When it comes to alarm watches, Jaeger-LeCoultre would have to be, without a doubt the undisputed king. With one of their most iconic lines, the Memovox, being an integral part of the JLC collection, this version is perhaps the most hardcore alarm watch you will come across.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Compressor Diving Alarm was developed with feedback from the Navy Seals and with their approval, you can have no doubt that this is a watch can handle any condition. The Navy Seals, which stands for The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams are the U.S’s primary special operations force and one of the most revered and rounded special forces around the world. As a result of this, Jaeger-LeCoultre equipped several SEALs with Master Compressor divers’ watches and tested them while collecting feedback to see how to make the ideal all-terrain watch.
Sized at a hefty 44mm, it is made from grade 5 titanium and is impressively light as a result. It has a unidirectional ceramic bezel with stencilled numerals. The case is bevelled and is 16.7mm thick. Some of the input from the SEALs included requesting for a case that was less reflective so while your usual stainless steel watch will be brushed and polished, this titanium beast is entirely matte. Furthermore, they remarked that the bezels reflected light too strongly which is why the ceramic bezel sports a dull matte tone.
As you all will know, this watch is all about functionality and legibility. The dial sports huge Arabic numerals and hour markers with thick luminous hands. The two crowns on the side of the case are large for ease of use with the top crown used to wind and set the alarm and the bottom to set the time. If you look closely you will see that the rubberised crowns have a unique collar which turns to lock or unlock the crowns with white indicating it is locked and red indicating it is unlocked.
In an age where a lot of watches seem gimmicky, this Jaeger-LeCoultre really takes it a step up and while some might be sceptical of the collaboration with the Navy SEALs, there is no denying that this is one hell of a tough watch.
Powered by the in-house JLC Cal. 956, it is a robust alarm movement that has a 45-hour power reserve and beats at 28,800 vph. This watch comes with a very robust articulated rubber bracelet and its water resistant to 300 meters.
First introduced in 2009, this is a relatively rare piece, with only 1,500 pieces produced.
