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Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris 42mm Stainless Steel
Ref. Q9068670
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Stepping up in Jaeger-LeCoultre's range
The Polaris name goes back to 1968 and the original Memovox Polaris — one of the first diving watches to carry an internal rotating bezel, turned by a dedicated crown rather than the external grip-and-twist arrangement found on almost everything else. This version keeps that architecture intact: the crown at 2 o'clock governs the internal timing bezel, the one at 4 o'clock handles time and date, and the compressor-style layout that made the original distinctive is still legible in the case profile. The caseback carries an engraved diving helmet, a nod to where this lineage began. At 48.5mm lug to lug, it sits shorter on the wrist than many 42mm sport watches — a proportion that matters in daily wear. The black dial works in three textures simultaneously, sunburst, grained and opaline, which means it reads differently as the light shifts rather than sitting flat. The Super-LumiNova on the trapezoid indices is finished with a deliberately warm, vanilla-toned faux patina, legible and characterful rather than clinical. Inside, the Calibre 899A/1 uses ceramic ball bearings and a free-sprung balance, and every movement JLC produces passes a 1,000-hour in-house test before it leaves Geneva — the kind of standard that is measurable, not merely claimed.
- Reference
- Q9068670
- Brand
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 13.1mm
- Lug width
- 21mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 899A/1
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Rubber strap
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 48.5mm
- Power reserve
- 38 hours
Learn more about Jaeger-LeCoultre
Antoine LeCoultre opened a workshop in Le Sentier in 1833 and set about solving a problem nobody else had: precise measurement. His Millionomètre of 1844 was the first instrument capable of measuring to a micron, and it let the Vallée de Joux move from skilled approximation to genuine precision.
The house became the movement supplier to the industry. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and Audemars Piguet all built watches on LeCoultre ébauches, and the manufacture has produced well over a thousand distinct calibres — an output no other house approaches. The partnership with the Parisian retailer Edmond Jaeger, formalised in the company name in 1937, gave it the Jaeger-LeCoultre it still carries.
Two products define it in the public mind. The Reverso of 1931 was designed so British Army officers in India could flip the case and protect the crystal during polo; the reversible case became one of the few genuinely original watch designs of the century. The Atmos clock, developed from 1928, runs on atmospheric temperature variation and needs no winding at all.
The Duoplan and the calibre 101 — still the smallest mechanical movement in series production, introduced in 1929 — sit alongside the gyrotourbillons and minute repeaters that keep the manufacture at the technical front.
Richemont has owned the house since 2000.
- 1833
- Antoine LeCoultre founds his workshop in Le Sentier.
- 1844
- The Millionomètre measures to the micron for the first time.
- 1929
- Calibre 101, the smallest mechanical movement, is introduced.
- 1931
- The Reverso launches with its flip case.
- 1937
- The Jaeger-LeCoultre name is formalised.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,797), Automatic Watches (1,432), Back in Stock (842), Sports Watches (695), Dive Watches (488) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (250).
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- 48.5mm lug-to-lug keeps the 42mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Jaeger-LeCoultre's range as we list it
Worth knowing
- 38-hour reserve means winding it after a day off
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | Q9068670 | 79360B | CBN201C.FC6542 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,850 | £4,650 | £5,700 |
| Case size | 42mm | 41mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Rubber strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 38 hours | 70 hours | 80 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 38 hours fully wound — so it will usually stop if you leave it off overnight.
What size strap does it take?
21mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 48.5mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Mappin & Webb at £5,850, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £5,850 from Mappin & Webb. A pre-owned watch has been worn, and is normally sold under the retailer’s own warranty rather than the manufacturer’s.
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