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( 2 to 5 business days ! ) —OUR SHIPPING PRICE INCLUDES THE FULL AMOUNT OF INSURANCE— NO RISK BUYING FROM AN ESTABLISHED WATCH COMPANY WHO HAS SOLD WORLDWIDE FROM THE ELITE SWISS HOUSES OVER 1200 WATCHES ON EBAY SINCE JULY 2008 ! Welcome Vintage Watch Lovers...  JAEGER LECOULTRE WHITE SNOWDROP MEMOVOX E877 ONE OF ONLY 2153 PIECES EVER ! WITH LAST SERVICE RECORD DATED FROM JUNE 15, 2024 HIGH FREQUENCY HPG SPEEDBEAT AUTOMATIC CAL.916 — For the Jaeger LeCoultre Die-Hard Collectors —
PROFESSIONALLY SERVICED: This emblematic Jaeger LeCoultre Snowdrop, with high frequency "Speed Beat" automatic calibre 916, has been inspected and fully serviced this week! One of our two certified in-house watchmakers has disassembled it down to its last screw and cleaned and oiled it, with regulation and timing of the movement, encasing and full Quality Control according to our specifications. After over sixty years, this iconic model runs smoothly, keeps good time and the alarm gives a nice crisp sound.
This is a great opportunity, for any and all vintage watch collectors, to step up to the iconic Jaeger LeCoultre White Snowdrop Memovox Automatic, from the seventies, reference number E877, made of stainless steel, with clean white dial, "JL" signed logo crowns and Jaeger LeCoultre automatic calibre 916 ! Fully functional and sold with last service record dated from July 15, 2024 ! Find out what the mystique is all about... Up for bids is this iconic and extremely rare find gentleman's Jaeger LeCoultre White Snowdrop Memovox alarm watch, with calendar function, white dial, famed in-house full-rotor automatic caliber 916, all stainless steel round satin case with unusual 14 angle bezel, in very nice condition —an highly collectible alarm time piece from the golden age of mechanical watch making in Switzerland. They were built between 1971-1975 in only 2153 pieces and are just irresistible! The vast majority of our buyers are experienced collectors, at an advanced stage of the hobby, but for those visitors who are not, it is worth a very brief explanation of the Memovox (i.e. the voice of the memory), and what makes it so attractive. Introduced in 1952, its key feature was a built in mechanical alarm function (Wrist Alarm, calibre 489). There had been alarm wristwatches before, most notably the Vulcain Cricket in 1947, but Jaeger LeCoultre was the first to offer this complication in a very luxurious, high cost package. Most, if not all, vintage watch connoisseurs today would regard the ultra rare Jaeger LeCoultre Snowdrop Memovox as the epitome of the alarm wristwatch, and it remains an essential inclusion in any serious collection that aims to chart the landmark models of the 20th century. One of the interesting aspects of the Snowdrop Memovox is that because of its niche position in the market, it has never dipped in value at any time since vintage watch collecting emerged as a hobby in the early 1980s. The Snowdrop, with calendar function, was quickly recognised as highly desirable then, and still occupies the same emblematic position today. With every year that has passed, vintage Snowdrop Memovox examples have risen steadily in worth. In our business, we have seen this appreciation accelerate especially over the last fifteen years as well preserved survivors, like this one, have noticeably disappeared from the market place. The Snowdrop used the caliber 916, which was a full-rotor automatic movement, unlike earlier versions of the Memovox. Jaeger LeCoultre calibre 916, branded "Speedbeat", is the exact same calibre used inside the JLC Polaris II, and today in the Master Compressor Memovox. The very first automatic Memovox movement was the caliber 815, which was a bumper-wind automatic. (Such movements have rotors that don't swing through a full circle; instead, at each extreme limit of an arc, the rotor bounces off a bumper spring.). While the company’s sense of aesthetic design was strong, the most compelling reason for anyone to buy a Jaeger LeCoultre has always been the beautiful “manufacture” movement inside it. This term is the correct one used within the Swiss watch industry to describe a movement that has been created entirely by the concern whose name it carries. To the uninitiated, this may not seem worthy of comment, but in fact, it most certainly is. Very few of even the most famous of the prestigious horological houses were ever capable of completely autonomous movement production, and those that were, and are, inevitably have enormous credibility with purist enthusiasts. When one buys a classic Jaeger LeCoultre, every component in its movement has been manufactured by the company itself. There will be no outsourced parts inside it, and consequently, the quality control exerted over its construction and finishing will be second to none. In the eyes of many experienced collectors, Jaeger LeCoultre is very much the “watchmaker’s watch”
The Snowdrop Memovox is a reminder that once upon a time, we may have used written agendas, recorded memoranda with a Dictaphone, written with fountain pens and sent messages overseas by cablegram, but there is a leisurely deliberateness about setting an alarm by hand, and waking up to its mechanical stridulations, that makes the Memovox a more elegant alarm, for a more civilized age. DIAL : Even as full time dealers with a large network of contacts, we find it very difficult to source watches with well preserved dials in sufficient quantities to satisfy our worldwide customers. The dial here is very attractive, and could be conservatively graded as very nice condition, without any degree of deterioration at the point where the outer chapter ring, the part with the applied hour indexes in this instance, overlaps the centre rotating alarm indication section. The company's "JL" emblem is in the form of an applied silver badge. “JAEGER-LECOULTRE” is signed in black just under the 12 o’clock position, with an outer minutes/seconds division, a quick-set date at 3 o'clock, and “T-Swiss Made-T” along its very bottom edge. Printed on the inner rotating disk is “MEMOVOX, AUTOMATIC”, which is interesting in itself. The first of these Jaeger LeCoultre alarm watches was marketed in 1952 as the “Wrist Alarm”, with the generally held view being that the “Memovox” title appeared with the arrival of the first automatic version in 1956. By 1967, the Memovox name, catchier and more distinctive than Wrist Alarm, had come to encompass both hand wound and self-winding models. We still know die hard collectors who obtusely insist on calling only automatic versions by the Memovox name, but in fact, the existence of later examples proves that Jaeger LeCoultre itself was happy to use this for its alarm watches in all their different forms. All three hands are original. These are the classic bâtons squelettes hands, in silver and black to match the hour indexes and alarm indicator triangle. Tarnished, scruffy hands will always have a negative effect on the overall appearance of a watch, but these are in very nice condition. WINDING CROWNS : Both original JL-signed winding crowns are present and in great condition. Both crowns pull out to their function positions and operate as they should: at "4" for setting the time and date, and at "2" for winding the alarm and setting the alarm disc. This is quite nice to find, as these crowns have often been replaced through the years with unsigned versions. Notice how even the serrated edges of the crowns here are crisp and well defined, telling us that this piece has spent most its life locked in a safe for investment purpose.
MOVEMENT : —Professionally serviced and timed in-house THIS WEEK with LAST SERVICE RECORD dated from July 15, 2024 !— A huge milestone for Jaeger LeCoultre is the development of the fully bi-directional winding Memovox, resulting in the release of calibre 916. The 916 was a date version movement, branded "Speedbeat", developed entirely in-house, which required a redesign of the alarm mechanism to allow the rotor to swing freely through 360 degrees. Released in 1969, in the eyes of many fans, caliber 916 is the most refined alarm movement ever produced by Jaeger LeCoultre and the ultimate development of the Memovox concept! Calibres 916 replaced Calibres 815 and 825 in the Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox range and went out of production in 1978 with a total of only 7.731 watches produced with this calibre. It combined the classical theme of the 1950s Jaeger LeCoultre alarm movements, but modernised them in a technologically cutting edge package. It ran at 28,800 beats per hour, compared to the 18,000 beats of all previous calibers and is often called the "Speedbeat", for obvious reasons. This stunning movement developed into caliber 919, then caliber 918 —which was still used up to 2005 in the Master Compressor series. Earlier automatic Memovox movements always housed a bumper mechanism due to the alarm hammer mechanism which, when activated hits a pin protruding from the inside of the back case cover. The bumper rotor swings back and forth without hitting the pin whereas a fully rotating rotor would hit it. This problem was ingeniously overcome with the 916 by the alarm pin located in the centre of the case cover passing through a hole in the centre of the rotor. Friction was reduced by mounting the rotor on ball bearings and it is very noticeable how the tiniest change of elevation will cause the rotor to spin on its central axis. The 916 was so exceptional that Jaeger LeCoultre continues to base the movement that it uses in its Polaris II GT and Aston Martin linked Memovox models, calibre 918, on this same unit, which of course is an advantage today if repair work is ever needed. In order for it to have been assigned a different calibre number, there must be differences between the 918 and the 916, but having studied these two types closely on a side by side basis, it is not clear exactly what they are. Physically, from a cosmetic viewpoint, there is no apparent difference between the two, and we would categorically state that any changes made to update the 916 into the 918 are very, very minor indeed. It is certainly food for thought that one can walk into a jeweller’s shop today and buy a brand new Master Compressor Memovox in steel for over £7000 GB pounds which has essentially exactly the same movement inside it as the one beating inside this emblematic Snowdrop Memovox. Jaeger LeCoultre is, quite justifiably, famous for its sumptuous in-house built movements and it is absolutely true to say that in terms of quality of both design and finish, it doesn’t get any better than the vintage mechanisms created by this concern in the 1950s and late ‘60s. One of the most satisfying aspects of these watches is the fact that they represent the absolute quality pinnacle of Swiss watch making. Today’s luxury watches sold in the High Street are built to infinitely lower standards and the only comparable products offered now, quite literally, cost many thousands of dollars even in the most basic forms. Studying the movement carefully now, we have no hesitation in saying that its quality is of a level that is absolutely second to none. Inlaid in gold to make it more legible, the signature “LeCoultre Co, Swiss, Adjusted to three (3) positions, Automatic, Seventeen (17) Jewels” is stated on the rotor, with the calibre number 916 stamped next to the regulator. No part of this movement has been changed since new and in every respect it is entirely original. This watch works perfectly and is not in the least bit mechanically worn. It sets and auto winds very smoothly, and its alarm function is loud and distinct. While Jaeger LeCoultre calibre 916 is inherently very robust and reliable, it will become troublesome if starved of lubrication and allowed to wear prematurely. An obviously cosseted, very well cared for example like the one here will have decades of life left in it if cleaned and serviced every three or four years. The quality standard to which these vintage Jaeger LeCoultre movements were made was so high that provided they receive replacement lubrication periodically and are kept away from water, they have the potential to run almost infinitely. All Memovox series movements operate in exactly the same way. The upper crown winds and sets the alarm function, entirely independently of the standard timekeeping aspect of the watch, which is controlled by the lower crown. Though expensive to create, this separation had the great benefit of increased accuracy. On many previous alarm watches, by various concerns, when the alarm rung out, it immediately placed an excessive load on the power supply to the rest of the movement, causing its beat rate to fractionally slow. Jaeger LeCoultre’s solution to this old problem was technically difficult, but ensured that even when the alarm was in full sonorous swing, accuracy was maintained as before. CASE : While these watches have become legendary on the basis of their movements, even their cases are vastly superior to those by the majority of Jaeger LeCoultre’s competitors. The example here, is in a large robust size and wears boldly on the wrist (the watch has a width of 43 mm not counting the original "JL" signed logo crowns, 44 mm with crowns, and a depth of 15 mm with glass), with a weight that is immediately remarked upon by those handling the watch for the first time. The all steel monocoque round satin case, with unusual 14 angle bezel, has an undisputable elegance and is in very nice condition. Case construction is very typical of the period, with the case body being a complete unit that includes the case back. Or, to perhaps put it more simply, there is no separate, removable case back on this watch. Instead, the body is a one piece, very deep, bowl-like structure, into which the movement is fitted through the front. This arrangement has the great advantage that it completely eliminates the joint between case body and back, which has since time immemorial been a potential weak point for the ingress of moisture and dirt. One piece construction, often termed as monocoque, was very much the thing in the mid-1960s, with almost all the major Swiss brands offering several models built along these lines. It really stands as testimony to just how effective these one piece cases were that even today, fifty or more years on, it is noticeable that movements contained in these housings are typically better preserved than those in more conventional cases with removable case backs. Externally, the case back is stamped “JL Snowdrop—Stainless Steel—One piece case–Speed Beat–Water Resistant—E877—5 ATU–HF 28800”, together with the case serial number 1299753. Internally, we find the case back stamped “LeCoultre Co, Swiss”. STRAP & BUCKLE : For the finishing touch, we have fitted this Snowdrop with a new extra thick genuine Italian dark brown leather strap, 21mm, and black steel pin-buckle that, while not being Jaeger LeCoultre items, are perfectly suited to the upmarket, very chic look of the watch. CRYSTAL : The original high domed crystal is in very good condition and sits in the case securely. The Snowdrop Memovox deserves its status as a vintage wristwatch icon. This ultra rare Jumbo size model had a great influence on the luxury watch market of its era, and was just as desirable half a century ago as it remains today, with only 2153 pieces ever. While interest in the company’s alarm watches has always been strong, the profile of the Snowdrop Memovox has grown over the last fifteen years, helped by the media attention lavished on the new models that Jaeger LeCoultre has developed in connection with British sports car maker Aston Martin, and the Jaeger LeCoultre Master Memovox Boutique Edition (celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first automatic Memovox) with its dial being a virtual clone to the original Snowdrop Memovox, (Same for its self-winding movement, Jaeger LeCoultre caliber 956, being a direct descendant of the Snowdrop caliber 916). The relative position of a watch in the hierarchy of desirability rarely changes with time. In other words, a model that was very high quality, innovative and inevitably expensive when new, is likely to be sought after now. The Snowdrop Memovox with date function, is the perfect illustration of this point, and ever since the early 1980s, when vintage wristwatches began to be recognised as collectibles, Jaeger LeCoultre Snowdrop Memovoxes from the 1970s have been regarded as blue chip staples in the portfolio of any enthusiast.
MEASURES APPROX: * Please take care to consider the dimensions of the watch case given in millimeters (the watch industry standard) and inches. Draw the measurements on paper to help visualize the watch on your wrist as vintage men's watches from the 1910s to 1970s were made significantly smaller than contemporary watches. WIDTH WITH CROWN: 44 MM (1.73 INCHES) WIDTH WITHOUT CROWN: 43 MM (1.69 INCHES) DEPTH WITH GLASS: 15 MM (0.59 INCHES) BAND: 21 MM WIDE Product Description
Less than 5 feedbacks, or any negatives, please email us prior to bidding. Those who accept our policies always have a great eBay experience when doing business with us. All items carefully described to the best of our ability. Please ask all questions prior to bidding on this item. This is the "inspection" period just like a live auction. Please do not save questions until the last minute as they may not be able to be answered in time. We usually respond to emails within 2 hours. A NOTE ABOUT GOLD CONTENT: Whenever a claim is made as to metal or karat purity, it has been verified by jeweler's hallmarks or tested to industry standards. We unconditionally guarantee the content stated in our descriptions. We will specify if an item is not solid gold. We never guarantee that any of the watches we sell are waterproof or water resistant unless the watch is "Brand New" and manufactured to be as such. Since we primarily sell pre-owned wristwatches, we have no way to be certain whether the watch has retained the original waterproofing or resistance it may have had when new. SHIPPING INFORMATION: DHL Express, 2 to 5 business days ! OUR SHIPPING PRICE INCLUDES THE FULL AMOUNT OF INSURANCE, WHICH IS THE FINAL WINNING BID AMOUNT. Items will be posted on receipt of cleared funds, INSURED TO COVER YOUR FULL PURCHASE PRICE AND SHIPPED INTERNATIONALLY by DHL EXPRESS, 2 to 5 business days, WITH SIGNATURE REQUIRED AND TRACKING NUMBER. PAYMENT INFORMATION: Payment is due upon close of auction. We accept payment by paypal only. In accordance with eBay policy, payments not received in two days will initiate an unpaid item case through the Resolution Center. Additional Information All watches have been thoroughly examined and serviced by Roger and Sam, our French and Maltese certified watchmakers. Pictures are of the actual item. About Us We specialize in the fine vintage wristwatch business for over three decades. We are based in Paris, FRANCE, Delaware, USA, and Malta Island, EUROPE. We have commonly satisfied customers from all over the world, so please check our Ebay store! Due to some of our wristwatches age, it is reasonable that some light wear might be visible. If you have any questions on an item you are considering of purchasing please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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