Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox: Sounds as Good as it Looks

To claim that a watch tells time is to mangle the language and put the glue before the horse. Only people tell time; watches display it.

But the 40mm 18-karat rose gold Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox counts itself among the few watches that can, in fact, speak with authority when the moment comes to tell the time to its owner. And the Master Memovox doesn’t just *tell* time, it sings.

As the 2010-present heir to Jaeger-LeCoultre‘s grand alarm watch tradition, the Master Memovox and its caliber 956 “Memovox” alarm caliber is the latest in a family line dating to 1950. From the first caliber P489/Ref. 3050 Memovox “wrist alarm” to the Master Memovox on these pages, Jaeger-LeCoultre has embraced the alarm watch as one of its house specialties.

While other watchmakers offer half-hearted variations on the alarm watch concept, JLC of Le Sentier has persisted with development of alarms to the point that “Memovox” has become a synonym for the type. Like 4×4 trucks of all brands invariably described as “Jeeps” or copying machines re-christened “Xerox” machines by conventions of language, JLC’s signature complication has burned itself into the psyche and vocabulary of the watch enthusiast community.

It helps that JLC alarm watches remain the best in the business. With the Master Memovox, Jaeger-LeCoultre launched its alarm system for the 21st century; it sounds like the brightest and loudest school bell concluding the last class period before summer vacation.

More than any other complication or metier d’art of the luxury watch world, the alarm in this Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox can build a bridge to non-enthusiasts who struggle to understand the driving passions of the luxury watch lifestyle. Light the fuse on this mellifluous Memovox, and watch the impassive eyes of non-believers blaze with delight.

With a musically optimized rose gold case and a classical mid-twentieth century cool-factor to its credit, this Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox is the perfect watch for any occasion that doesn’t involve a bathing suit or contact sports. Automatic winding, a jump-date, and JLC’s famed everyday reliability make this Master Memovox an ideal daily companion; this could be your only watch.

See the only watch you’ll ever need – the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Memovox – in high-resolution images at The 1916 Company.