Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Ref. E859 - From the Original Owner
The Jaeger LeCoultre Polaris is the most complicated way to solve a problem - and that is why we love it!
What is that problem? How do I know when I am going to run out of oxygen underwater! Decades before the Polaris, Jaeger LeCoultre has been producing its highly novel and unique alarm watch known as ‘The Memovox’. That model utilized and automatic winding in—house movement with a mechanical alarm function. At some point, this complication and design was thought to be married to a highly technical and robust diving watch that would be for the most serious of professionals. That watch, was the Polaris and its brother the Deep Sea Alarm.
Both of those watches are icons today, but The Polaris is the most interesting of the two as it married the Alarm Memovox, with the Technical SuperCompressor case and internal rotating dive bezel to create a truly innovating and unique watch sporting three crowns. The top crown controlled your inner bezel, the middle time, and the bottom the alarm. All housed under a massive plexi dome crystal. The idea being that you could use the alarm to physically (as the watch does vibrate) and visibly (as it would emit bubbles underwater) alert you when you would be running out of air on a dive.
Think about the technical prowess to build a waterproof dive watch with multiple inner rotating discs, operated by THREE crowns, and has a resonator case back… FULL OF HOLES! It's large size (by the standards of the time) lends for a perfect modern wearing experience and has become an icon of the JLC historical canon.
The example that we have here comes to us from the family of the original owner and even has a letter from them to go with it! The owner was a welder and recreational diver who used this on his dive trips off the coast of Bermuda! Remarkably, it has survived in fantastic, well-preserved condition with a strong unpolished case, an exceptional dial and inner rotating bezel, all three 'hashed' crowns, and even its U.S. market J.B. Champion 'brick'-link bracelet with a blade clasp.
An outstanding package!
*Some marks or spots on the dial are reflections or dust on the crystal and are due to high intensity strobe lighting used while photographing. They are not actually on the watch or visible in natural lighting.
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Shipping, Returns, & Warranty
At Oliver & Clarke, domestic shipping is on us! If you are international and require a quote – please feel free to reach out to us at info@oliverandclarke.com so we can get you squared away.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
We back each Oliver & Clarke timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty starting at the date of first delivery. We service or perform necessary maintenance to the extent necessary to all of our watches, unless otherwise noted. All watches are listed and sold running and functioning as intended.
*Please note that due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, these machines may not run as accurately as they did when new, nor will any mechanical timepiece keep time as accurately as a quartz or electronic device.
We do not guarantee water resistance, thus do not warranty against moisture incursion or water damage.
*We also do not recommend deliberate exposure to water or worse - steam!
Our warranty is voided under the following circumstances:
- Internal or external damage caused by an accident, mishandling, abuse, modification, or handling/service performed by a third party individual other than one of our own.
Our warranty is non-transferable.
The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee
Through rigorous vetting of each watch offered, we’re able to guarantee authenticity of our pieces. Ultimately, your satisfaction is our mission, as is helping you get YOUR perfect watch. If you have any questions at all, we will get back to you ASAP.
Each of our timepieces are vetted, evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our experienced team prior to sale. We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise disclosed. We guarantee the authenticity of each watch in perpetuity.
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"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."
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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
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