A (Not So) Strange Connection

Benedict Cumberbatch’s love for diving and watches meshes well with Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest release

- Evigan Xiao

FOR SIXTY YEARS Jaeger-LeCoultre has strengthened its diving heritage, which began with the release of the Deep Sea Alarm in 1959, before the Polaris arrived six years later. The maison has recently expanded its Polaris collection with two new models: the Polaris Mariner Memovox and Polaris Mariner Date.

To celebrate these new timepieces, the Swiss brand collaborated with actor Benedict Cumberbatch on the short film In A Breath. An ardent friend of the manufacture, Cumberbatch talks about the inspiration behind the project and his appreciation for fine watchmaking in this exclusive interview.

What was the impetus for In A Breath?

It was the idea of what time would mean in a context where things are slowing down. And diving involves a very interesting form of the use of time because within the experience, something odd shifts. If you’ve ever been underwater, you might realise that you move into a way of experiencing time that makes it stretch and feel longer.