Pre-Owned

Jaeger-LeCoultre Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute to Polaris

40980073/AS09745 42 mm
View Specs
Regular price $15,950
Starting at /mo or 0% APR with Affirm .
Analog:Shift Two-Year Warranty
Watching being review by technician under magnification

Each pre-owned timepiece is back by a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase by Analog:Shift. Prior to sale, every watch is serviced and maintained as needed by our team of expert watchmakers to ensure it is functioning as intended and running within acceptable gain/loss tolerances.

The warranty does not cover damage resulting from accidents, misuse, abuse, unauthorized modifications or repairs, or tampering by third parties. It is non-transferable.

Please keep in mind that these products are vintage and pre-owned, often with decades of history and wear. Exclusions apply.

Analog:Shift Two-Year Warranty

Analog:Shift Two-Year Warranty

Back by a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase
Authorized Luxury Retailer
Rolex green flag outside the Watches of Switzerland store with cream columns and large windows.

Renowned for expertise in luxury watch retail, Watches of Switzerland embodies the highest standards of craftsmanship and service. With a history dating back to the 1700s, the company offers a curated selection of premier timepieces and commits to excellence in customer experience grounded in a legacy of trust and industry proficiency.

Authorized Luxury Retailer

Authorized Luxury Retailer

We are an authorized retailer for over 80 luxury watch brands.
Free Expedited Delivery
Cartier watch box close up

Free Expedited Delivery on Orders $100 and Up (Estimated 1-3 Days)

Our secure shipping service operates Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For security reasons, an adult signature is required for every delivery. Watches of Switzerland does not deliver to P.O. boxes or third-party forwarding services. For more information about delivery, click here. Tracking information will be made available upon shipping.

$15 Flat Fee on Orders Under $100 (Estimated 1 - 2 weeks)

Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information about delivery, click here. Tracking information will be made available upon shipping.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your order, please contact the Watches of Switzerland Client Services

Free Expedited Delivery

Free Expedited Delivery

We offer free, expedited delivery on all orders over $100.
Simple Easy Returns
customer service woman helping customer

Our commitment to you does not end at delivery. We offer the following return services to make your experience as pleasant as possible.

10-Day Returns For Timepieces:

Timepieces purchased online can be returned or exchanged within 10 days from when they are shipped or collected.

30-Day Returns For All Other Purchases:

All other online purchases can be returned or exchanged within 30 days from when they are shipped or collected.

On presentation of the original receipt, your purchases may be returned or exchanged at any of our store locations. Alternatively, you may elect shipping to our facility with all the original paperwork. All refunds must be credited to the same tender used for the original purchase. To return the online purchases through secure shipping service, please contact our client service team who will provide you the shipping label.

All returns or exchanges must be in new, unworn condition, with no scratches or markings, not sized or adjusted and in their original packaging and with warranty cards / certificated and instruction booklets.

Simple Easy Returns

Simple Easy Returns

Purchase with confidence with our simple, free return policy.

Details

In 1947, Vulcain altered horology by creating the world's first ever wrist alarm, the Cricket.  Its success would lead to a bevy of wrist-mounted alarm watches from numerous brands.  

Jaeger-LeCoultre was one of those brands, but their approach to the wrist alarm perfected the concept and their offering, the Memovox, released in 1950, formed new benchmark for the class.  Like the Cricket, the Memovox employed a twin-crown system (the top crown to wind and set the alarm, the bottom winding and setting the time), but was differentiated by a unique alarm mechanism: a hammer that struck a post welded directly to the case back, unlike the Cricket, which uses a resonant dual case back design. With this innovation, JLC set itself apart, and created one of the most iconic models of post-war watchmaking. 

JLC quickly realized that their design was ripe for adaptation and began exploring different applications. In 1959, JLC released the Deep Sea Alarm which made waves as the first automatic wrist alarm designed to be worn under water.

Rated to a depth of 200 meters, the Deep Sea Alarm was unmatched by any other manufacturer until Vulcain released the Cricket Nauticalin 1961. Two versions were released of the Deep Sea Alarm: one, for the European market, bore the full name of Jaeger-LeCoultre but lacked "Deep Sea Alarm" on the dial. The U.S. version, however, marketed under the name LeCoultre, bore the model name: "Deep Sea Alarm Automatic." 

Following the Deep Sea Alarm, JLC released the Polaris in 1968. Like the Deep Sea Alarm, the Polaris was a wrist alarm, but it was housed in a three-layered compressor case similar to those manufactured by EPSA. The Polaris had two case backs--one with holes bored in it to provide better acoustics for the alarm, and another inside it that formed a watertight seal. Inside of that was an additional inner layer of bronze, to magnify the sound of the alarm.

The Polaris was rare, with only 1714 pieces being produced. Existing examples that find their way on the vintage marketplace often suffer from signs of wear, particularly in the bezels. Many a collector dreams of finding one in excellent condition, but those examples are few and far between.

Fortunately for us, JLC re-released the Polaris in 2008. JLC is no stranger to reissues, with its Reverso Tribute to 1931 (and its U.S.-only limited edition) or the Geophysic 1958 proving to be great successes among collectors of modern watches and vintage enthusiasts alike. The Tribute to Polaris was no less well-received, and enjoyed a limited production run of 768 pieces, making those that surface on the market more rare--and perhaps no less desirable--than the iconic watch upon which they were based. 

General

Condition

Pre-Owned

Brand

Jaeger-LeCoultre

Reference

40980073/AS09745

Product Code

40980073

Features

Manual winding

Case

Case Size

42 mm

Case Material

Steel

Bezel Material

Steel

Crystal

Sapphire

Movement

Type

Hand Wound

Bracelet

Type

Strap