chronograph movement, beating at 28800 vibrations per hour, with its large variable inertia balance and the ceramic ball bearings, which has proven its efficiency and accuracy through the years.
Nothing revolutionnary, here, but this kind of chronograph needs more reliability than technical audaces.
It will be available in all the Boutiques, worldwide, and it is not a limited edition.
Good news, don't you think?
Conclusion:
If Jaeger-Lecoultre thought about making a diving Chronograph in the late Fifties, it would certainly have looked like this.
This Deep Sea Vintage Chronograph is a time capsule, in my opinion.
A nice way to travel in time, with class, sensuality and elegance.
Water resistant to 100 meters, I would not advice to use the pushers under the water, though.
But do we always need to use the full functionality of our watches?
I predict a brilliant future for this watch.
Best,
Nicolas
PS: Don't forget to play: The first who will discover the secret place will win the Ipad from JLC.
This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-01-11 00:05:32 This message has been edited by amanico on 2012-01-15 00:36:45 
