Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Memovox line, as historians of chiming watches will know, refers to the manufacture’s family of alarm watches. They might not be as romantic or as expensive as repeaters, but they are arguably more useful and have a vintage charm to them.
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This old-school simplicity is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s push for 2020. It is putting the spotlight on the Master Control collection and the Memovox is the perfect introduction to the theme. The first Memovox was released in 1951 and the design, not counting the Deepsea diving versions, has remained faithful through the years.
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What’s novel for this year is the inclusion of a countdown function for the alarm, as seen in the limited-edition Master Control Memovox Timer. And although its two-tone blue dial and matching strap add modernity to the design, Jaeger-LeCoultre is playing it safe by making only 250 of these unusual pieces.
The crowd-pleasing Master Control Memovox is a more straightforward affair. The silvered dial, hands and indexes, along with an unobtrusive date window and rotating alarm disc, sit comfortably in a 40mm stainless steel case.
Both are powered by the self-winding Calibre 956 – viewable for the first time in a Memovox.
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