Master Memovox Boutique Edition

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s earliest automatic alarm watch, is celebrating its birthday.

The Master Memovox – the Grande Maison’s iconic alarm watch – is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its automatic movement this year. To mark the occasion, an exclusive edition will be available in Jaeger-LeCoultre Boutiques around the world starting in November: the Master Memovox Boutique Edition, a very contemporary interpretation of an enduring 1970s design.

The Memovox line has been a continuous element in the Manufacture’s history since the 1950s, and has a story that resonates with both aficionados and collectors of Jaeger-LeCoultre watches.
Featuring a double crown and a mobile disc with the desired alarm time shown by a triangular indicator, the Memovox watch made its mark on Fine Watchmaking the minute it was released. Its legendary movement, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 815, was the first automatic movement to boast an alarm function signed by the Grande Maison and has inspired many others since its introduction in 1956. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 956 that drives the Master Memovox Boutique Edition is direct descendent of the original.

At the heart of its movement and its design is the alarm function. This eminently audible mechanical memory was invented in the 1950s, infused with post-war optimism that saw men set out to conquer the world in modern global management roles. The distinctive alarm is set to a meeting time or an event, and can be used as well as a wake-up call.

There are two crowns on this watch. The bottom crown is used for winding as well as setting the time. Setting the alarm function is simple: shift the top crown into neutral position. Then, in position 2, turn this crown in anti-clockwise direction until the desired ring time. In doing so, the mobile disc with its little “retro-style” and famous Memovox indicator triangle turns around the dial to the alarm time. Turning the crown clockwise allows you to set the date, displayed in an aperture at 3 o’clock.

When Jaeger-LeCoultre’s designers set out to create this special anniversary edition of the automatic Memovox, they sought inspiration in a watch dating back to the 1970s, the Memovox Snowdrop. This rare model with its tranquil greyish-blue dial has lost none of its allure. Blue is quite emblematic of the Memovox collection and has always been a very popular colour for this watch throughout its history.

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The dial has kept all the characteristics of the Memovox Snowdrop. Baton hands with a luminescent coating move around a white “railtrack” minute circle, which delineates the outer rim of the sunray-finish blue inner disc. Here is ensconced the little triangle that acts as a hallmark of the alarm function, and also glows in the dark. Moving across an opaline blue surface, the triple-faceted hour-markers are also coated in luminescent material and overlaid by a grey-blue “railtrack” minute circle – just like the original watch. As a crowning touch, the twelfth hour-marker is replaced with a Jaeger-LeCoultre logo.
As for the stainless steel case, its contemporary design with brushed finishes gives the wrist an unquestionable elegance. Turning it over to see its reverse side, one lights upon an entirely engraved case-back, marked as belonging to a limited edition of 500 pieces. The “1000 Hours Control” symbol in the centre certifies that the watch has successfully undergone 1000 hours of rigorous tests relating to its functioning and reliability.

The material selected for the strap is a deep blue braided cotton known as “Trieste”, with a contemporary light blue stitching. Supple calfskin lining ensures a comfortable and flexible fit.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre