Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 286

?1000 Year Calendar? Jaeger Le Coultre, Atmos du Millenaire ?Atlantis?. Made in a series of 50 pieces per year from 1999. Very fine, astronomic, stainless steel and glass barometric changes driven clock with 12 months and 1000 year calendar, phases of the moon and lunar calendar. Accompanied by a fitted box.

CHF 6,000 - 8,000

EUR 4,000 - 5,200 / USD 5,000 - 6,500

Sold: CHF 12,650

C. Wedge-shaped and constructed from bevelled glass panels, raised on three conical stainless steel feet, inset spirit level. D. White laquered with painted baton indexes, inner minute ring, blue painted months disc above, the names of the months painted in white, aperture for the moon phases below with lunar calendar, outer spiral scale calibrated for each year until the year 3000. Blued hour and minutes hands, white and blued year hand. M. Stainless steel, vacuum chamber winding the going barrel, lever escapement driven by annular tension pendulum, locking lever above the pendulum disc, regulator at top. Case signed. Dim. 27 x 25 x 14 cm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

The ?Atmos du Millénaire Atlantis? This mechanical clock is a technical masterpiece that will run until the year 3000 without rewinding. According to Jaeger Le Coultre only 50 will be produced annually. Through the concept of a quasi-perpetual movement, the clock runs on subtle changes in barometric pressure and temperature, a fluctuation of only one degree is sufficient for two days? operation. The Atmos clock was invented by Neuchâtel engineer Jean-Léon Reutter (1899-1971). From his youth, he was preoccupied by the idea of industrially producing a clock that could be wound by atmospheric fluctuations, and in 1928 he succeeded. Reutter?s patent was first licensed to a French company who exploited it until 1935. Subsequently, it was purchased by Jaeger LeCoultre. After difficult early years, by 1979 there were half a million such clocks which quickly became popular and prestigious gifts for the important heads of states during their visits to Switzerland.