For those of you who have admired Jaeger-LeCoultre’s modern Polaris sports watch collection, yet could not pull off the 42 mm diameter case, there’s now a smaller alternative.

The Polaris Date 40 mm dive watch (Ref. Q9128981) features a similar lacquered blue gradient dial, with a slightly rearranged layout. The Jaeger-LeCoultre logo, is now printed in the center section rather than right underneath the “12” Arabic numeral hour marker, and “Automatique” has been removed from the dial in favor of just “Swiss Made.”

Additionally, the new 2026 extension that offers a smaller 40 mm stainless steel case, also receives a thinner profile, down from 13.92 mm to 12.9 mm compared to the 42 mm diameter equivalent.

The same Jaeger-LeCoultre in-house caliber 899 movement, which beats at 4Hz and has a maximum power reserve of 70-hours powers the time and date functions, which are controlled by the crown at 2 o’clock, while the crown at 4 o’clock controls the internal 0-60 dive bezel.

Final Thoughts

This is all good, and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s tradtional Geneva stripes and perlage make it clear that this is a premium movement, however, even with the smaller case diameter, when you flip it over and peer through the caseback, the movement is still showing significant gaps (like with the 42 mm version) between the circular bridge and the case perimeter, which at $10,400 makes you wonder how the “watchmaker’s watchmaker” could not have tailored fit the otherwise proper caliber.

 

Photo by Jaeger-LeCoultre.