Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos clocks anyone?

[watchlovr]

Got this recently, nearest thing to perpetual motion.
Ref 5911 from around 1980, cal 528
Lapis Lazuli dial, quite mesmerising.

 

[YY77]

Very nice, check these other member' threads;

https://omegaforums.net/threads/anybody-know-anything-about-atmos-clocks.121013/

https://omegaforums.net/threads/jlc-atmos-finally-spot-on.98661/

 

[Zman4eva]

The other threads peaked my interest in Atmos clocks. Especially the part where I can pick one up from eBay for a couple hundred bucks and get it serviced for a $1k. New ones cost $11k+ so this seems like a bargain in comparison.

@watchlovr How much did yours cost plus servicing? Any tips there?

 

[Deafboy]

Lapis lazuli dial is pretty awesome! 👍

 

[Walrus]

Gotta say they are cool as hec

 

[watchlovr]

YY77

Very nice, check these other member' threads;

https://omegaforums.net/threads/anybody-know-anything-about-atmos-clocks.121013/

https://omegaforums.net/threads/jlc-atmos-finally-spot-on.98661/

Thanks for the links, I’ll check them out.

 

[watchlovr]

Zman4eva

The other threads peaked my interest in Atmos clocks. Especially the part where I can pick one up from eBay for a couple hundred bucks and get it serviced for a $1k. New ones cost $11k+ so this seems like a bargain in comparison.

@watchlovr How much did yours cost plus servicing? Any tips there?

i think your math is correct about ebay etc but the ones you see there are a bit ordinary imo.
Chrome ones are mire expensive, I like them, you can buy from specialist websites for around £2.5-£3.5k, serviced with a warranty.
I saw this on eBay, tracked down the seller and bought privately. Seller is in Japan and collects these.
Pm me if you really want to know the price but it was less then above ^^^
He guaranteed it would function when I hot it but nit the timekeeping. Luckily it seems absolutely spot on over 48 hrs, i have heard they are not renowned for timekeeping. If it’s within a minute a week I’ll be absolutely delighted.
Mesmerising to watch.

 

[gbesq]

watchlovr

i think your math is correct about ebay etc but the ones you see there are a bit ordinary imo.
Chrome ones are mire expensive, I like them, you can buy from specialist websites for around £2.5-£3.5k, serviced with a warranty.
I saw this on eBay, tracked down the seller and bought privately. Seller is in Japan and collects these.
Pm me if you really want to know the price but it was less then above ^^^
He guaranteed it would function when I hot it but nit the timekeeping. Luckily it seems absolutely spot on over 48 hrs, i have heard they are not renowned for timekeeping. If it’s within a minute a week I’ll be absolutely delighted.
Mesmerising to watch.

Actually, a properly regulated Atmos can be very accurate. The key is to get the clock absolutely level and then to make any adjustments to the regulating lever in very - and I mean VERY - small increments and then wait at least a few days before making another adjustment. The time that it takes for an Atmos to reflect a change in regulation is slooooowwww, so be patient. And turn the hands forward when setting the time - never backward. Picked mine up for $600 and it keeps great time.

Edited: Aug 22, 2024

 

[p4ul]

Mmwwaaahahaaa….



plus £90 auction fees.

Running spot on, but as @gbesq says it took me 3 months to regulate it.

 

[ACC1965]

Bought her years ago and always worried during our four moves, two international, due to how fragile they are said to be. Has worked great for the past decade but starting to lose time (1-2min/day) and randomly stop. I’ve leveled it twice and it is on a relatively vibration free bookshelf with minimal foot traffic on the first floor.

I’ll try another leveling, but perhaps it’s time for a service .

Also, I love the older model with blued screws, but envious of all of your non/pealing cases!!!!

 

[Evitzee]

ACC1965

Bought her years ago and always worried during our four moves, two international, due to how fragile they are said to be. Has worked great for the past decade but starting to lose time (1-2min/day) and randomly stop. I’ve leveled it twice and it is on a relatively vibration free bookshelf with minimal foot traffic on the first floor.

I’ll try another leveling, but perhaps it’s time for a service .

Also, I love the older model with blued screws, but envious of all of your non/pealing cases!!!!

Bellows could be shot, they will eventually fail. Mine has the original bellows since its construction in 1963....it's hit or miss on how long a bellows will last. But all Atmos clocks eventually need service. Your's is a very early example, so it could be anything at this age.

 

[p4ul]

ACC1965

but envious of all of your non/pealing cases!!!!

At the risk of blasphemy, and insulting you and your clock….. is it worth servicing? Could you not buy one in better nick and keep that as an ornament?
😱

No, what am I saying? Get it serviced and re-plated, sod the cost!

 

[Deafboy]

ACC1965

Bought her years ago and always worried during our four moves, two international, due to how fragile they are said to be. Has worked great for the past decade but starting to lose time (1-2min/day) and randomly stop. I’ve leveled it twice and it is on a relatively vibration free bookshelf with minimal foot traffic on the first floor.

I’ll try another leveling, but perhaps it’s time for a service .

Also, I love the older model with blued screws, but envious of all of your non/pealing cases!!!!

Is this an early Atmos II? From the early to mid 1940's?

 

[watchlovr]

Deafboy

Is this an early Atmos II? From the early to mid 1940's?

You want to see an early one?
Check this….from another forum.
Bout 100 years old!

 

[Deafboy]

watchlovr

You want to see an early one?
Check this….from another forum.
Bout 100 years old!

That one is indeed earlier. It appears to be a mercury driven Reutter. Reutter invented the Atmos. It was all French at first, then LeCoultre made the movement (in Switzerland), and later the whole clock. The one above has a LeCoultre movement, but likely the rest of the clock is French.

Edited: Aug 24, 2024

 

[watchlovr]

Deafboy

That one is indeed earlier. It appears to be a mercury driven Reutter. Reutter invented the Atmos. It was all French at first, then LeCoutre made the movement (in Switzerland), and later the whole clock. The one above has a LeCoultre movement, but likely the rest of the clock is French.

Interesting.
You seem to know a bit about them.
Do you know if my own (the “Lapis”one above has a dial that is actually made from Lapis Lazuli stone?
They are actually described as so by Jaeger in their literature but several I have seen for sale have “Lapis” in commas to denote they are actually not.
The seller of mine told me none are Lapis from the factory but some sort of enamel and that mine was original from the factory.
It’s multicoloured with gold flecks. No fissures or faults.
I own a few stone dialled watches so kind of know what to look for. I would say mine is not stone.

Edited: Aug 24, 2024

 

[watchlovr]

 

[Deafboy]

watchlovr

Interesting.
You seem to know a bit about them.

A few months ago I purchased a Reutter Atmos at local auction. I'm currently refurbishing it, and will post a few pictures here when I'm done. I never serviced an Atmos, let alone a mercury-driven one so I studied these before removing the first screw.

watchlovr

Do you know if my own (the “Lapis”one above has a dial that is actually made from Lapis Lazuli stone?

I have no idea. It could be vitreous enamel on copper or a colored glass or natural stone.You could ask LeCoultre in Switzerland.

Edited: Aug 24, 2024

 

[Evitzee]

Due to the large surface area of the dial I suspect it is a lapis lazuli finish rather than a thin rock veneer. It is fairly easy to achieve a lapis-like finish via enameling. If it is real lapis lazuli you should be able to detect lines where it was pieced together.

Edited: Aug 24, 2024

 

[ErichPryde]

Currently one for sale on reddit, $600:
(I know nothing about the listing, saw it just now)

https://www.reddit.com/r/Watchexchange/comments/1f24uit/wts_vintage_1970s_lecoultre_atmos_perpetual