Complications
Dje's interview with Stephane Belmont, head of marketing and development at Jaeger-LeCoultre, offers a rare look into the development of the new Memovox calibre. This article delves into the technical advancements of calibers 912 and 956, exploring the community's excitement and speculations surrounding the future of JLC's iconic alarm watches.
Now that the
Polaris has reached a few homes, I wanted to take the opportunity to share with
you a short interview of Stephane Belmont, head of marketing and development of
Jaeger-LeCoutre. I did this short interview nearly a year ago on the subject of
the new Memovox calibre. I didn't publish it before as I wanted to wait
for the Polaris to reach my home. Time has come and you'll see my Polaris
too! 
Enjoy!
PPI: What was
the initial objective of this new calibre (912 in EWA, 956 in Polaris)? What did
you want to improve on the former Memovox calibre 916?
Stephane
Belmont: The former calibre (calibre 916) had the alarm for only function (plus
date). Here we have the 24 hours (on the EWA) and the alarm has been highly
modified with a timbre ringing now instead of a diapason version like before.
Gorgeous twelve
PPI: Have you
reached all your goals?
SB: Yes all
goals reached !
My Polaris
PPI: What was
the complexity of the new calibre development ?
SB: To make ring
a timbre instead of a diapason is the aspect that has needed the most important
development work.
Calibre 912 (EWA calibre)
PPI: Who has
worked on this calibre ?
SB: We're
a team, we are all working under the same roof. If I have to give names, what
we don't like because we are more than a thousand people who all
participate to new products in some extent... for the case technical team
Laurent Morel with notably and for the calibre development, Roger Guignard.
Regulation of free-sprung calibre
PPI: How long
has taken the development?
SB: 24 months.
Ready to encase (calibre 912 for EWA)
PPI: Will the
new version of the lateral timbre like in the EWA be systematic in this new
generation of calibre? Does that mean that this calibre will be cased only in
large cases? Does that exclude the possibility of a dress version (in the
spirit of the old Master Reveil)?
SB: No, no,
no... It all depends of the implementation !
My old new case back
PPI: Will the
ringing locking system be systematic? How does it work?
SB: No, it is a
bistable on /off locker that blocks the escapement of the ring. It is built in
the case and not in the calibre.
The old calibre 916 in an Amvox1 (in fact it's a more recent 918 on the same base)!
PPI: Is it a
base for a development of new complications coupled with the alarm? Can we
imagine a chronograph version?
SB: No!
Triple promises
PPI: Will the
models currently fitted with the old version be modified to case the new
calibre (Amvox1 and Grande Memovox)?
SB: No, on the
contrary we will be able to present a new generation of alarm watches.
My 2008 jewel
PPI: Will this
calibre receive some of the Extreme Lab advances?
SB: No not yet
but nothing is excluded.
PPI: Thank you
Mr Belmont!
I'm sure
you'll like to speculate on some of these answers? Nicolas?......
Thank you for
reading.
Dje
I enjoyed the interview AND seeing your new Polaris! Congratulations on both counts. You must be pleased. So, that was a pretty definitive "No" to producing a chrono with an alarm. I'll stop holding my breath now. And it sounds like they will keep the old alarm mechanism in the Amvox1 and not introduce the new alarm into that model -- I must admit I am glad of that keeping with the original. Well, thanks for sharing the interview and photos. Have a Happy New Year! respo
Speculations? Well... There are some exciting answers, indeed... 1/ The possibility to use some parts of the Extrem Lab innovative solutions in an Alarm watch speaks very loud to me. I'd like a lot to see JLC using some of these new technologies in an Alarm watch. It would be a very nice Solution applied to an emblematic watch. 2/ New Alarm Watches? I'm sure we'll see some, as this complication is very familiar to JLC, and, without speaking of a new alarm watch, the re introduction of the Master
Thanks for the interview and many congrats on your new Polaris. I´m hoping to buy my first JLC alarm watch in 2009 and these kind of posts are a great inspiration. I almost fainted LOL hearing about the possability of a new Memovox or Master Reveil. Or maybe yesterdays alcohol is catching me. Can´t wait for the new JLC innovations. All the best, Starman
Nicolas, Stop teasing. From now on I can only dream about this watch you just created. Imagine the looks........, the sound........ Just house it in the case of the new Hometime. Make a PuristsPro instead of Boutique version with a black dial. Put the new calibre in there, sapphire case back and voila your Super Memovox is born. Oh boy, oh boy. Cheers, Starman
"New generation of alarm watches" ?? Sounds very nice Now, I'll get myself a cup of coffee, sit down and dream a bit. Thanks for the report Dje. Un saludo, Tony
Congrats & thks for sharing
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