Memosail Regatta-Timer from the 70s
Memosail was made by the brand Memotime, founded in the 70s by Swiss watchmakers passionate by sailing. The movements to countdown the 10 and 5 minutes before a regatta starts was developed and patented by them under the sub-brand Memosail.
1992 Memotime was official sponsor of the America 3 on the America´s Cup.
2003 a new collection was launched after a take-over from the former owner CORUM to a young group of watchmakers to build watches for maritime sports with the Memotime patented calibre 883.
The 70s Memosails are direct competitors to the 5dot-Yachting timer of Aquastar, the Aquastar Regate with the Felsa 4000N movement. Different to this Countdown of 5 minutes showing throug 5 dots on the dial with white/red background from a disc, 5 red dots means 5 minutes and the the regatta starts. Memosail works with the modified Valjoux 7737, that shows after 10 to 1 a “START” in the cutout section of the dial.
This watch here runs a manual-winding Valjoux 7737 (17-jewels), it is a Valjoux 7733/4 with modified center chronograph wheel that uses 2-fingers for moving the countdown-disc every 30 seconds.
The Countdown runs from 10 to “Start” and then – run the race
More about the work of the Valjoux 7737 you can find at Richard Askhams Weblog.
Editions
There are different builds of the memosail – different in cases and colors on the dial and hands. We differ the standard editions and the editions with the “V.I.P.”claim on the dial.
1. Standard editions
There are different builds of this Memosail Timer, but all with identical movement.
Case
– “round case” – needs straps with round ends
– “square case” – needs straps with straight ends
– first in chrome plated brass, later made of stainless steel
Dials (both cases)
– white circle on blue
– gray circle instead of white
Hands (different colors)
– yellow or orange stopsecond
– gray or white stick hours+minute-hands
Straps & bracelets
– original steel bracelet with Memosail-buckle
– dark-blue or dark-grey rubberstrap with Memosail typo
2. Special edition: Memosail V.I.P.
All V.I.P. signed dials are in cushion cases – but in 2 different styles: with straight case-sides to the bracelet and more round edges like you see here:
Dials
– colors: blue-grey and gold-brown
Straps & bracelets
– original steel bracelet with Memosail-buckle
– leatherstrap in black and blue with V.I.P. typo on the clasp
– special: Dugena was the main distributor of Memosail watches for Germany in the 70s and added this “better fitting” steel bracelet to the Memosail V.I.P.
3. Memosail Automatic with Valjoux 7750
There is one more execution discovered – only 2 pics you find on the web. A Memosail Automatic, equipped with Valjoux 7750 in a kind of VIP case with sharp edges. Need to be more researched, here is one pic we found on the internet. If you are the owner – please let us know!
More about it with explaination of the modified caliber you can find under the links at right “Watch Articles worth to read”.
Thanks for knowledge and stuff to Mark Reichardt and Richard Askham! You find their websites in the link section.
The stuff is to be continued…
A new addition will come next – the uber rare Memosail Skipper!
Unfortunately there are some Memosail Built-Together around, the movements fits in different cases. Some looks bad, some looks cool that we wish that Memosail would have built it.