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Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox: Missing inner caseback / movement ring and other parts

handwound

By handwound
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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handwound Watch Enthusiast

handwound

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Hello fellow watch repairers,

I recently purchased a vintage LeCoultre Memovox as a repair project. I knew it was missing some parts, but as I got it for really cheap I thought it was worth it. 

IMG_5375.thumb.JPEG.3dd3293ddce986ee0bb6e87fd8f8307b.JPEGIMG_5374.thumb.JPEG.5b9de074dc1be2ac90c8fa92f2eca076.JPEG

It is missing hands, winding stems, crowns, the escape wheel and a crystal. The movement itself seems to be in decent condition. 

But I didn't know that it was also missing this kind of inner caseback / lid:

a3074-jaeger-lecoultre-vergoldet-11.thumb.jpg.aefaface32e797a7e67432c40ffba2b9.jpg

It features the pin that the alarm hammer strikes against to create the alarm sound. Also it apparently serves as some kind of movement ring as well, without it the movement just floats around in the case. Without it it seems that the watch isn't really worth a repair.

Does somebody have any idea where I could source this inner caseback? I already spend quite some time online to search for it, without success. 

I could just fix up the movement as it should be worth more than I payed for the whole watch, but I would prefer to have a whole watch in the end. 

If anybody has parts I could use or any other ideas I would be really greateful. 

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

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KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

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Hello to you also!  Pretty watch.  You have a difficult task, but not impossible.  There are non-running LeCoultre movements out there which would make decent donors.  If you could please post the calibre number and/or serial number to this thread (or any important looking info from the bridge plate of the movement) we can see if there is a parts-movement available somewhere and point you in that direction.  I tried to make out the information in that second photo, but it didn't get any clearer when I enlarged.

 

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handwound Watch Enthusiast

handwound

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Hey @KarlvonKolnand thanks for the reply.

I already have some experience with the memovox movement. I recently restored a memovox with the JLC 815 for myself. 

This one has the JLC 814, basically the same as the 815 just without the automatic module, so the service shouldn't be a big deal. So far I couldn't spot any issues with the movement apart from the missing escape wheel and I already found a spare one online. Sourcing stems shouldn't be a problem as well.

The main issue here is the missing case part, as the watch is almost useless without it 😕 and unfortunately it seems almost impossible to find a replacement without buying a whole watch.

 

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KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

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Have you already checked the below-listed sites?

https://www.ofrei.com/page1310.html
&
https://www.jewelerssupplies.com/horological/lecoultre_814.html

I'm thinking it's likely you already have, but I figured I should post them just in case.  I feel like poking around a bit more, so if I turn up anything I will post it here.  It's still likely that one of our other veterans will chime in with more advice.  And perhaps a commonly accepted name for that part which we can use to look it up.

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handwound Watch Enthusiast

handwound

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Thanks a lot for your effort 🙂 I already checked and couldn’t  find anything that could be that caseback part. 
I already tried to figure out what the correct name for that part is, but so far I couldn’t find anything.

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