Jaeger-LeCoultre today celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Master Memovox alarm watch with automatic movement by launching a special boutique-only edition. Already in Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques, the Master Memovox Boutique Edition is a contemporary interpretation of the 1970s-era Memovox Snowdrop design. Echoing that model, the new edition features a grey-blue dial, characteristic baton hands with a luminescent coating that move around a white railroad track minute circle. The inner disc is sunray finished blue and is highlighted by a triangle that denotes the alarm function. Luminescent hour markers are set in a darker blue disc that also hosts the date window.
To more closely align itself with its precursor, the watch has been set with a Jaeger-LeCoultre logo, securing the dial’s retro look. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 956 that drives the Master Memovox Boutique Edition is direct descendent of the original 1956 edition, which featured Caliber 815 and was the first Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic movement to boast an alarm function.
Here’s how the alarm function works: There are two crowns on this watch. The bottom crown is used for winding as well as setting the time. To set the alarm the user shifts the top crown into neutral positron. Then, in position 2, he or she turns this crown counterclockwise until the desired ring time. In doing so, the mobile disc, with its Memovox Indicator triangle, rotates around the dial to the alarm time. Turning the crown clockwise allows the user to set the date.
The Master Memovox Boutique Edition engraved caseback is more assuredly modern as each piece is marked as one of 500 pieces. In addition, a symbol in the caseback center testifies that the watch has successfully passed the Jaeger-LeCoultre 1,000-hours quality assurance test. A deep blue braided cotton Trieste strap, with light blue stitching and a calfskin lining, secures the watch to the wrist.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox Boutique Edition is priced at $11,700 and can be seen at all Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques starting November 3. The Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques will also host a special weeklong display of historical Memovox models.
About Jaeger-LeCoultre
It was an invention that led to the first Jaeger-LeCoultre workshop. Since 1833, the Manufacture has not only fostered this heritage of invention, creativity and technical skill together under one roof but also constantly set out in search of innovation. The first representative of the LeCoultre family in Switzerland, Pierre LeCoultre (ca. 1530 – ca. 1600) fled his village of Lisy-sur-Ourcq near Paris to escape the religious persecutions in France. In the Joux Valley, he put the virgin lands to good use, exploited woodland resources and devoted the later years of his life to the teaching of religion and general culture. In 1612 his son was one of the founders of the village of Le Sentier, where Jaeger-LeCoultre has thrived since 1833.