Three Houses combined their expertise in order to create this 176-piece limited edition crystal clock that quite literally lives on air.
Greetings from Paris! Have a look at what I just saw … But before starting let me just introduce me the Atmos to you: Since 1928, the mechanism of the Atmos clock fascinates by its exceptional mode of operation with no battery, no electric current and no winding. It lives on air by means of an ingenious principle: a her- metically sealed capsule containing a mixture of gases that expands when the temperature rises and contracts when it drops. Connected to the mainspring of the clock, the capsule acts like a concertina or a pair of bellows, thereby constantly winding the mechanism. It is so sensitive that a one-degree temperature difference is enough to power it for 48 hours. Its balance oscillates just twice a minute rather than the average 300 times of a classic wristwatch, which consumes 250 times more energy than an Atmos clock. The 190 parts that compose this clever construction are precision-assembled within the Manufacture.
The result of the collaborative effort of Hermès, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Les Cristalleries de St. Louis, the Atmos Hermès clock is a striking demonstration of the fact that time is a true ally: one that has enabled the three Houses to combine their expertise in order to create this 176-piece limited edition crystal clock that quite literally lives on air.
Pursuing this demanding hand-crafted approach, Hermès entrusted Les Cristalleries de Saint-Louis glassmakers with creating the astonishing exterior of this clock: a crystal globe made using the so-called doublé or double overlay technique, which consists in coating layers of glass over each other, including a coloured one. Within the company, only six master glassmakers have the mastery and experience required to perform this task.
Cabinet
Shape/dimensions: Sphere, 276 x 276 x 272 mm
Material: Transparent crystal globe from Les Cristalleries de Saint-Louis, lined with white enamel Rhodiumed 172 mm-diameter base
Weight: 10 kg (+/- 1 kg)
Glass: Extra-white mineral glass with black silkscreen printing
Hands: Black dauphine type
Movement
Type: Mechanical almost perpetual winding thanks to temperature fluctuations Jaeger-LeCoultre 560a
Jewelling: 15 jewels
Balance: Annular balance
Frequency: 1 vibration per minute
Decoration: Satin-brushed rhodiumed/polished
Functions: Hours, minutes
