Design, Provenance, Rarity.
A horological 'triple-threat' is exactly what we have here in the Jaeger LeCoultre Deep Sea Alarm. For starters, there are two versions of the 'DSA', with this American market dial being the rarer of the two. Secondly, with less than 950 examples made over its 2 year production run for both US and European market version - these are rare birds. So what you have here is a rare version, of a rare watch. (noticing a trend with 'rare' yet?)
The design, a variation on the 'Tuxedo' dial, with an Art-Deco radial outer track and stylized 'Deep Sea Alarm Automatic' font, is visually striking and instantly draws your eyes. The luminous syringe handset, the fixed black bezel with luminous 12, 3, 6, 9 position markers, add pops of color. Then there is the bracelet. What a bracelet it is! The Longines 'Nautilus' bracelet is a 5-link 'beads-of-rice' with pyramid shaped outer links that showcases both mastery of design and function. The clasp is ratcheting with a built-in divers extension and it is as special and unique as the watch it is on.
Like many examples of purpose-built tool watches, this Automatic Diving Alarm was used, and bears the marks of a watch that served it purpose — the kind of patina that we at Analog:Shift love. Such an icon in the JLC cannon, the DSA was in 2011 and even those have also gone on to be instantly collectable.
This piece features an honest, 40mm stainless steel case with an incredible 'ghosted' bezel and correct unsigned twin crowns. The matte black dial features the broad arrow for alarm designation and the "Deep Sea Alarm Automatic" signature denoting its production for the United States.
Powered by a self-winding Calibre 815 bumper movement, this piece has received a full factory mechanical service from JLC and is humming absolutely beautifully. This piece was worn dutifully by its previous owner for decades only to be tucked away in a drawer (quite literally) until it was brought to us.
Not many opportunities like this come up to snag an absolute treasure!
At its' core, this is a problem solver watch. In lieu of a rotating dive bezel to time the length of a dive, it uses a mechanical alarm. Don't dive? It times eggs just as well, and with a lot of style.