Jaeger-LeCoultre’s “The Adventure Spirit” is a travelling showcase of rare sports watches from the normally buttoned-down brand
Russell SheldrakeWhen you think of the brand Jaeger-LeCoultre, the first things that will pop into your mind are likely the words “elegance”, “Reverso” or even their famous appellation, “the watchmaker’s watchmaker”, but you would be forgiven for not instantly jumping to the brand’s past in sports and tool watches. But the latest travelling exhibition that Jaeger-LeCoultre has produced does exactly that, looking back at 80 years of tool and sports watch development that is illustrated by just 12 carefully chosen pieces.
As mentioned, this collection has been on the move, and it currently finds itself in London’s Bond Street boutique. And there’s no missing it as it takes up both of the curved walls as soon as you walk in. You start with two pieces that date back to 1945 and show the brand’s past work in the military sector, such as their version of the famous “Dirty Dozen” field watch. These tool pieces are not spoken about often in the brand’s history, as they are not built into the modern collection at all – unlike other Richemont stablemates such as IWC, which have very much kept the spirit of their World War II pieces alive. Of course, there is an example of the original Geophysic with its focus on legibility and reliability in tough conditions, too.
Then, we move on to the dive watches. The very first piece you see is the Memovox Deep Sea from 1959, which was the very first dive watch to contain an alarm function: a handy tool to have when you need a reminder of when to surface! There is also a later Memovox Polaris, which is the foundation for the brand’s current dive watches; and a bit of a cult legend in the Jaeger-LeCoultre collector community, the Shark Deep Sea, which features a chronograph and three interchangeable bezels.
Next, you come across three characterful sports watches. These, for me, are the real highlights of the exhibition as they display some of the most creative designs that Jaeger-LeCoultre has ever done: a bright blue Memovox Polaris II, a monochrome Memovox Speed Beat GT and an intriguing integrated bracelet Memovox Snowdrop. All of these display that characteristic ’70s flair we saw across the industry at this period, and something I would love to see return to the catalogue today.
Finally, we get to the high-tech, hyper-modern examples of what Jaeger-LeCoultre is capable of that all came into existence after the millennium. The Master Compressor Memovox kicked things off in 2002 and introduced the compression key, a Jaeger-LeCoultre invention that ensured ultimate water resistance. The final two go a bit wild with the Master Compressor Extreme Lab 1 and 2. Both do away with lubricants, another world first, and add layers of complexity from one to the next.
If you want to check out these incredible timepieces and you are going to be in London between now and October 18th, I highly recommend you book online at the brand’s website and get down there as they have achieved a great feat in telling a comprehensive story in such a compact collection of timepieces. After your visit, you will come away with a much fuller sense of what Jaeger-LeCoultre is capable of. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Russell and the Time+Tide Team
Watch meme of the week: got your back
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It’s always nice to know that you can rely on a bro when you can’t get the reaction you wanted for your NWA from your loved ones.
Wrist shot of the week: reflections
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Shooting watches can be hard. And shooting highly reflective watches can be even harder, so when Louis Vuitton brought out the Tambour Convergence with its fully polished dial covering, I knew it was going to be a nightmare. But here, Mark Cho proves it doesn’t have to be; you just need to find the right angles.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Norqain Freedom 60 43mm Off-White
A few months ago, Norqain bought us the smash-hit Freedom 60 Chrono 40mm Enjoy Life, and it turned out to be the perfect beach-ready watch. But sadly for us in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer season is very much coming to an end. With the changing weather, we’re beginning to put our summer watches away and are reaching for something more autumnal. Thankfully, Norqain once again have our seasonal watch needs covered. This chronograph’s creamy off-white panda dial is complemented by rich red gold accents, with a Sellita SW510a beating within.
The Norqain Freedom 60 43mm Off-White is available now for pre-orders in the Time+Tide Shop, and is limited to 300 pieces worldwide. Price: from A$7,000
Accessory of the month: Charles Simon Hudson 1 Watch Stand
Part objet d’art, part elegant watch stand, the Hudson 1 from Charles Simon artfully displays your favourite watch in your home. Made from solid aluminium that has been covered in soft one-cut nubuck leather by hand, it features padded display areas that optimise comfort and protect your watch from the harm that builds up from putting it on hard surfaces over time. This sage green example is particularly stylish.
The Charles Simon Hudson 1 Watch Stand is available online in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$920
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
Henry Cavill on Longines: from Superman to Swiss valleys, and why we still need watches
Watch ambassadors are a funny breed. We talk to them about a topic they likely knew very little about before signing up with their chosen brand, yet we grill them as if they have been in it for life. In this latest interview between our founder Andrew McUtchen and Longines ambassador slash Hollywood superstar, Henry Cavill, they discuss what it’s like getting into this hobby and discovering all the delights it has to offer – especially for someone as passionate as Cavill is already about topics such as Warhammer 40,000… It’s an interview that is well worth reading here.
Frederique Constant expands the Classic Perpetual Calendar Manufacture range with two new dials in steel, plus a luxurious gold halo model
For almost a decade, Frederique Constant has delivered the most affordable mechanical perpetual calendar on the market – which is one hell of a boast. 2025 has seen the brand offer the most substantial improvements to its in-house perpetual calendar movement since its introduction, with this year’s Geneva Watch Days seeing further development with three crowd-pleasing new takes joining the range. Read Jamie’s review of this trio of QPs here, or watch on YouTube above.
Audemars Piguet announces they’ll be at Watches and Wonders 2026
The big news of this week was that Audemars Piguet will be returning to the halls of Palexpo for Watches and Wonders 2026. Admittedly, this might not be of great interest if you don’t make the yearly pilgrimage to Geneva, like we do, but having them re-enter the fold of the official trade show marks a significant turning point, ever since the shows broke apart and Baselworld ended. Now it just begs the question, which brand will be next at the fair?