Posted by In this Friday report we will have a closer look on one of the lesser known Memovox from the 1960’s, the Jaeger-LeCoultre reference E 11005.
During the 1960’s and 1970’s all of the most famous and well-known Memovox were all with automatic movements, references starting with E (waterproof) followed by three digits… E 855, E 857, E 859…
In parallell with all these automatic movements Memovox E 8XX, there were several Memovox with manual movements, five digits references starting with 110XX, with or without the waterproof E…
Inside of these manual movement Memovox were either the Calibre 910 (without date) or the Calibre 911 (with date).
Manual Memovox Calibres were mostly used in wrist watches in the U.S. market or in Pocket Memovox. Often with thin, smaller, cheaper, steel- or gold plated cases.
Here is a typical example from the mid 1960’s.
My interpretation is that Jaeger-LeCoultre wanted to offer a cheaper option than the automatic movement Memovox. You may say that Jaeger-LeCoultre used the Calibre 910/911 for their “Porsche Boxer” – the entry level Memovox…
In 1971 pricelist this is shown quite clearly: the older E 855 with Calibre 825 costs 495 DM in steel, the new models E 871 and E 872 with Calibre 916 costs 595 DM in steel, while the manual E 11013 in steel costs 395 DM.
But as always there are a couple of exceptions…
One of them being the Jaeger-LeCoultre reference E 11005 – on the wooden beam:
A good solid stainless steel case. Yes, a bit smaller, but there is nothing cheap about this case.
In style, the E 11005 have some similarities to some of the E 855 versions, but in details it has a very different style.
The shorter, wider lugs give the E 11005 more of a C-shaped case.
The C-shaped case was very popular among several brands during this period in time, mid-end 1960’s. Based on the movement number, my watch is from 1964.
Compared with the E 855, the E 11005 is 1.5 mm smaller, 35.5 mm. Also flatter, which results in smaller crowns…
You recognise the Ebony index same as on the E 855 and the numerals have the same font face as many of Jaeger-LeCoultre watches… The E 168 Geophysic comes to mind…
One detail which make the E 11005 look almost as big as the E 855 are the wider lugs and the fact that it’s 20 mm between the lugs, compared to the E 855, 18 mm.
The wider lugs in combination with a tapered strap adds to the elegant look of this watch!
Many brands today have forgotten the importance of making an elegant straps for their watches… Back in the days, the E 11005 were on a 20/14 mm strap!
Why do you think there are so few 16 mm vintage buckles to be found? (Many of them you see today are bad fakes)
Because a lot of the watches of which we today use XX/18 or XX/16 mm straps did in fact have XX/14 mm straps. Some models even used 22/12 mm.
Not only makes it look more elegant on the wrist, in my opinion, it’s more comfortable as well.
Here is a scan from the 1967 Jaeger-LeCoultre catalogue including the E 11005… “C / E 11005 Calendar, Alarm, Waterproof, Stainless steel – 560 Franc.”
But I suspect the watch shown is not the E 11005, to me the lugs look a bit too thin, also the dial and hands style are not matching and it’s a LeCoultre, not a Jaeger-LeCoultre…
There is a lot more to say about the E 11005… A watch I will return to… So stay tuned!
Here is a link to another Calibre 911 Memovox: 1960’s LeCoultre Memovox World Timer
The Blomman Watch Report 