Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date & Memovox Review

amanico · 2020-10-01T00:22:53Z

Explore the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date and Memovox. amanico's review and collector insights on design, movement, and dive functionality.

amanico

WPS member · Jaeger-LeCoultre forum

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amanico's initial thoughts on the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date and Mariner Memovox sparked a robust discussion among collectors. His post delves into the historical lineage of the Polaris and Master Mariner names, tracing their evolution through various iconic references. This exploration provides crucial context for understanding JLC's design choices and technical advancements in these contemporary dive watches.

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Jaeger Lecoultre comes back to the Polaris with two new models, the Polaris Mariner Date and the Polaris Mariner Memovox.

Polaris, Mariner, two names which have their roots in Jaeger Lecoultre rich history. If you know the Polaris by heart, as it is one of the most popular watch from the Manufacture, the Mariner belongs to a family, the Master Mariner, born in the late Fifties and which gave birth to a model which is appreciated by the Jaeger Lecoultre fans, the Master Mariner Deep Sea.

You could also think that this name was used to enhance the link to the sea, with the blue dial and the improved water resistance of these two watches, which are now 300 meters.

Historically, the Polaris Mariner Memovox is the fourth opus of this watch. Born in 1962 / 1963 as a prototype, the definitive Polaris was issued in 1965 with a glossy black dial with luminous dots but without luminous indices. The Polaris we better know was issued in 1967 with its long triangular luminous indices.

Then in 1970, Jaeger Lecoultre reinvented the Polaris, with an oval round case, under the reference E 870, which came with three dials, a grey, a blue and and a red.

We had to wait till 2008 to see the Tribute To Polaris with two dials, one from the 1965 edition, the other from 1967 / 1968.

In 2018, Jaeger Lecoultre unveiled a new line of Polaris, with and without date, with a chronograph world time and chronograph only, the Geographique World Time and a Polaris Memovox 50th Anniversary, in a limited edition, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this icon.

So, what are the characteristics of these 2 watches?

They both respect the ISO 64-25 Norms, which means that they fulfill the different points:

- An unidirectional bezel,

- Differentiated hour and minute hands,

- A running indicator,

- A water resistance of 100 meters minimum.

- And a good visibility in the dark.

Here, not only Jaeger Lecoultre respects the ISO norms, they also go farther.

Indeed, the water resistance is improved to 300 meters instead of 200 meters for the Vintage, the Tribute and the 50th Anniversary, an orange security ring which informs you that the bezel is not secured, a screw-in crown ( the bezel, not the the time nor the alarm ) and some different luminova for the minute and hour hands.

The crown dedicated to the bezel on the Polaris Mariner Date:

And on the Polaris Mariner Memovox:

Two other features are present on these watches are the line on the bezel, between 0 and 15 and, of course, the see through case back showing the Cal 899 ( Mariner Date ) and the Cal 956 ( Mariner Memovox ).

Polaris Mariner Date:

Polaris Mariner Memovox:

Jaeger Lcoultre reworked the Cal 899 with the same improvement than for the Master Control Date, with an enhanced power reserve of 70 hours, and the Cal 956 with a new architecture for the peripheral gong and hammer. As you can see, the rotors are in tungsten.

The Cal 899

The Cal 956:

The size? 42 mm for both of them, 15, 6 mm high for the Polaris Mariner Memovox, and 13, 9 mm high for the Polaris Mariner Date.In the reality, the watch looks less bigger, due to the fact that the sapphire is 2, 3 mm high and the case back 2 mm thick.

The smoked blue dials are very nice looking, on both of them.

Here, none of them are limited editions.

They are both mounted on a bracelet. No strap option for the moment.

Polaris Mariner Date:

Polaris Mariner Memovox:

The price? 9100 Euros without VAT for the Mariner Date, and 14, 500 Euros without VAT for the Mariner Memovox ( 17, 200 Euros VAT included ).

Of course we'll come back to these 2 watches as soon as I can take some decent pictures of them.

Best,

Nicolas

About the Jaeger LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph Shark Ref. MemovoxE870

The Jaeger LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph Shark, referenced as MemovoxE870, is a distinct offering within the brand's historical sports watch catalog. This particular reference is often associated with the broader Deep Sea line, which includes various timepieces known for their robust construction and specific functional designs. The 'Shark' designation points to a specific aesthetic or technical configuration that differentiates it from other Deep Sea models, appealing to collectors interested in the nuances of vintage Jaeger LeCoultre sports watches. It represents a period where the brand explored various designs for tool watches.

While specific details for the MemovoxE870 are often sought after by collectors, the Deep Sea Chronograph models typically featured a stainless steel case, designed for durability. The movement would have been a mechanical caliber, reflecting Jaeger LeCoultre's in-house manufacturing capabilities. Crystal materials and water resistance ratings were consistent with the practical requirements of the era for such watches, aiming for reliability in various conditions. The dial configuration would have prioritized legibility, a common characteristic of functional chronographs.

This reference appeals to collectors who appreciate the historical context of Jaeger LeCoultre's tool watch development and the specific design language of the Deep Sea series. Its place within the broader Deep Sea family, alongside other notable references, makes it a subject of research for those aiming to understand the full scope of the brand's output in this category. The pursuit of original documentation, such as special booklets, highlights the collector community's dedication to preserving and understanding these historical pieces.

Specifications

Caliber: JLC 916

Case: Stainless steel

Diameter: 40mm

Dial: Blue

Key Points from the Discussion

The screw-down crown for the internal bezel, while intended to prevent accidental rotation, is impractical for active divers who need to adjust the bezel frequently, potentially underwater or with gloves. This design choice raises questions about the watch's utility as a true dive instrument.
The pricing of the new Polaris Mariner models, particularly the Memovox, is considered steep, especially given Jaeger-LeCoultre's historical resale value trends. This makes the investment less appealing for some collectors.
Concerns were raised about the timekeeping consistency of newer JLC movements and whether the caliber 899 is sufficiently robust for a dedicated sports watch, particularly a diver, suggesting a potential compromise on durability.
The absence of a diving extension on the bracelet is a significant oversight for a dive watch, requiring divers to carry tools for strap changes or rely solely on the included rubber strap.
Some collectors believe JLC should focus on creating an elegant, thin, and sporty steel watch to compete with popular luxury sport models like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or Patek Philippe Nautilus/Aquanaut, rather than expanding their dive watch offerings.
The use of a tungsten rotor in a watch at this price point was noted as feeling less premium, though some acknowledged it might be typical for the segment.

The Discussion

jlux

Oct 1, 2020

Price positioning is however questionable. My favorite from the Polaris line is still the very basic no-date version on a leather strap.

Explorertwo

Oct 1, 2020

Thanks for your review Nicolas

Arronax

Oct 1, 2020

My only minor concern is that a regular dive-watch bezel also protects the crystal from shocks and dings, while this box sapphire is quite exposed. I almost cracked the sapphire of my luminor on a dive boat a few years back after my son's dive tank hit my wrist! That being said I don't think they are chasing submariner owners so probably not a big deal.

robsallnow

Oct 1, 2020

They seem to have addressed the issues I had with the previous version of the Polaris Date that stopped me buying one, the faux patina and the poor power reserve and added a display back that I wanted....now the downside seems to be that they have in effect put it beyond my price range with the mandatory bracelet I wouldn’t use. Can’t wait to try one on and see the dial colour though

Rapwatch

Oct 1, 2020

this whole approach down. So, JLC finally make an ISO 6425 grade dive watch, Great. But forgetting the somewhat ridiculous 'alarm' dive watch, with the creaky 40 something PR...... this was a missed opportunity to apply a proper sports watch movement to the more sensible 2 crown version - we all know the 899 is not - in the form of Autotractor or another new movement a la AP 43xx. and tungsten rotors, seriously? R

JakubM

Oct 1, 2020

I really like these apart from being (in my eyes) rather overpriced, according to the website orange bar on rehaut controlling crown disappears when you screw in the crown to ensure you are not going to forget screwing in the crown (that reminds of older Master Compressor crown system) for calculating decompression stops, considering you calculate decompression stops on the go you would have to unscrew the crown underwater to set the appropriate decompression time based on you calculations, beze

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Mariner Date & Memovox Review

About the Jaeger LeCoultre Deep Sea Chronograph Shark Ref. MemovoxE870

Specifications

Key Points from the Discussion

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