Three historic Jaeger-LeCoultre watches – a Memovox reference 3161 made in platinum, a Memodate Polaris reference E859 and the Lucky 13 featuring the number 13 at every hour marker – created history when they all three pieces beat their highest estimates
Evoking the roaring 60s, while men conquered space and seas, and gentlemen wished to work, travel and dive in style, each of the three watches embody the spirit of innovation and aesthetics dear to the brand with a special twist, making them a treasure for collectors.
The Memovox Reference 3161 sold for EUR 61,100 at Monaco Legend. Memovox stands for the “voice of memory” and was known as the most reliable alarm watch at the time it was released. The extremely rare model sold at Monaco Legend is considered as one of the most collectible pieces ever produced by Jaeger-LeCoultre as it is made in platinum and features the iconic alarm complication. Moreover, the piece is accompanied by the extract of the archives from Jaeger-LeCoultre confirming its production in 1962.
The Memodate Polaris Reference E859 sold for CHF 40,000 at Phillips. Surfing on the trend of “complications with a practical purpose” typical of the 60s, Jaeger-LeCoultre debuted a diver’s version of the Memovox known as the Polaris in the United States and the Skin Diver Memovox in Europe. The reference E859 offers both a visual timer in the inner bezel and an auditory alarm that vibrates against the skin for ultimate safety. Whereas most Memovox dials do not bear any inscriptions apart from the brand name, the Polaris sold at Phillips is stamped Memodate, a peculiarity hardly ever seen.
From the deep sea to space, it was only a short step taken by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1962 with the Lucky 13. On Friday, April 13, 13 Senators gathered at the Anti-Superstition Society and presented the Lucky 13 to Colonel John H. Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit Earth. Featuring the number 13 at every hour marker on the dial, the watch commemorates his spacecraft capsule number 13 and is an ode to the rejection of the number 13 as unlucky. Produced and assembled in the United States, the Lucky 13 is a further testimony of the tight links between Jaeger-LeCoultre and the American market. The Lucky 13 Reference 3027 sold for $62,500 at Phillips.
