Jaeger-LeCoultre

Greetings,

I just (as in two hours ago) took delivery of my 68 Polaris and absolutely love it.  Based on the previous post by Peter Villaume I wanted to test the luminosity of the indexes once I was home.  As it turns out only the 12, 6, 9 and the hour and minute hands glow in the dark.  I would post pictures but am presently without a camera but the image is identical to Peter's.  If there have been any developments regarding this please let me know

Best,

Dave

 

I wil ask them if the new dial has just the unmbers which are glowing in the dark.

I didn't see yet the new dial.

It may be right, I don't know, and I hate when I don't know...



Best,

Nicolas

This would be rather unfortunate as I really like the idea of the glowing indexes...makes me want a "first edition" dial now.  Thank you Nicolas.

Dave

Hi Dave, and welcome.

Very odd to have 2 show up here like this.

like I said about Peter's......are these the rarest Polaris yet?

Very interesting.....even the boutique edition of the '65 got 65 units made.......I wonder how many 6,9,12 dials there are?


Anyway MOST IMPORTANTLY: many congrats on the new watch!

what a beauty-

Cheers!!

jlc.watchprosite.com

And will keep you informed about that.

I read your post below, but I'm waiting for an official answer.

Best, and thanks for this information.

Nicolas

The pic Peter posted on another post is the pic of the definitive dial, and yes, officially, I just received the answer from the JLC Manufacture.

I asked them if it was normal that only the Numbers were luminescent, but not the indexes, and the answer is YES for the new dials.

The explanation that was given to me right now is that it was a compromise between aesthetic and technical function to get a closer look with the original Polaris on the Daylight, or in the night, without using Tritium which is prohibited for some years, now.

Best,

Nicolas

This message has been edited by amanico on 2009-03-03 03:05:30

Thank you for your effort – but I must say I am a bit disappointed at JLC. I hope they will reconsider their decision on this, and offer a full lumen dial also...

 

 

– make it all white – I don’t care -  but it has to glow!

 

I was very much looking forward to having a fully lit up dial.  It is too bad that aesthetics have won over original functionality...not that I'll be diving much with her  

Peter and Nicolas thank you both very much for providing a definitive answer, even if it wasn't the one I was looking for.

Dave

comming to terms with this solution.

I thought that comming up with the desired pigment for luminova was easier than apparently is, and I am sorryt that the impossibility to use tritium makes for a no win situation in this case 

Tough decision for those with the responsability.

Saludos,

Tony

The choice is here:

A White indexes polaris, or this one.

Seems that the first batch of dials was really an happy accident.

BUT the 2d batch of dial is not ugly at all, even if the indexes are not luminescent, the Polaris still being a desirable watch, IMO.

In the same time, I totally understand the frustrations, here.

Best,

Nicolas

No doubt, I rather have either Polaris dial, than a pristine white or neon green one !!

I am just kind of sad that things didn't work out to everybody's entire satisfaction.

Still, I agree ... luminiscent or not, it its a great watch !!!
Most probably I would not end up minding either one.

Un abrazo,

Tony

I'm both surprised and disappointed by this..

It is not the watch some of us thought we might be getting. First the problems surrounding the colour of the early dials now this? I do feel for you Peter and others who now consider it not to be quite the watch they thought they might be getting. Still, it remains an icon and a very desireable watch and one I'd be happy to own.

I was amazed to notice that on my Vintage, the tritium indexes and numbers were still luminescent, but it doesn't last a long time, less than 1 hour.

Best.

Nicolas

... how long the indexes glow in the dark.

The ultimate purpose of these über-large luminous indexes was to

glow in the dark. Therefore on a historically correct and consistent

remake they need to glow too.

I cannot understand how JLC could sacrifice this for the sake of

a fake vintage dial. It seems like irony of fate to me that the real

vintage ones still glow in the dark, whilst their lookalike remakes

don't - and JLC must have known that, as most JLCs from the 60s

still glow at least for some time.

Cheers

Christian

No message body

.

The index can only be seen after exposure to strong light, and for a few minutes only, with a fairly dim light emited.

But this is very normal, since half-life of tritium is 12 years, so after 40 years there is logically very few beta rays emited.

I agree with everybody that it is very odd not to have a fully luminescent dial on the remake, but I guess this will be corrected in another version (it has to be!)

Sorry Nicolas, but this explanation given by JLC is a corny joke!

There are many non-radioactive luminous materials available in green and yellow colour tones from many well known suppliers!

The most common colours are:

- light green
- blue green
- yellow
- white

The standard luminescent materials are water-soluble and can easily be mixed with each other!
To obtain a light yellow-green colour tone just mix 80% light green with 20% yellow and apply it to all luminescent elements of the Polaris!

That's all.

This method is extremly simple and is done by many watchmakers since many years !!


Regards

P.S: Due to the fact that commercial links are not allowed here I will not post a direct link to a component supplier.

But I regret, like you, that JLC didn't find the way to solve this problem.

They made a choice, and of course, this choice will not please to everybody, obviously.

Now, it's up to all of the Polaris Fans to see if they're pleased with the watch, and get it or not...

Best,

Nicolas

Take it or leave it...

Reject it or accept it with 30% deduction...

Financial crisis will help...! 

Regards,
Polaris68