Jaeger-LeCoultre

Memovox watches are very interesting watches, but the problem is that when you begin to pay some interest to them, you understand that you will open more doors than you will close.

From 1950 to the beginning of the 80ies, there were a lot of different versions which were made, with different dials, metals, and even sometimes funny complications ( The Memovox Parking! ), sometimes esoteric, like the WorldTime Memovox, which is not in fact a Worldtime, but a decorated dial with the names of the cities of the world.

You have the same different offers about the movements, from the caliber 489 which was housed in the very first Memovox, to the first automatic movement with alarm ( cal 815 without date ) and the Caliber 825, which is basically the same than the 815 but with a Date...

These firsts movements beat at a slow cadence: 18 000 vibrations per hour.

Then came the Speed Beat.

-Why this name?

Because the movement beat much faster than the previous one...at 28 800 vibrations per hour.

Here's a pic of the caliber of the Speed beat ( Cal 916 ).Sorry, don't know who to credit for this beautiful pic, so if some one knows, feel free to tell me!



So the Speed Beat was born in 1970, and lived a nice and rich life till 1981.

7731 pieces were made, all references included.

You have some variations of dials, metals and cases, too, some of them being really gorgeous ( I have in mind a Rose Gold version, just to die for ).

-Here's my pick, a bi colored dial, blue for the alarm disc and silver for the outer part of the dial.

Mine is from 1977, and as an anecdote, the listing price was, at this moment, around 670 CHF! ( Last known list price in 1980 was 695 CHF )



As we speak of the dial, here are some macros, to appreciate the characteristics of the Speed Beat...

The Deep Blue Alarm Disk:



Short applied indexes, with " Jaeger Lecoultre " painted at 12, and the applied JL Logo at 9.

Metal Triangle of the alarm.



I absolutely love this applied JL!

The Speed Beat does have other charming aspects you just have to pay some attention to discover and appreciate them as it deserves!

-This is a Timeless piece, with some very nice traditionnal codes of Horology.

Look at the shape of the case, at this blend of brushed / polished SS....

Brushed SS on the sides of the watch, polished on every other parts.





The watch has a 37mm diameter, and I'd say between 12 and 13mm thick, due to the huge plexy.

The absence of bezel gives a bigger look to the Speed Beat, like it's a 39/40mm watch!

SO, IMHO, the size is not good, but perfect, and the proportions too!

Here's a shot of the plexy, taken in a certain angle, to enhance its thickness, and its shape, more flat than domed.



On this last pic, you can also admire the perfect integration of the crown, with a very adequate size...Crowns which bear the JL signature.

-An impressive dressy but cool watch.

Maybe due to its deep blue alarm zone, and the outer silver dial, this watch is dressy and cool at the same time.

A great elegance and allure, indeed, as you can judge in the following pics:





We really can speak of Homogeneity, coherence...

Look at these pics, and admire the very nice shape of the lugs, the proportions, the perfcet balance of the whole watch ,from the case to the dial, including the crons, the plexy ,and this specific dial...All is here to give to this watch a strong, timeless, elegant ,and cool look.





-The Test of the wrist is, in these conditions, as mandatory as it is successful.

The watch nicely fill the wrist, dressy as here, or casual...This is absolutely not a problem, as you immediately feel that this young old lady will give you a lot of pleasure!



I'm more than happy to have finally found one of the Vintage Memovox I'm hunting, and I'm pretty sure that it won't be the last.

Let's not forget that Memovox are pure JLC DNA, as The Reverso is.

Just hope that in a very next future, JLC will reintroduce a Memovox in its catalogue, to give pleasure to all the fans of this mythic model.



Enjoy!
Best.
Nicolas This message has been edited by amanico on 2008-08-10 02:49:55 This message has been edited by amanico on 2008-08-13 07:40:51

great photos and a nice piece thx for sharing i like the blue strap too.

Best

I really enjoyed this litttle photo essay. Your watch is gorgous - simply stunning. Very graphic and stylish. Vintage but sporty. Even though it has never been featured in a james bond movie - it easily could have been. You did very well with the blue strap - it looks very complete. Enjoy this lovely watch. 

....and I will join you in a small prayer to JLC: It is time for a memovox / reveil again. PLEASE 

 

All the Best

COD 

We here speak of a re release of the Master Reveil, the most we'll have chances to get one...

And a Black dial will be very nice!

We'll have to fight for it, but the watch is worth it!

Thanks for the nice words, my friend.

Nicolas

This Memovox Speed Beat is the first Memovox Vintage I own, and won't be the last...

Just have now to get a Silver Dail E 855, and a Black dial ( same ref ).

As for the strap, yes, the blue croc is a must on this one!

Best, my friend.

Nicolas

No message body

thanks very much, learnt something new again from your sharing.

stefan

Stay tuned, some big posts are coming in the very first days of Spetember!
Best.
Nicolas

Thank you Nicolas for this great review illustrated by beautiful photos. And you are completely right: the more you discover about these memovox, the less you know! Your reviews contribute to this paradox

Again, this is a very nice and appealing watch. The two-tones dial makes it more sportly and cool, but the case makes it elegant and classic. This is not common for a watch produced in the 70s and that is whay his reference 875 is for sure my favorite memovox from this decade. Clavi showed us recently his one with a beautiful all blue dial. This forum is a gold mine for both modern and vintage JLC watches!

Concerning the photo of the 916 movement, I think it was taken by pascal C. aka "loupe à l'oeil", a highly reputed watchmaker located on the south west coast of France.

------------
Marv

Indeed, the picture was by Pascal, and ideed I also have a 'fullblue' 875....which happens to be the very one which movement is pictured above !

Here is another picture of the watch, also by Pascal.

 

Nicolas, your two tone 875 is great !
I am not sure I would call it THE speedbeat, since several models (and even slightly 'older' ones) share this higher-frequency memovox movement, and I believe other memovox references also were called speedbeat at some point.
The speedbeat name came later in the process (likely a good marketing name, beter than a simple ref number), and was stamped on the back of some late 875, but when the watch was born, it had the 'speedbeat' movement from the start, as did the earlier references (starting with the reference 871)

 

About what you said on the name of the Speed Beat...I used it to make a difference between the Ref E 875 ,and the Ref E 855 " aka Slow Beat "..LOL

Your " Speed Beat " is also a gorgeous piece, my friend...

This all blue dial is just sublime!

These Memovox are indeed the JLC Calatravas!

Best.
Nicolas

There is a problem with the blue 875 though, in that these watches are like budgerigars, they suffer from loneliness syndrom.

Hence, you always need to have them by pair, to keep them happy and running strong and ringing loud

But I think that this is the problem with all the Memovox Watches...

It's so hard to stop at " 1 ", and only one.

They are so nice!

Well, Clavi, do you think a psychiatr will give us a nice discount if we take the same, or do we, as the Memovoxes take 2? LOL

Best, my friend, and see you soon!

Nicolas

This is ( well, the ref E 875 ), the nicest " Speed Beat "...
By far.
As I'm not at all a big fan of the Cushino Shaped big case Memovox from the 70ies..
Clavi's one is a gorgeous example, too, of course.
The tritium indexes and small points are nicely contrasting with the deep blue dial.
Thanks for the credit of the movement pic, my friend.
Nicolas

No message body

Stunning watch, marvellous timeless design, and perfection in details and execution. You have accustomed  to us  to read wonderful articles like this one.

A pleasure to share these beautiful watches ,here and there, with some nice guys!
Best.
Nicolas

nt.

this Speedbeat 916 is just so terrific in terms of everything! I love its 2-tone dial and certainly its full-rotor movement! I guess this model does not have the word "Speedbeat" on the caseback, does it?...(I'm not sure).

Thank you for the review and lovely photos!

Regards,

Joe

This message has been edited by JoeT on 2008-08-10 20:52:59

You're perfectly right!
Thanks for the nice words, Joe!
Best.
Nicolas

Wonderfull, Thank you nicolas

Gracias para tus comentarios!
Un abrazo.
Nicolas

I always learn a lot here !

     Cheers

          Jeff

Same for me on your rolex Froum, my friend...
But the worst of the worst is that we mutulaay give some bad but very tempting ideas to each other...LOL
Best.
Nicolas

Thanks for the review Nicolas.

 

Lovely watch, and I like the case shape and that plexiglass.

 

You have a bit of experience now with these ‘clangers’.  Is there much difference between the various Memovox models, and is there an ‘aging’ issue to the alarms in the vintage pieces?

 

Intrigued.

 

Andrew

My wife knows that I can't spell ... now all of you do too.

A

Aging issues for the alarms?
Not more problems than with movements, my friend.
Each Time you service the watch, they check all, the movement, and the alarm...
But they are indeed magic watches, my friend.
I really think that the alarms are one of these very friendship complications.
Best.
Nicolas