Huw Edwards’ Memovox

[tribe125]

Mostly of interest to British members, but veteran BBC newsreader Huw Edwards wears a vintage Memovox much like mine.





And here it is -





From the article (in the Financial Times):

“I call it my BBC News watch. It is the watch that is seen by millions of people a week. It’s a vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox: one of the original models, not the revamped, reissued one. I bought it secondhand before mobile phones with their handy alarm clocks. I was travelling a huge amount, and I hated those little alarm clocks. I wanted a mechanical watch that was also an alarm. The Memovox has a little bell inside, which is a work of genius. I saw this one in the window of that wonderful shop Austin Kaye, on the Strand. The alarm has been used in every part of the world. It’s been used in Afghanistan, it’s been used in Iraq.

I used to go to Austin Kaye a great deal as I was based at the House of Commons for the BBC. It is one of the places where I have bought old Longines, Glashutte and, of course, Jaeger. I’ve got a very affectionate memory of Austin Kaye...

... And it was in a religious context that I remember using the Memovox most regularly. I spent the best part of a month in Rome in 2005 essentially waiting for Pope John Paul II to depart this earth. On the day of the funeral, I had to get up at 4am to get over to St Peter’s Square. There were hundreds of thousands of Poles in Rome, and over a million people crowded around the Vatican. I had to get to the studio by 6am – we were on air at 9am – and I only just made it. But what got me up on the day – and I was absolutely knackered – was my trusted Jaeger alarm. It is massively reliable. I can’t pay a bigger compliment to any watch.”


And for comparison, here’s mine -





I prefer mine, as it happens.

[OrangeSport]

He sounds like he knows his watches, reading between the lines..

[skywatch]

I often look at sales threads for old Memovoxes. I have always loved the design, and if I were to own a JLC (along with the Atmos clock I found in September) it would probably either be a vintage Memovox or a mid-size Reverso.

[GaryF]

Been wearing mine a bit now that that I'm back in leather straps.