When Jaeger-LeCoultre created the Memovox with built-in alarm in 1950, it gave birth to a watch that went on to become a classic. Now there?s a new edition of this historical model. Learn more about it in this feature from the WatchTime archives.

RRRRRRRR-RING! The Memovox?s alarm sounds like the ringing of an old telephone. The volume isn?t earsplitting on the wrist, where it unobtrusively reminds its wearer of an upcoming appointment. But when this watch is placed on a bedside table, the tabletop becomes an additional resonating body and the alarm rings loudly enough to summon even the most somnolent sleepyhead from dreamland. An alarm ranks among the most practical horological complications. And the Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox, along with the Vulcain Cricket, is one of the best-known models with this audible feature.
With a name that can be translated as ?the voice of memory,? the Memovox first rang in 1950. The collection has undergone numerous expansions over the years. For example, a model with time zones printed on its dial debuted in 1958, followed by a variation that reminded its owner to grab a few quarters and run out to feed the parking meter.

The first Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox premiered in 1950.

Versions with time zones on the dial followed in 1958.
The Memovox Deep Sea, which arrived in 1959, audibly reminded its wearer when it was time to begin ascending toward the water?s surface.
The Memovox?s success came quickly. Its wearers have included ...