Yellow Gold Alarm Memovox Jaeger-LeCoultre, "Memovox". Made in the late 1950s. Fine, center seconds, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with alarm and 2 crowns.
Case: Two-body, 18kt solid gold, polished, the crown at 2 activates the alarm, the one at 4 winds the watch, lapidated lugs.
Dial: Two-tone silver with applied gold faceted triangular and dart indexes, outer minute/seconds divisions, at the center, revolving alarm setting dial. Yellow gold dauphine hands.
Movement: Cal. P489, rhodium-plated, decoration, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance spring, index regulator.
Dial and movement signed
Diameter: 35mm Thickness: 11mm
Circa 1950s.
More about Jaeger-LeCoultre:
2016 marked the 60th Anniversary of the automatic Memovox which was introduced in 1956. From 1956, JLC also produced automatic versions of the Memovox starting with the bumper cal 815 (from 1956-1966) which was a non-date & a date version as cal 825 (from 1959 to 1969). The above watch is fitted with the manual P489 version, a rare combination of movement, complication and metal.
The crown located at 2 winds the separate spring barrel for the alarm in the first position. In the second position, it sets the alarm when turned clockwise, and the date when turned counterclockwise. The lower crown winds the mainspring in the first position and sets the time in the second position.
A beautiful example of a classic watch at an affordable price.