1960s JLC Memovox Worldtimer Bumper Auto Cal. 825 36.5mm

Here we have a beautifully appointed 1960 JLC Memovox Worldtimer Bumper Auto Cal. 825. Introduced in 1950, it was originally called the “Wrist Alarm” but was later changed to “Memovox” for the 1950 Basel watch fair. The name in Latin means “Memor” (Remember) and “Vox” (Memory), a clever play on words. It was a direct competitor of the 1949 Vulcain Cricket Alarm, and it was famously given to Charlie Chaplin in 1953 to celebrate his arrival in Switzerland. A 36.5mm stainless steel round case sits comfortably on your wrist thanks to the tapered, angled lugs, and the curved flanks lead to a lug-to-lug length of 45mm and a case thickness of 13mm. On the right side, we have a coin-edge signed crown at two o’clock to rotate the alarm disc and wind the alarm and a coin-edged signed crown at four o'clock to adjust the time. A smooth bezel holds a domed crystal above a cream and silver domed dial. Applied polished steel baton indexes mark the hours surrounding an inner minute track with Tritium pips at the hour. The inner rotating disc incorporates a ring of worldtimer cities and an Alarm with a helpful arrow showing where it is set; steel Dauphine's hands filled with lume are complemented by a tapered second hand. At 3 o’clock we have a date window. At 12 o’clock, we have the JLC motif “Automatic” printed underneath, completing this striking Worldtimer Alarm timepiece. On the reverse, a screw-down case back, inside a bumper automatic JLC Cal. K825, 17 jewels, beating at a leisurely 18,000 beats per hour, the alarm hammer makes a distinctive buzzing sound. It comes paired with a suitable 18mm leather strap and pin buckle.

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and, therefore, comes with no original JLC box or paperwork. It is paired with a well-suited and well-worn 18mm JLC leather strap. The watch is from Circa. 1960s and is sold in worn, vintage condition. It is showing signs of age throughout but is overall in very fair condition with relumed hands and original Tritium dial, and the alarm is working beautifully. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

It's far from every day that an incredible vintage JLC Memovox comes your way, so when an early 'Worldtime' model crosses your desk you jump! This amazing 1960s model is powered by the bumper automatic JLC calibre K825 and features a sharp world time display on the alarm rotating disc, a nifty addition to the typically rather plain disc. If you have been considering adding a vintage JLC Memovox to your collection this is one to seriously consider, with a subtle added interest it elevates the whole watch. Snap it up today whilst you can!

Reference : 931691
Movement : Bumper Automatic JLC Cal. K825
Age : Circa. 1960s
Year : Circa. 1960s
Case Size : 40mm
Case Thickness : 13mm
Lug to Lug : 45 mm
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Antoine LeCoultre founded LeCoultre in 1833 in the small village of Le Sentier, Switzerland. By 1866, LeCoultre’s workshop had grown from home-run manufacturers spread across Switzerland to installing modern steam-driven machines to power the tools of all watchmakers, moving them from their homes and bringing them together in one central unit. Now named LeCoultre & Cie, the company became the first manufacturer in the Vallée de Joux Switzerland. Antoine and his son  Elie LeCoultre employed more than 500 watchmakers in-house. In 1903, Edmond Jaeger, a watchmaker in Paris who made watches for the French Navy, challenged Swiss manufacturers to produce an ultrathin movement. Jacques-David LeCoultre, Elie’s son, rose to the challenge and created the world’s thinnest pocket watch, which was equipped with the LeCoultre 146 calibre, measuring 1.38mm thick. Over the following years, Jaeger and LeCoultre kept in touch, building a solid friendship, and in 1937, Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded. In 2013, they celebrated their 180th Anniversary. They created iconic timepieces like the Reverso wristwatch and the brilliantly engineered Atmos clock. During the war years, the Mark VII pilot watches of the 1940s were so accurate the Royal Air Force used them as aerial navigation instruments; later, they created the first automatic watch to house a power-reserve indicator in 1948 that the US Army Air Corps used. Jaeger-LeCoultre has developed and revolutionised the watch industry like no other manufacturer. Since 2000, it has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Swiss luxury group Richemont. This group includes Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, IWC Schaffhausen, Panerai, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Montblanc, Dunhill, and Chloé.