A great looking Memovox in good condition! Patrick brought it in for a service, so let’s have a look inside.
Even though the movement is beating, the timegrapher can’t pick up the signal.
The dial has two parts – the outer for the time, and the inner dial for the alarm time.
The bottom plate with the inner alarm dial.
Movement with balance jewels removed.
The bottom plate with the alarm mechanism.
This is the best constructed alarm watch that I have seen so far!
I start off with the two barrels. I couldn’t get hold of replacement springs, so I use the old ones, that are still in good condition.
The movement comes back together.The gear train in place.
The left banking pin is missing its top, and the pallet fork goes to far to that side. I turn it and reshape it a bit, and it stops the pallet fork properly again.
That looks good – the mainspring is still spritely.
Beautiful bottom plate with the alarm mechanism.
Cased, and looking great!Lovely little watch!
Hi Christian,
I’ve been following your blog for a while, and wanted to say I really appreciate that someone is sharing all this, it’s quite amazing. As someone who has recently started trying to play with watch movements and understand the inner workings it’s a great place to come again and again.
I’ve been knowing about the Memovox for a while (I mostly love vintage watches) and now find myself in the position of getting one, the one that I found is just so perfect, nice simple hour batons, no date. But apparently it’s not working. So I remembered seeing this post of yours and was wondering if you could share your opinion on this, is this movement serviceable – I’m attaching the picture with the dial and with the movement.
https://ibb.co/zPKb4W2
https://ibb.co/YLZsZXX
It seems to be a 815 automatic, but a screw on the top plate is is a different position that all the other 815 photos I found online, I wonder if this is a variant of that caliber.
Would love it if you had time to check it out.
Fill in the booking form on our web site, and we will take it from there.
I have been using this watch for quite some time until one of its lugs broke apart recently.
It was my sad day. I am now searching for a good case. though my original case was a gold one, I shall prefer the same but shall settle for a steel one also.
Can anybody please help me ??
Its one of my favourite watches and I shall be really greatful if somebody here guide me.
….Milind
Hello friends! I have a watch Lecoultre 489/1 damaged some parts (wheels, foot shoes) do not know the clock You are not sold If you sell I will have access to repair my watch. Thank you!
Hello,
I just inherited a watch with the name Le Coultre. No mention of the Jaeger name. It might be a Memovox because it has an alarm function. I’m guessing it’s from the 40’s or 50’s.
Can anyone help me I.D. this watch?
Mark
armi601@aol.com
Sounds like a Memovox to me 😉
I have his watch in a SS case. Very good to see the inner workings of this time machine. Many thanks for sharing!
I confess I don’t know much about alarm watches. Do they chime like a repeater or is it more a vibration from what I assume is the hammer I saw in the pictures hitting the side of the case?
If there’s time and possibility, I would be very interested to see a few seconds of video of the mechanism at work.
Otherwise, that is a very interesting piece, I would have thought that Jaeger movements were slightly more decorated though?
The items I own are more about getting the time told accurately and for a long time, so to speak. Over engineered maybe on some instances but desirable engineering with or without decoration in my eyes.
I see your point. This one reminded me of the LeCoultre Futurematic Christian had in the shop a few months ago. That was a joy of engineering, (and I suspect the project cost-controller was not allowed into the meeting for that one).
A lovely piece regardless, though I’m still curious as to how effective it is at waking you up… 😉
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y9DsLC4b_M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA-_Aebvrh4
Thanks! Not the noise I was expecting, though very impressive nonetheless! That doubtless would wake me up….. 🙂
I do like Jaeger items, and this is no exception. I just wish my wife loved them as much as I do. I own a couple of timepieces of this brand and love them.
They seem quality and no nonsense.Thanks for sharing the repair.
I totally agree. Good quality, well thought through technical design, in-house movements, what’s not to like?
I couldn’t agree more, great, high quality engineering.
‘180 skills under the same roof’ they say!
My eyes are peeled scouring the net for both spares/repair futurematics and memovox’s. Hopefully one day soon something will pop up 🙂
Be careful. Spare or repair futurematics are definitely a world of pain.
Yep.
No doubt Patrick, you’re own Futurematic on this blog was the first time I’d come across them, and that sounded like a journey and a half!
I have let more than a few ropey looking ones slide on flea-bay… don’t want to end up with a lemon.
Thanks, it looks great!
That mainspring must have had some power – to rip the top off that pin!
Looks more like someone with a screwdriver to me 😉