Jaeger-LeCoultre is on a roll. After a stellar showing at Watches & Wonders 2024 with additions made to the Duometre collection, Jaeger-LeCoultre continued on its upwards trajectory unveiling the new hyper complicated Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948, along with some beautiful new Master Ultra Thin models. Then came rumour of some Polaris additions, where we were treated to a new Polaris Geographic model, along with two new pink gold Polaris Perpetual Calendar models, as well as an updated Polaris Date reference.
Scroll down to see some live images of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date and to have a read on how it held up following a couple of weeks' worth of wear.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is understated, it's inconspicuous and it walks that ever thinning line of ambiguity and obscurity. In essence, the Polaris Date upheld the collection's relatively obvious directives in quiet quality. I was fortunate enough to spend a few weeks with the Polaris Date and groundbreaking it surely is not, it more than carried itself in the same vein as any other Jaeger-LeCoultre would, and that is with an air of discreet superiority.
Measuring 42mm by 13.92mm and encased in stainless steel, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date wore true to its size. It was comfortable, the lug architecture was ergonomic and obviously very well thought out. The twin crown system (top for the bi-directional rotation of the inner bezel that actually sits on the rehaut, bottom for time setting) didn't add too much width to the watch which perhaps was because of how slim the bezel and lugs are. The case featured a plethora of finishings with brushed and polished surfaces throughout. Which ever way I looked at it though, the Jaeger-LeCoultre got the Polaris Date's dimensions and proportions just right. And with a water resistance rating of 200m, there is a certain robustness in the Polaris Date that is often lacking in timepieces such as this.
The dial is the real stand out here. It has an ocean-grey colour palette, which is the result of 35 coats of lacquer, along with three levels of finishing: an opaline flange, a grained index disk and a sunrayed center. The end result is the illusion of depth, an abundance of textures and fine detailing that looks wonderful under a macro lens. The Polaris Date's unique colour scheme is offset by pops of orange and is complimented by Super-LumiNova® coating.
Powering the Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date is the maison's manufacture movement, the Calibre 899. This automatic movement is visible through the sapphire caseback and boasts some fine hand detailing like Côtes de Genève and circular graining. The Calibre 899 beats as a very smooth 4 Hz, has a power reserve of 70 hours and measures 26mm by 4.64mm with a total of 218 components. And like all other Jaeger-LeCoultre movements, the Calibre 899 has had to endure the strenuous "1,000 Hour Control" test, which provides internal certification tests that exceed official chronometry tests, along with movement testing before and after casing.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Date reference Q9068650 delivers on all fronts and performed exactly as expected: Superbly.
Brand: Jaeger-LeCoultre
Model: Polaris Date
Reference: Q9068650
Case: 42mm x 13.92mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Water Resistance: 200m
Movement: Calibre 899
Frequency: 4 Hz
Power Reserve: 70 hours
Price: AUD17,900