Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

New York, Mar 10, 2011

LOT 19

Jaeger-LeCoultre - POLARIS Jaeger-LeCoultre, Automatic, case No. 1132899. Made in the 1960s. Fine, center seconds, self-winding, stainless steel wristwatch with mechanical alarm, date and 2 crowns.

USD 12,000 - 17,000

CHF 12,000 - 17,000 / EUR 9,000 - 13,000

Sold: USD 16,250

C. Two-body, solid, polished, snap-on case back, the crown at 2 o'clock activates the central revolving alarm dial, the one at 4 o'clock is for time-setting and winding. D. Black with luminous indexes, outer disc with minute divisions and Arabic quarters, concentric revolving alarm dial. Luminous steel baton hands. M. Cal. K 825, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring, bumper rotor. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 42 mm. Thickness 17 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Launched in 1965 as a successor to the Memovox DeepSea, the Polaris was Jaeger LeCoultre's response to the ever-increasing popularity of recreational scuba diving. Developed for the American market and designed in a massive 42 mm case, it featured an internal revolving bezel as well as an alarm function and a date. Equipped with the Jaeger caliber K825 that revolutionized the watch world a few years before as the world?s first automatic alarm watch, the Polaris offered divers reliability and endurance. The first generation was fitted with a plain full back and a dial with applied baton indexes, the second generation of 1968-70 were drilled for better sound emission and a dial with large luminous indexes. The total production of the Polaris model is believed to be fewer than 1714 units, manufactured between 1965 and 1970