Community Stories

Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos clocks anyone?

watchlovr
Posts
1,799
Likes
2,556
C546EFF8-4ACE-47B9-A5D6-15E2AB12A130.jpeg IMG_6839.jpeg IMG_6826.jpeg IMG_6859.jpeg
Got this recently, nearest thing to perpetual motion.
Ref 5911 from around 1980, cal 528
Lapis Lazuli dial, quite mesmerising.
 
Zman4eva
Posts
774
Likes
6,694
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
Posts
2,349
Likes
6,740
Lapis lazuli dial is pretty awesome! 👍
 
watchlovr
Posts
1,799
Likes
2,556
Zman4eva 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
Posts
9,219
Likes
48,855
watchlovr 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.
upload_2024-8-22_7-57-36.jpeg
Edited:
 
p4ul
Posts
1,699
Likes
4,010
Mmwwaaahahaaa….

IMG_3508.png


plus £90 auction fees.

Running spot on, but as @gbesq says it took me 3 months to regulate it.
 
ACC1965
Posts
217
Likes
474
IMG_4498.jpeg


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!!!!

IMG_4499.jpeg
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,117
Likes
13,222
ACC1965 ACC1965
IMG_4498.jpeg


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
Posts
1,699
Likes
4,010
ACC1965 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
Posts
2,349
Likes
6,740
ACC1965 ACC1965
IMG_4498.jpeg


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
Posts
1,799
Likes
2,556
Deafboy 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!
IMG_6882.jpeg
 
Deafboy
Posts
2,349
Likes
6,740
watchlovr watchlovr
You want to see an early one?
Check this….from another forum.
Bout 100 years old!
IMG_6882.jpeg
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:
 
watchlovr
Posts
1,799
Likes
2,556
Deafboy 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:
 
Deafboy
Posts
2,349
Likes
6,740
watchlovr 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 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:
 
Evitzee
Posts
7,117
Likes
13,222
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:
 
21 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

Vercingetorix

Jaeger LeCoultre Atmos Clock

Vercingetorix Watches For Sale
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Posts
0
Views
1K
gbesq

Anybody Know Anything About Atmos Clocks?

gbesq Unique Watches & Complications
kkt
kkt
Posts
30
Views
19K