The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris occupies a fascinating position in the history of the mechanical alarm wristwatch. Introduced during the 1960s, the original Polaris combined the manufacture's celebrated alarm complication with the robust construction required of a professional diving watch. Its innovative design allowed the mechanical alarm to be heard and felt underwater, establishing a distinctive identity within the increasingly competitive market for specialised sports watches. By the beginning of the 1970s, however, watch design was undergoing a dramatic transformation. Traditional round cases were giving way to oversized, angular forms, while vibrant colours and experimental materials reflected the changing tastes of the decade. Jaeger-LeCoultre responded with the Polaris II, a striking reinterpretation of its diving alarm concept that combined the technical heritage of the Memovox with an entirely new aesthetic. According to Jaeger-LeCoultre's The Collectables, approximately 1,120 examples were produced across three dial variations, making the Polaris II one of the more unusual and scarce creations from this period.

Dating to 1972, this Polaris II ref. E870 features the distinctive blue-grey dial configuration, housed within an imposing 43.5mm stainless steel case. Its asymmetrical construction, with a dodecagonal inner case surrounded by a broad outer bezel, gives the watch a futuristic appearance that is unmistakably of its time. The dial combines oversized hour markers with a rotating internal timing scale, while the familiar dual-crown arrangement provides control of the watch's timekeeping and alarm functions. Power comes from the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 916, a technically sophisticated movement that introduced a high-frequency escapement and a full-rotor winding system to the Memovox family. Unlike the earlier bumper-winding alarm movements, the calibre 916 represented an important evolution in Jaeger-LeCoultre's mechanical alarm technology. With its unconventional architecture, bold colour scheme and considerable wrist presence, the Polaris II remains one of the most compelling expressions of the manufacture's experimental approach to sports watch design during the early 1970s.