Introducing: Jaeger-LeCoultre Launches A New Polaris Chronograph With An Ocean-Gray Lacquered Dial
The Polaris Chronograph is available with a black or blue lacquered sunray dial and a three-piece blue and gray dial. Now, Jaeger-LeCoultre launches a new Polaris Chronograph with a dial in ocean gray. What? Another gray dial? Isn’t that a typo? Shouldn’t that be “ocean green”? Nope. The brand from Le Sentier might already have a gray-dial Polaris Chronograph in the lineup, but as you know, there are at least 50 shades of gray to play with. And that’s exactly what JLC did. The brand put 35 layers of ocean-gray lacquer on the three-piece dial and enriched it with three finishes to create a dynamic look. Now it’s up to you which three-piece gray dial is your favorite.
Two years ago, Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Polaris Chronograph ref. Q9028651, showcasing the artisanal skills housed within the brand’s manufacture in Le Sentier. The watch’s lacquered gray dial is quite contrasting and outspoken, and it took me some time to get used to it. It is incredibly detailed and struck me as not very “JLC.” That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, since a brand needs to move forward to keep developing and finding new audiences continuously. The complicated three-piece dial construction consists of an inner disc, a middle ring, and an outer flange. The three finishes, the dégradé effect, and a couple of orange details make for a very present composition. The new ocean-gray dial, however, is much calmer.
Jaeger-LeCoultre launches a new Polaris Chronograph with an ocean-gray lacquered dial
Yes, the dial still has a three-piece construction with the same amount of finishing. There’s also a dégradé effect and orange details. But because the dial shades contrast much less, the new ocean-gray Polaris Chronograph (ref. Q9028651 US$14,900 / €16,300) is much easier to recognize as a JLC creation. The dial has a balanced two-counter layout with a 30-minute register at 3 o’clock and the small seconds at 9 o’clock. Black sub-dials overlap the dial’s central and middle parts, which display a blueish-gray gradient and different finishes. The middle ring on the dial features the applied hour markers, and the flange surrounding it shows a white-on-black tachymeter scale.
The outer ring shows a high-gloss lacquer and opaline finish, while the middle ring of the dial has a grainy texture. You will find orange numbers and dots on the dial’s middle and outer portions, and both sub-dials and the tip of the chronograph seconds hand are orange too. The skeletonized hands and the trapezoid-shaped indexes with a luminescent coating are sharp, crisp, and functional. So are the numerals and tips of the hands because they also glow in the dark.
I have no idea what this watch looks like in the metal yet, but so far, I like it. I will even go so far as to say this is the best-looking Polaris Chronograph in the current catalog.
Other specs of the Polaris Chronograph
The dial is new, but the 42 × 13.39mm steel case is not. It has a rather underwhelming 100m water resistance rating, but nobody wearing this watch will ever reach that depth. The case has sharp lines, brushed and polished finishes, a retro-modern glass-box crystal, a large 1960s-inspired crown, and the functional, robust pushers you expect from a Polaris.
Inside the case beats the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 761, a column-wheel chronograph movement with a 65-hour power reserve. It displays hours, minutes, and small seconds as well as a chronograph with a 30-minute register and central seconds counter. The finishing features blued screws and Côtes de Genève decoration on both the baseplate and the signature open-worked winding rotor, which bears the “JL” logo. You can see this good-looking in-house movement through the rear sapphire crystal. Since it also beats in the other gray version of this watch, I can inform you that it operates smoothly and precisely.
The ocean-gray Polaris Chronograph comes with two interchangeable straps — one in textured black rubber and the other in blue-gray canvas. An interchangeable folding clasp is also included.
What do you think of the latest JLC Polaris Chronograph? Do you prefer this gray dial to the other one in the collection? Let us know in the comments section.
