Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox

About This Watch

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox carries forward one of JLC's most iconic complications: the mechanical alarm. First introduced in 1956, the Memovox was the world's first automatic alarm wristwatch, and it has remained a JLC signature ever since. The caliber 956 features two mainspring barrels — one for the movement and one for the alarm — wound by a single bidirectional rotor. The alarm is set via the inner crown, which rotates a triangle-tipped hand around the dial's inner chapter ring. When the alarm time is reached, a hammer strikes a gong attached to the caseback, creating a distinctive buzzing sound that is both charming and surprisingly effective. The 2020 iteration brings the sector-dial aesthetic to the Memovox, maintaining three distinct zones: the outer minutes, middle hours, and inner alarm track. At 40mm and 12.1mm thick, it wears as a substantial but not overwrought dress watch. The Memovox is one of those uniquely JLC complications that no other brand truly replicates at this level. While other houses offer alarm watches, none carry the six decades of heritage and refinement that define the Memovox lineage. It is a conversation piece in the finest sense — a watch that does something unexpected and delightful.