The ATMOS as manufactured by Jaeger LeCoultre, the makers of world famous Reverso wrist watches, is a time piece that for generations has represented the wonders of science, technology and remarkable Swiss craftsmanship. Possessing one signifies belonging to an exclusive group of world leaders, famous celebrities, business professionals, and, put more simply, people with exquisite taste.
ATMOS - The breathtaking clock that lives on air!
People often search for the one special item that will make their home or office stand out, without seeming to be too pretentious or requiring the spending of a fortune. How many absurd pieces of junk have found their way into fine homes based upon some trendy concept of art deco or post modernism? The Atmos is a counterweight to all of that. It is the answer to that endless quest. It is a marvel of technology that also will shine of refinement and grace.
Jean Lebet, the head engineer in the ATMOS division in the LeCoultre factory in Switzerland recalls in his book, "I subsequently discovered that everyone who comes to know it is captivated by its charm! Some are taken by the serene movement of its balance, others by the equilibrium of its shape, others again by the technical challenge that it has required and finally there are those who love it for reasons that escape logical analysis. You cannot explain charm and some people even say that it can be dangerous to try to explain the inexplicable!" (from Lebet, "Living On Air, History Of The Atmos Clock", (c) 1997)
The story of the ATMOS is a fascinating one. Centuries ago the great Leonardo Da Vinci demonstrated the physical impossibility of constructing a perpetual motion device. However, scientists and artisans of many nationalities have always tried continually to do so anyway. In 1928 a French engineer named Jean-Leon Reutter constructed a clock driven quite literally by the air. This device captured the imagination of many of his contemporary clock makers. After extensive development, Jaeger LeCoultre, a famous watch and clock maker in its own right, perfected and patented the perpetual motion Atmos clock and began marketing it world wide.
The technological concept is a remarkable one. Inside a sealed capsule, a mixture of gas and liquid expands as the temperature rises and contracts as it falls, moving the capsule back and forth like a tiny unseen accordion. This motion is used to constantly wind the mainspring thus enabling the clock to run and keep perfect time. A small temperature variation of just one degree is sufficient for over two day's operation. Such variation occurs naturally in normal room temperature and thus without any additional sources of energy, the Atmos clock will continue to run, if left untouched, "forever".
The Atmos is the ultimate environmentally friendly device, there are no batteries to throw away, no electrical consumption of any kind to consider. But this is no quartz clock, the Atmos is a precision device of the first order. To convert the small amount of energy that comes from the air, everything inside the Atmos is made to be virtually frictionless and runs as smoothly and as quietly as is humanly possible. The power consumed by a 15 watt light bulb could run over 60 million Atmos clocks simultaneously!
The parts inside the Atmos are also virtually wear free, thus an Atmos can expect an operational service life of over 600 years, although with today's air pollution, an overhaul and cleaning is recommended every 20 years or so. The Atmos will be the heirloom that you will treasure in your lifetime and leave to future generations for their own enjoyment and appreciation.
In these days of mass production, every Atmos is still made in Switzerland entirely by hand. A single Atmos clock takes a month to produce and then undergoes another 5 weeks of trial and adjustment before leaving the factory in the Vallée De Joux located in the Swiss Jura Mountains. Atmos is thus a rare, hard to find item.
Admirers of advanced technology are not the only ones who get their money's worth. Connoisseurs of elegant forms, precious materials and traditional craftsmanship do so as well. For decades the Government of Switzerland has been presenting its distinguished guests with this masterpiece of Swiss artistry, it is the pride and joy of the Swiss clock making industry. The Atmos has had the honor of being associated with great statesmen, royalty and other renowned people including President John F. Kennedy, Sir Winston Churchill, General Charles De Gaulle, President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, King Hussein of Jordan and many others.
