Chiming watches have been Jaeger-LeCoultre’s forte for over 150 Years now. The manufacture’s history which is intimately tied to its peaceful and unspoiled surroundings in the Vallée de Joux, where the sounds of nature still prevail, are a source of inspiration for the two new creations being unveiled by the Grande Maison today. Master Control Memovox Q4118420 and Master Control Memovox Timer Q410848J. These timepieces express a century and a half of accumulated expertise in fresh new ways.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Q4118420
Exquisite and oh-so desirable, the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox is a contemporary styled alarm-plus-date watch, inspired by the first Memovox alarm watches of the 1950s, which was a cult piece even back then. What made the collection popular was the distinctive dial design and of course the technicals that followed. The playground for the vintage charm in new-age style of the Memovox is the 40 mm x 12.39mm satin and polished stainless steel case. The case is flanged by two crowns on the right; the crown at 4 o’clock sets the time and winds the watch while the crown at 2 o clock, sets the alarm and the date (displayed at 3).
The Master Control Memovox is powered by a completely redesigned in-house automatic mechanical movement, Caliber 956, a direct descendant of the original. Unlike previous Memovox watches that had a closed case back, to which the gong was attached; the new Master Control Memovox has a transparent sapphire case back, allowing the wearer to enjoy watching the hammer in action. This demanded a complete redesign of the striking mechanism, with the gong now attached to the case side. A new, open-worked pink gold rotor, decorated with Côtes de Genève to match the fine finishing on the movement plates, ensures an unobstructed view of the strike-works. One important element remains unchanged, however: the signature “school bell” sound of the alarm, which lends such charm to the Memovox.
Setting the alarm on the Memovox is actually easier than it looks. All you need to do is pull the crown located at 2 o clock out and turn it counter-clockwise. This will rotate the internal dial disc located at the centre of the dial, along with its triangular pointer that can be aligned with your desired ring time.
The whole casual look seems to be working quite well not only for the Memovox but for the entire Master Control Collection. The watch is so immaculately designed that the alarm time scale does not interfere with dial’s appearance. The silvery sunray-brushed dial serves as the perfect backdrop for the elongated triangular shape applied indexes, the Dauphine hands, and the blue seconds hand that adds a subtle pop of colour. Completing the overall look is a tan Novonappa® calf leather strap. Produced by the finest tannery in France, through a vegetable-based tanning process that retains the natural variations of the hides, Novonappa gains a distinctive patina over time. Thanks to a Presto Spring lug attachment and a simple clip for removing and refitting the deployant buckle, the Novonappa straps can be quickly changed, without the need for any tool.
MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX
Dimensions: 40 mm x 12.39mm
Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 956
Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm (Memovox function)
Power reserve: 45 hours
Case: stainless steel with satin and polished finishes
Dial: silver sunray dial
Case-back: open
Water resistance: 5 bar
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer Q410848J
The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer Q410848J is offered in a limited run of 250 pieces. It incorporates an entirely new alarm-setting mechanism that enables the owner to set the alarm based on the number of hours that should elapse before the alarm rings (for example, the duration of a meeting or the number of hours of sleep on a given night). Alternatively, the owner may set the alarm in the traditional way, based on a particular time (such as the time of an appointment or a wake-up alarm to catch a flight). The indicators are linked, so that whichever alarm-setting method is chosen, the second indicator will automatically move to the corresponding position.
The dial consists of two concentric circles in two different shades of blue. Both are sunray-finished. It’s this contrast that makes all the numbers and references stand out. The inner ring engraved in bas-relief features polished numerals. On the inner ring, the elapsed hours-until-alarm are indicated by a small hand tipped with a red JL logo. Set at the outer edge of that ring, the Memovox’s signature triangular marker points to the time at which the alarm will ring.
All of this is cased in a solid 40 mm x 12.39mm stainless steel case which helps the watch to achieve water resistance of 5 bar.
Powering the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer Q410848J is a revised self-winding calibre 956 which is also visible through the transparent sapphire back.
MASTER CONTROL MEMOVOX TIMER
Dimensions: 40 mm x 12.39mm
Calibre: automatic mechanical movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 956
Functions: hours/minutes/seconds, date, alarm (Memovox function), timer indication (hand with the JL
logo)
Power reserve: 45 hours
Case: stainless steel with satin and polished finishes
Dial: two-tone blue sunray dial, engraved numerals on the Memovox disc
Case-back: open
Water resistance: 5 bar