For 90 years now, Jaeger-LeCoultre has quietly built a dynasty with its Atmos clocks – the clock that is powered by changes in air temperature. From gilt brass clocks to domed clocks and specialty pieces, the Atmos is a much-coveted work of art. This year, Jaeger-LeCoultre propels it to new heights in another collaboration with famed designer Marc Newson: the Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos 568 by Marc Newson.
Atmos Clock History
The first Atmos clocks – developed by Leon Reutter in 1928 -- were the result of a desire to build a clock that could run for centuries without needing winding. Jaeger-LeCoultre quickly embraced the concept, which – back then –featured a column of mercury inside the clock that would power the mainspring when it experienced changes in air pressure. When mercury was no longer allowed for use (just over a decade later), the brand turned to using tiny capsules of gas that would react to small changes in temperature and then wind the mainspring.
This is the concept used in today’s Atmos clocks – which are produced in the brand’s Atmos workshop inside the LeSentier, Switzerland, factory. Hermetically sealed capsules that contain a gaseous mix expand when the temperature rises and contract when the temperature drops. That expansion and contraction winds the mainspring and powers the clock. One degree of temperature change powers the clock for two days.
The Collaboration with Marc Newson
Australian designer Marc Newson -- known for his interior designs, as well as his hourglass clocks and the Ikepod watch -- has worked with Jaeger-LeCoultre several times before. His design aesthetic is always contemporary yet bold and different, and usually incorporates light, white and pale blue colors. The newest Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos 568 by Marc Newson clock is his third collaboration. It houses a totally reconfigured movement to accommodate the crystal clear design of the clock.
Crafted in expertly milled Baccarat crystal, the Atmos 568 houses a perpetual moon clock mechanism held in place at four points that are visible only from the back of the clock – giving the illusion that the mechanism is floating in the crystal. Among the changes made in the clock’s 211 parts: a new annular balance wheel was designed, and a new cross-shaped bridge was built to showcase the bellows. Additionally, whereas in most Atmos clocks the movement is held in place by three points, Newson insisted on four points for this clock in order to achieve perfect symmetry.
The clock offers hours, minutes, month, and perpetual moonphase indication with just one day’s discrepancy every 3,861 years. To keep the contemporary open feel of the clock, the dial is made of glass with transferred numerals in blue (Newson’s favorite color to use in design) and the hands are also blue. The overall effect: a transparent object of art that gleams when the light hits it and that keeps steady time due to the temperature.
