The Laings Journal
‘Atmos’ is the brand name of a mechanical torsion pendulum clock manufactured by Jaeger-LeCoultre in Switzerland. This is a piece which does not need to be wound manually like other mechanical timekeeping pieces.
The first Atmos clock was born in 1928 when a Neuchatel engineer called Jean-Leon Reutter built a clock driven quite literally by air. Alongside work within the Jaeger-LeCoultre workshop, the Atmos clock was crafted in 1936 into a technical marvel that could not only be patented but work functionally.
The Atmos is powered up by minute variations in temperature, causing an internal gas canister inside its chamber to contract and expand, thus providing the heartbeat of the clock. Due to this motion, the mainspring constantly winds.
The canister is highly sensitive and a temperature variation of only one degree in the range between 15 °C (59 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F), or a pressure variation of 3 mmHg, is sufficient for two days' operation
To ensure the clock uses as little energy as possible, every part of the atmos clock has to work as efficiently as possible. For timekeeping it uses a torsion pendulum, which consumes less energy than an ordinary pendulum clock. The torsion pendulum executes only two torsional oscillations per minute, which is 1/30 the rate of the pendulum in a grandfather clock.
Due to the efficient nature of these clocks, it is estimated that a service would only be required after around 600 years! However with the pollution now in the air of most cities, every 20 years is recommended to keep the clock in perfect condition.
If you’re keen to find out more about these incredible clocks, make sure you visit us in store now to speak with your Jaeger-LeCoultre brand manager! You can also see our full range of Atmos clocks available online.