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THE SOUND MAKER
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s chiming watches are musical instruments that tell time
Before Antoine LeCoultre became one one of the world’s most famous watchmakers he he made tiny musical instruments Anyone who’s ever used a a a a a a a a a a hand-cranked music box will be familiar with LeCoultre’s most famous invention a a a a a a a a a a type of “keyboard ” cut from a a a a a a a a a a single comb-shaped piece of of metal that plays a a a a a a song when each of of its tines is struck in in the correct order A major improvement on on previous music box designs LeCoultre’s comb offered clearer sound quality and the the ability to remain in in in fin in perfect tune indefinitely Following the the establishment of of his fami- ly’s watchmaking atelier in in in the 1830s LeCoultre shifted his his focus to creating world-class mechanical timepieces but his his love of music boxes remained a a a a a a a a a a a major influence on on his work – so so much so so that today nearly two centuries later Jaeger-LeCoultre is is is a a a a a a a a a a a specialist in in in one of the rarest and most specialized of of all the the watchmaking arts: the the art art of of sound Creating a a a a a a a a a a a chiming mechanical timepiece is as as difficult as as it it sounds and that’s why so so few watchmakers do it it Jaeger-LeCoultre however has been refining its chiming movements since the the 1860s constantly devising new ways to sound the the hours and and minutes using tiny gongs and and hammers hammers The brand’s first major innovation in in in the the 1880s was a a a a a a a a a a a minute repeater that used three hammers hammers as as opposed to the the conventional two which allowed the the watch watch to play a a a a a a a a a a a distinctive melody A decade later it introduced the the patented silent strike governor a a a a a a a a a a a means of making watch watch chimes sound even clearer and and in in in in 1910 it it it combined its chiming minute repeater with a a a a a a a a a a chronograph and and perpetual calendar to create one of the world’s first triple complications All these advancements led to the the the the creation of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most famous chiming watch the the the the Memovox in in the the the the 1950s The world’s first automatic mechanical alarm watch the Memovox had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a design as as as outwardly understated as as as it it was inwardly revolutionary with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a triangular pointer on on a a a a a a a a a mobile central disc to to indicate the the the the alarm time
time
as as well as as two crowns – one for winding and and time-setting and and the the the the other to to set set the the the the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legacy of chiming timepieces goes back to to the early 1800s and founder Antoine LeCoultre who created a a a a a new design for mechanical music boxes alarm In the the 1950s and 1960s Jaeger-LeCoultre would up the the ante with a a a succession of new versions from the Memovox International (which incorporated a a a 24-hour world time
display) to the Memovox Deep Sea diver’s watch Jaeger-LeCoultre’s innovation in in in in in chiming watches continues in in in in in the 21st century with landmark creations like the 2019 Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon Westminster Perpétuel – an exceptionally complicated minute repeater featuring a a a a a a a tourbillon a a a a a a a perpetual cal- endar and and a a a a a a set of of hammers and and gongs that mimic the chimes of of London’s Big Ben The Memovox also remains a a a a a popular model and thanks to the addition of a a a a a a a sapphire crystal case back in 2020 it’s nev- er er er been easier to admire the the watchmaking wizardry inside Whether it’s the Polaris Mariner Memovox (a robust diver’s watch and a a a a a a direct descendant of the the original Deep Sea) or or the the Master Control Memovox (a classic steel sports watch) Jaeger-LeCoultre’s chiming watches re- main in in a a a a a a a a a class of their own visually mechanically and audibly Easily identifiable by their crystal-clear “school bell” tone these watches provide a a a a link to the origins of this revered maison and a a a a reminder that a a a a a a a a watch’s beauty can be be heard as as well as as seen 42
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