| Author | Message | ||
     C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 4 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
 Overall Appearance: -Round Stainless case and back(~37mm) -Automatic moving parts -Original condition,except for strap -Fully operational Grade: -Excellent to Near Mint Dial: -Brush silvery surface -Central rotating section for alarm -Square silvery hands with luminous tips -True sweep second hand -Silvery baton hour markers around main face, except for 12 o'clock which is the JL logo. -Luminous dots at end of each hour marker. -Triangle alarm marker in central dial section. -14K gold convex bezel on outer edge of dial projects and overall chanpagne halo. Legends: -"LeCoultre" on an ARC below l2 o'clock JL logo. -"Memovox" behind alarm pointer. -"Automatic" at end of 6 o'clock marker. -"T-Swiss-T" below 6 o'clock marker Lens: -Clear plastic (?) with faint scratches from about one year of use. Crowns: -Two. Unmarked. Back: -Clean stainless steel surface. -No identifying numbers Legends: *STAINLESS STEEL USE ALL PROOF WRENCH 1335 Strap: -Not original. (Speidel expando) Movement: -No details. Never opened (No 1335 wrench!) Operation: -Normal timekeeping -Smooth sweeep second hand -Automatic counterweight and crown winding -Working crowns Pacakge: -Original presentation box; green with gold trim and LeCoultre insignia. -No papers. Purchased on late Fifties | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 5 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
Hello Zaf: It took some doing, but I finally managed to get all the information together! Hope this gives you enough information to classify the watch and assign an approximate valuation. Thanks CHR | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1952 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Ok, this is probably a 1960s watch (not a 1950s one like you think). If it is nice & clean with it's original box, value is in the $1300-1600 range. | ||
| Hex onX New member Username: Hexonx Post Number: 143 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
That watch looks familiar somehow. I recognize the bracket and the different lower crown. Was this recently on Ebay? | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 6 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
To: Hex onX This watch has not been on eBay or anywhere else. Until a few weeks ago it laid forgotten in one of my filing cabinets. However, I am sure it is not ONE of kind! | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 7 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
Hello Zaf: Thank you for your indulgence and patience with my bumbling postings. And special thanks for your time and expertise with the ID and the valuation. So it is from the 60's and not the 50's. -- All I remembered is that I went to a clock shop with a friend that was buying an ATMOS. I was so taken with its silent operation that I went back the week after to get one of my own, While I was there I spotted the Memovox in the display case. Do I need to take it to a jeweler with a "1335 wrench" to get information about the movement? Thanks for wisdom! CHR | ||
| Hex onX New member Username: Hexonx Post Number: 145 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Chreynales Isn't great when you do some spring cleaning and you find something like this?  Congrats!!! | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 8 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
To Hex onX: Thanks. You broght up a real chuckle. Actually, I was not spring cleaning. I had to move the cabinet, and I had to empty it first. I have never done any business on eBay. Sounds too complicated. My computer savvy son, however, is a real fan and has found many Mayflower memorabilia at that site. Perhaps, one of these days I should join the 21st Century and give it a try. If you remember an exact reference of where you saw the watch I would apreciate seeing it. CHR | ||
| GregB Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
C.H., To answer your question, the reference to a "1335 wrench" means that the movement comes out through the top/crystal... the case is one-piece and the back doesn't come off. I can't tell you how many of these watches I see with gouges and pry marks on the back because the owner didn't realize it was a 1-piece case. A 1335 wrench is a crystal compressor that allows you to compress and remove the crystal without destroying it. Actually, any old crystal puller will work, because the stock acrylic crystals are readily replaceable if you scuff it while removing. Once the crystal is off, there is usually a small retaining trim ring around the outside that can be removed and then the movement will come out easily through the top. GregB | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 9 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
To GregB: So the movement comes out of the front. Wonders never cease. Thank you so much for your illuminating response and saving me a lot of grief trying to "open" the solid back of this LeCoultre watch. Since I would like to offer this watch for sale, one question remains: Is the movement on this particular watch a known standard, or do I need to have it opened to get specific, or necessary, details before I list it??? Thanks, CHR | ||
| GregB Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
CHR, The movement in your watch is indeed a known standard... a 17-jewel caliber 815 bumper automatic. The only thing opening the watch would tell you is the movement serial number which could be used to date production within a year or two. I believe that production on the caliber 815 started in about 1956 and went through the late 1960s, so your watch dates sometime from that period. Hope this helps. Greg | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 10 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
To GregB Back online after vacation. Apologies for the delay in acknowledging your clinical diagnosis of the movement in my Memovox. It is almost as if you had long distance x-ray eyes. You, Zaf and Ilja, sure know fine watches! Since the clock shop where I bought the Atmos and the Memovox is long gone, and I do not trust anyone around here to have a "335 wrench", or know how to pop the crystal, I will just leave it as is. Thus, when I offer it for sale, I can truthfully decribe the watch as "being in its original never-opened condition". Another question, please: There is something very different about this watch. After looking thru numerous sites and photos, so far I have not seen one watch that looks exactly like this one. Is the gold convex bezel that projects a golden chanpagne glow over the dial, exclusive to this model? Again, thank you for sharing amazing knowledge and for kind help. CHR | ||
| C. H. Reynales New member Username: Chreynales Post Number: 11 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
To GregB: Here is one more question to partake of your vast knowledge of fine watches: I would like to sell my "unopened" LeCoultre- Memovox, as described in the Forum thread. Could you please provide the addresses of a couple of reputable dealers who would be interested in purchasing this watch? Thanks, CHR | ||
| GregB Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Zaf might be able to help you. You're also welcome to contact me privately at [email protected] Greg |