European Market Jaeger Lecoultre Deep Sea Alarm

Very little today is as unassuming as this humble JLC. The classic size, slight hint of super-compressor casing, and near-empty dial… This is the antithesis of a rainbow Daytona. And yet, it is rarer. Dare I say, in time, it may be more valuable as well. It’s the type of piece that tells even the most grizzled collector you know exactly what you’re doing.

The Deepsea alarm is effectively a complicated Submariner. Instead of using a rotating bezel to read time, the Deepsea uses a mechanical alarm function to tell a diver when to head up. It’s a bit like the apocryphal story where the Americans developed a pen for antigravity whereas the Russians just used a pencil. Rolex took the ‘Russian’ approach to diving, JLC the ‘American.’

Despite being more complicated, the European Deepsea is also more subtle. Where the American market pieces have Deepsea Alarm printed on the dial, the European market versions just have a small brand logo, high 12. When you consider that just ~200 examples were produced, there’s an extra dimension of appeal.

Out of the original 200 who knows how many have survived. This one survived and survived well. The watch isn’t highly polished. The tritium is strong and intact. No substantial fading is present on the dial. The bezel is particularly not-banged and unfaded. This is exactly what a potential buyer would want to see. If that’s you, look after this Deepsea similarly. It will reciprocate.

Find this Deepsea Alarm here from B & S for an undisclosed sum.