LeCoultre Memodate Reference 2671

LeCoultre Memodate Reference 2671

A Vintage Gold-Filled Gift For A 13 Year Old Collector

By Charlie Dunne

While speaking with a prominent watch collector last week I had the pleasure of learning about his plans to gift a timepiece to his 13 year old nephew. However, when I was told it would be an oversized American-market Memovox, I would instantly become excited at the thought of encountering a young teenager wearing such an interesting timepiece. Over the past few months, I have began to see a number of youngsters enjoying wristwatches. Everything from Timex, Citizen, Swatch, G-Shock and even the occasional Rolex! This rejuvenated interest in wristwear has been a heartwarming sight each time. Yet, I have not noticed the youth take notice of the mechanical-alarm watch yet. Hopefully, this new collector will make great memories wearing his vintage Memovox and not have it taken away for causing distractions in the classroom!

Calibre

The watch is powered by the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 825. I was reminded when chatting with Jaeger-LeCoultre collector @fldx_clavi that the 825 is a relatively less common calibre to see in the American market models.

Star Watch Case Company

The case measures 38mm in diameter (or 43mm lug-to-lug). The lug width is 18mm wide. The lugs are sharply angled and feature a thin channel between the bezel. The case is a “front loader”, meaning that the movement can only be accessed by removing the crystal, then proceeding to disassemble the movement. As indicated by star logo before the “10K Gold Filled”, the case was made by Star Watch Case Company, an American case maker based out of Ludington, Michigan. This same case maker was involved in producing such models as the LeCoultre Memovox reference 2404. Within the interior caseback, there is likely another Star Watch Case Company branding above a possible reference number as seen in the same example on clocksavant.com. Not only was Star one of the largest employers in Lake Michigan during the era, but it was one of the leading U.S. case makers producing for the likes of JLC, Longines, Hamilton and many more. It would finally close down in 1982 as production and labor costs had become largely competitive overseas.

*Image credit: Portage Daily Register (May 5, 1982)*

The Alarm

The Dial

The dial features the traditional straight-line “LeCoultre” script indicating the watch for American clientele. Some American-Memovox dials will have the “arched LeCoultre” which can be equally charming. Interestingly, it also features the applied JL logo. This began to occur in the 1960s and despite still being marketed as “LeCoultre” it is a nice touch for those who appreciate both the American font style, as well as the applied-European branding.

vintage LeCoultre Memodate gold filled reference 2671

The dial features luminous plots at each hour (with the exception of 3 o’clock at the date aperture). The gold-tone baton hour markers are consistent, and are faceted at both 6 and 9 o’clock. In similar font to the Longines Conquest dials, the automatic font is a stylized cursive. The internal-rotating alarm disc features the standard luminous alarm triangle. The baton hands are commonly found in American market models. Easily noticed is the hour hand’s slightly shorter length above the internal alarm disc. In my personal view, this shorter hour hand is more attractive when used with dauphine hands, such as in the Memovox Reference E 851 or time-only reference 2975.

Oftentimes the reference numbers are not shown within American advertisements. Instead, “nicknames” would be incorporated or simply the model’s name. By the 1960s, “Memovox” would be used more frequently alongside “Wrist Alarm”. It is also referred to as the “Memodate Automatic Calendar Alarm”, “De Luxe Memodate Alarm”, or “Memodate C”. Similar, if not the same, examples can be seen in advertisements below. One specifically next to the LeCoultre Polaris Reference E 859 on J.B. Champion bracelet.

The gold-filled watch would retail around $80-$120 throughout the 60s