Dunhill 'Memovox' Ref. 855 by Jaeger-LeCoultre - Gloss White 'Breguet' Dial
The story of Dunhill begins in 1893, when its founder, Alfred Dunhill, inherited his father's saddlery business in London and set about transforming it to meet the demands of a rapidly emerging automotive age. Recognizing an opportunity in the growing popularity of the automobile, Dunhill developed a range of accessories and equipment for motorists under the name Dunhill's Motorities, marketed with the slogan "Everything But The Motor." Over the following decades, the company expanded into leather goods, tobacco accessories, writing instruments, and timepieces, establishing a reputation for combining British craftsmanship with functional innovation.
Perhaps best known for their lighters, which date back to 1914 when the Ednite was introduced, Dunhill's watchmaking heritage also dates to the early twentieth century, with its first timekeeping instruments appearing in 1903 and wristwatches following in the 1920s. Throughout its history, the House has maintained a distinctly British identity, balancing traditional elegance with mechanical ingenuity and an appreciation for finely crafted everyday objects.
Not dissimilar to a slew of other brands, Dunhill outsourced production of many of their watches to established brands. The piece that we have here, an alarm watch dating to circa the 1950s, is one of those watches — manufactured by another notable brand that you may have heard of: Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Dating to circa the 1950s, it features a 37mm stainless steel case with twin crowns, a screw-down caseback ring, and a date complication. No doubt, the highlight of this Memovox is the dial inside. The glossy white surface is beautifully-preserved and graced with painted black 'Breguet' indices, luminous indices on the inside edge of the outer section, and a luminous alarm indicator on the inner section. Everything is tied together with a blued-steel 'Breguet' handset.
As you might expect, it is powered by one of JLC's Cal. K825 automatic-winding 'bumper' movements.
These, along with Cartier executions, are amongst the most uncommon Memovox variant... we're confident that you don't see another anytime soon...
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