Jaeger Lecoultre Atmos Mantle Clock - Vintage FAL

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! Very nice condition, case is bright and without chips or pits. Sold as found. We accept VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER, and AMERICAN EXPRESS payment via Paypal, or you can pay with a money order or check.