Jaeger-LeCoultre’s watchmakers surprised the watch industry and the world with their first Atmos clock in 1928. The concept was revolutionary at the time and still fascinates us today. Sealed within an airtight capsule, a mix of gases react to temperature change. The expansion and contraction of these gases create a movement that winds the mechanism without human intervention.

Since then, each new Atmos release has been carefully created with classic elements for a timelessness that resonates through the decades. Collectors love the Atmos clocks for their unique take on timekeeping.

The Atmos is driven by a mainspring, which is wound by the expansion and contraction of liquid and gaseous ethyl chloride in an internal hermetically sealed capsule. A temperature fluctuation of a single degree is enough to provide the clock with an operating autonomy of about two days. To run the clock on this small amount of energy, everything in the Atmos must be as friction- free as possible. The gear trains are designed such that they require no oil, which would interfere with the optimum running of the clock. Thus, no winding key or battery is needed, and it can run for years without human intervention.

According to Catherine Rénier , CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, “The links between watchmaking and astronomy are very close, and at Jaeger-LeCoultre we have always been fascinated by the sky and the solar system. The perpetual mechanism of the Atmos is an infinite source of inspiration for our watchmakers. For the new Atmos Tellurium, our watchmakers have created a perpetual mechanism living from air which reproduces the perpetual cycle of our universe. It is a remarkable clock that is in a world of its own, a work of art that pushes the boundaries of perpetual motion.”

Astronomy as Art

The Atmos Tellurium introduces a mesmerizing new astronomical calendar to the collection that accurately visualizes the revolution of the earth around the sun and captures the moonphases.

The name Tellurium refers to an element that is semi-metallic, lustrous, crystalline, brittle and has a beautiful silver-white color. Tellurium is a common additive for steel and is often found in aluminum, copper, lead and tin alloys. It was first discovered in 1782 in a gold mine in Transylvania by Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein and was named for the Latin word for earth, tellus.

The clock is gorgeous. A celestial complication shows the true revolution of the earth as it circles the sun and a smaller revolution of the moon as it circles the earth. his allows us to see the most accurate reflection of the phases of the moon. A star map of silver on navy gives the mechanicals a backdrop as they perform their precise, perpetual movements.

Just as tellurium is one of the least common elements on Earth, a clock like the Atmos Tellurium is precious and rare, with a limited release of only 10 pieces.

Tech Specs

Jaeger-Lecoultre Atmos Tellurium Ref Q5765300

Movement: Caliber 590 perpetual movement
Functions: Hours, minutes, night and day display, month, moonphase and zodiacal calendar
Case: 237.86mm × 215mm; glass DIAL Transparent with display of celestial complication
Price: EUR 500,000
Availability: Limited edition of 10 pieces