In 1956 Jaeger-LeCoultre launched the K815 caliber, the world's first automatic alarm wristwatch, the Memovox Automatic. The Memovoxes in North America were distributed by the company Vacheron-Constantin-LeCoultre, a subsidiary of Longines- Wittnauer.
An exception were the case bottoms made of stainless steel, which were always engraved on the inside with LeCoultre on both European and US Memovox watches. Accordingly, the dials and case shapes used in the US models differ from European ones. The calibers for the American market were encased in the USA in watch cases that were locally produced. Due to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, the Memovox models for the American market were printed and engraved with LeCoultre instead of Jaeger-LeCoultre until 1980. Memovox watches were also sold with Logo on the dial and bridge engraving by Cartier, Gübelin (here under the name Ipsovox), Dunhill and Van Cleef & Arpels.įrom 1955 on, Memovoxes were also available equipped with the caliber K814 which had a date display. As a result, Memovox watches had two crowns for winding. The time and alarm function were separated by constructing two separate barrels which ensured that the power reserve of the clock was not reduced by triggering the alarm function. (The K601 also a later quartz movement by Jaeger-LeCoultre) These first Memovox models were equipped with the watch calibres K489, K489/1 or K601, which were wound manually. The company Vulcain had already produced the world's first alarm wristwatch named The Cricket in 1949. In 1951, Jaeger-LeCoultre's first alarm wristwatch was released - The Memovox. The top crown winds and sets the alarm time.
The bottom crown is a traditional winder and time setter. There are plenty of different case materials, dial furniture and sizes, but they all have the characteristic double crown arrangement. Cal 489 was in production between 1950 & 1958.
#JAEGER LECOULTRE MEMODATE MANUAL#
The first JLC Memovox was the manual wind cal 489 & was available to the public from 1951. The Memovox was developed in 1949, following the development of wrist alarms by other manufacturers which since the first one in 1914 had been beset by problems.
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