Jaeger Le-Coultre Memovox cal. 489
Today's story takes us back to the distant year of 1952, to the early days of wrist alarm watch development.
In 1947, Vulcain introduced the first true mechanical wrist alarm watch – the Cricket. Two years later, Jaeger-LeCoultre (hereafter JLC) unveiled its response: the Memovox, which was presented at the Basel fair in 1951. The Memovox would go on to become one of JLC’s most iconic watch lines.
The first Memovox movement was designated as caliber 489 (later 489/1), and just two years later, JLC introduced its successor, the caliber 814. Somewhere in between, however, came the hero of today’s article – the caliber 601.
Before we continue, allow me a brief detour. To better understand the story ahead, it’s important to mention a few interesting details about the sale of JLC watches in the United States. Due to high import duties imposed by the U.S. government after World War II – designed to protect domestic industry – JLC chose to operate in the American market under a different brand name: LeCoultre. For the U.S. market, watch cases were sourced locally, while only the movements were imported from Switzerland. Final assembly took place in the United States. Marketing and sales of LeCoultre watches were handled by Longines-Wittnauer.
Movements intended for the U.S. market also had to comply with specific U.S. regulations. The movement had to clearly display the manufacturer’s name, caliber number, and jewel count. On LeCoultre Memovox movements, this information was engraved on the top plate.
By contrast, JLC movements produced for other markets typically featured only the Jaeger-LeCoultre inscription on the top plate. The movement designation was usually placed on the edge of the movement (a detail that sometimes appeared on LeCoultre versions as well), and the number of jewels was often omitted.
Cal. 489/1 for the U.S. market
Cal. 814 for the USA market
814 mark on the edge
Let’s now focus on the Memovox 601.
There are quite a few urban legends surrounding this watch, making it difficult to determine what is true and what is not. In an interview with one of the owners, I came across the claim that almost nothing was known about the 601 movement until around the year 2000. Even Jaeger-LeCoultre reportedly had no records of the watch in its archives. Around that time, the well-known JLC expert Zef Basha identified the movement, and JLC began collecting photos from owners to include in their records. How much of this is actually true, I cannot say. However, the fact that this watch was nearly forgotten is supported by the absence of any mention of the 601 movement in Michael Philip Horlbeck’s book The Alarm Wristwatch, where every other JLC alarm movement produced up to the book’s release is thoroughly documented. The book was published in 2007.
On the other hand, Leonhard Beitl did include the watch in his comprehensive book Alarm am Arm – der mechanische Armbandwecker von A–Z, published in 2009. Unfortunately, the book is available only in German.
The most striking feature of the Memovox 601—immediately noticeable to any Memovox enthusiast—is the alarm-setting hand. All other Memovox models, including modern ones, use a disc to set the alarm.
Memovox 601 with alarm hand
Standard Memovox with alarm disc
To avoid any misunderstanding, it’s worth noting that there are watches from other brands that used JLC movements and featured an alarm-setting hand. JLC did not widely supply its Memovox movements to other companies. One of the earliest examples of a JLC movement with an alarm hand can be found in the Memo Rider watch by Favre-Leuba, a brand that had an ownership connection with JLC between 1969 and 1978. For this model, JLC exclusively modified its Caliber 916 into a version with an alarm hand, designated as Caliber 917.
Later on, JLC also sold the 917 movement to other brands—the most well-known being IWC, which used it in their GST Alarm watch.
JLC also employed an alarm-setting hand in its Grand Réveil models, which were powered by the Calibers 919 and 909. However, these watches were quite different from the Memovox models, as they featured multiple complications.
Favre-Leuba Memo Rider with cal. JLC 917
JLC Grand Reveil cal. 919
JLC Grand Reveil cal. 909
In the photos on the left, you can see all three of the mentioned watches. In each of them, the alarm-setting hand is clearly visible—there is no disc. I should point out that the photo of the watch with the Caliber 919 was taken from the internet, while the other two are my own photographs of watches from my personal collection (as are all other images in this article).
As a curiosity, I would like to mention that in a few exceptional cases, JLC used movements from other brands with an alarm-setting hand in its alarm watches. However, these watches are not part of the Memovox line.
With the most visually distinctive feature of the 601 Memovox now addressed, we can move on to other aspects. Let’s start with an analysis of the movement itself.
As can be seen in the images below, the Caliber 601 is practically identical to the Caliber 814. The main technical difference between the 814 and its predecessor, the 489, is that the 814 combines two bridges found in the 489 into a single one. The same combined bridge can also be found in the Caliber 601. Because of this, it’s common to come across claims that the 601 is a transitional movement between the 489 and 814. However, in his book, Beitl disagrees with this conclusion. According to him, the 601 is a spin-off version of the 814. This view is supported by the fact that of the roughly 2,000 Caliber 601 movements produced (a figure that is widely cited, though I haven’t found a definitive source), the serial numbers fall within the range of 734,980 to 745,520. All other serial numbers within this range are said to belong to Caliber 814 movements, suggesting that the 601 and 814 were produced simultaneously. My movement, with serial number 744,845, is one of the last examples made.
I should also mention that I’ve read on some forums that the 601 is supposed to be 1 mm larger than the 489 and 814. I can say with certainty that this is not true. All three movements have the same diameter of 28.4 mm. A different size would honestly surprise me, as these movements are technically nearly identical—apart from the combined bridge and the use of a hand instead of a disc.
JLC 601 movement
Serial number and the 601 mark on the edge
Exact serial number of my movement
Based on all the markings on the movement, it can be concluded that it was made for a watch intended for non-U.S. markets. It is marked with Jaeger-LeCoultre but does not indicate the number of jewels. The movement marking is located only on the edge, with none present on the bridge. This is further supported by the dial inscription, which reads Jaeger-LeCoultre and not simply LeCoultre.
You may be wondering why I emphasize that the watch was clearly made for a non-U.S. market. The reason becomes clear in the next photograph. The case was unmistakably made in the United States—by the Wadsworth company—and the inside of the case back is signed LeCoultre. If we judged only by the case, the watch would appear to be intended for the U.S. market.
The inner side of the case back also reveals that the case is gold-plated. Please note that the serial number on the case back has no relation to the serial number of the movement, and this is exactly as it should be. At that time, JLC did not use unified serial numbers for both the case and the movement.
At that time, the name Memovox appeared only on the front side of the case back.
Inner side of the backplate
Backplate with the Memovox sign
The case diameter is very small—just under 32 mm. As far as I know, no other Memovox has a smaller case than this. There are some Memovox models with the Caliber 489 housed in the same case, but all of them bear the LeCoultre branding. The U.S. market tended to favor slightly smaller watches, whereas the European market generally preferred slightly larger ones. For the European market, Memovox watches smaller than 33–34 mm were typically not produced. This means that the 601 is, in fact, the smallest Memovox to feature the Jaeger-LeCoultre name.
The unusual combination of Jaeger-LeCoultre on the dial and LeCoultre on the inside of the case—something unique among all Memovox models—together with the small case size, has sparked much speculation among Memovox enthusiasts about who this watch was actually intended for. The most common theory is that the 601 was made for the U.S. market, but targeted at a very specific segment: U.S. military personnel stationed at bases outside the United States. How much truth there is to this, I cannot say. An even bolder theory suggests that the 601 was specifically commissioned by the U.S. military, which preferred an alarm hand instead of a rotating disc for improved readability. This idea would support the theory that the 601 was not a transitional movement but rather a parallel version to the 814.
Let’s now focus on the dial. Despite the watch having an alarm-setting hand, the dial retains the typical structure of an inner disc in a different shade than the outer ring. However, the fact that the inner disc does not actually rotate has an important consequence: the Jaeger-LeCoultre inscription is placed on the inner disc, just below the 12 o’clock position. The appearance of the Jaeger-LeCoultre (or LeCoultre) name on the inner disc of Memovox models is extremely rare. It would be incorrect to claim it never appears, but such cases are truly uncommon—by my estimate, fewer than 5% of all Memovox watches feature the brand name on the inner disc. The standard placement is on the outer ring, either just below or above 12 o’clock.
The reason lies in the function of the disc in all other Memovox models. Since the disc rotates, a brand inscription placed on it would also rotate, meaning that depending on the position of the alarm, the inscription could end up anywhere—including completely upside down.
Another consequence of using a hand instead of a rotating disc is the placement of the alarm-setting markers. In the 601, the inner disc functions as the alarm dial and features 12-minute increment markings. In contrast, other Memovox models usually display these markers on the inner edge of the outer ring.
The hands on the 601 do not differ in any noticeable way from those used on Memovox watches of that era. Similar or even identical hands can be found on many models from the same period.
Dial of the JLC 601
JLC 601 from the Beitl book
I am attaching a picture of the JLC 601 from Beitl’s book. Upon close examination, we can see that my watch has both crowns in a different shape than those on Beitl’s example. His watch features completely flat crowns, while mine has conical-shaped ones. Since I regard Beitl’s book as an absolutely reliable reference in the field of alarm watches, I must conclude that my watch does not have its original crowns. However, I am 100% certain that the crowns currently on my watch once belonged to another Memovox model, as conical crowns are quite common among Memovox watches.
I should also mention that I came across another version of the Memovox 601 on a forum, which, according to its owner, is extremely rare but completely original. Unfortunately, I have only ever seen this one example, so I cannot confirm whether another truly original variation of the 601 exists alongside the standard version.
Let me now summarize the main features that make the Memovox 601 so distinctive:
- it is the only Memovox with the alarm hand instead of disk;
- it is the only Memovox which is a hybrid between Jaeger-LeCoutre and LeCoultre;
- it is one of the smallest Memovox watches, probably the smallest of all Jaeger-LeCoultre models;
- the movement 601 is the rarest of all Memovox movements with cca. only 2000 pieces produced;
- it is one of the few Memovox watches with brand insignia written on the inner disc.
Let’s take a look at how such a small watch wears on the wrist. To recap, the watch has a diameter of just under 32 mm, with a lug-to-lug (L2L) measurement of a more wearable 37 mm thanks to the elongated lugs. The thickness, including the crystal, is 10.5 mm. Knowing that the watch would likely look a bit small on my 19 cm wrist, I asked a friend with an 18 cm wrist to try it on as well—and I also photographed the watch on my wife’s wrist. Whether or not you would wear it is up to you to decide.
601 on my wrist (19 cm)
601 on my friend's wrist (18cm)
601 on my wife's wrist
Despite its age, the watch still runs very well, and I also recorded how loudly the alarm sounds. The actual ringing lasts a few seconds longer than what is captured in the recording.
Friends often ask me how much such a unique watch is worth. That’s a difficult question to answer. This is a highly specific collector’s piece—of interest to JLC collectors (a large group) and alarm watch collectors (a smaller but passionate one). In 2009, Beitl valued a well-preserved example at €2,400, which was about 30% more than comparable JLC watches with Calibers 489 and 814 from the same era. Taking inflation and the rise in vintage watch prices over the past 15 years into account, a comparable current value would likely fall in the range of €4,000 to €5,000.
However, it’s also important to note that recognition of this watch has grown significantly over the years. Many collectors who had never even heard of it in 2009 are now actively seeking one. According to various blog discussions, it’s not uncommon for the watch to sell for much more—sometimes even in the €8,000 to €17,000 range. But as mentioned, in this case, everything depends on how badly a collector wants it and how urgently the owner needs to sell it.
P.S.: In this article, I have tried to summarize all available information—both confirmed and speculative. I cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy of every detail provided. However, I would be grateful for any additional comments or insights that could help further illuminate the history of this unusual watch.
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