Jaeger-LeCoultre’s history is intimately tied to its peaceful and unspoiled surroundings in the Vallée de Joux, where the sounds of nature still prevail. The icy winters meant countless hours spent indoors, allowing the valley’s early watchmakers the time needed to develop and build complicated chiming watches. Although the structure of chiming watch mechanisms has remained essentially unchanged since the early 19th century, Jaeger-LeCoultre has constantly worked to improve both the mechanical efficiency of its movements and the clarity and beauty of the sound being produced.

In the mid 20th century, as society changed and people increasingly sought watches with practical functions Jaeger-LeCoultre drew on its mastery of chiming mechanisms to develop alarm watches. Introduced in 1950, the Memovox —with its characteristic “school bell” sound— has remained the reference in alarm watches for 70 years. Over time, additional, practical functions have been offered, including a world time display and a car-parking reminder, and in 1959, the Maison introduced the world’s first diving watch with an alarm. Since 2000, the Memovox has reappeared in various forms, including in a perpetual calendar watch, a Master Compressor model, and a series of diving-watch tribute pieces.

This year, to launch the new-generation Master Control Memovox, Jaeger-LeCoultre has taken inspiration from the first Memovox watches of the 1950s, giving it a contemporary style, while retaining the spirit of utility and charm that defined the originals. Continuing the tradition of adding useful auxiliary functions, the new Master Control Memovox Timer incorporates an entirely new alarm-setting mechanism. For this new generation of alarm watches, the Manufacture’s engineers have comprehensively revised the self-winding calibre 956. Previously, Memovox watches had a closed case-back, to which the gong was attached; however, the new Master Control case has a transparent sapphire back, allowing the wearer to enjoy watching the hammer in action. This demanded a complete redesign of the striking mechanism, with the gong now attached to the case side. A new, open-worked pink gold rotor, decorated with Côtes de Genève to match the fine finishing on the movement plates, ensures an unobstructed view of the strike-works. One important element remains unchanged, however: the signature “school bell” sound of the alarm, which lends such charm to the Memovox.

The new Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Memovox Timer features a 40 mm stainless steel case with a gorgeous blue sunray dial. The new feature on this watch enables the owner to set the alarm based on the number of hours that should elapse before the alarm rings—(for example, the duration of a meeting or the number of hours of sleep on a given night. Featuring super-bright luminova, the time can be read without effort in the darkest conditions.

Alternatively, the owner may set the alarm in the traditional way, based on a particular time, such as the time of an appointment or a wake-up alarm to catch a flight. The indicators are linked so that whichever alarm-setting method is chosen, the second indicator will automatically move to the corresponding position. The dial is laid out in concentric rings, in two shades of blue with a sunray finish, complemented by an inner ring engraved in bas-relief with polished numerals. On this inner ring, the elapsed hours-until-alarm are indicated by a small hand tipped with a red JLC logo. Set at the outer edge of that ring, the Memovox’s signature triangular marker points to the time at which the alarm will ring. The revamped JLC calibre 956AA guarantees a power reserve of 45 hours when fully wound. The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters and produced in a limited edition of only 250 pieces.

Sticker Price $15,600 USD. For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here.