Jaeger-LeCoultre

White Chinoise Jaeger-LeCoultre, “Atmos”, Ref. 5809. Made in the 1960's. Fine and very rare, rectangular, gilt brass and perspex (lucite) mantel clock with “Chinoiserie” panels and wound by barometric pressure changes. Accompanied by a fitted box and a brushed gilt brass wall bracket. Glazed on 4 sides and on the top with perspex (Lucite) panels, set with gilt Chinoiserie water landscapes, the front panel with aperture to view the pendulum, stepped plinth base. Matte off-white with applied gilt brass faceted dart indexes and Arabic quarter-hour numerals. Gilt brass dauphine hands with black tips. Cal. 526-5, gilt brass, vacuum chamber winding the going barrel, lever escapement driven by annular tension pendulum, locking screw in the base below the pendulum disc. Case, movement and vacuum signed. Dim. 23 x 18 x 14 cm. Notes The Atmos clock was invented by Neuchâtel engineer Jean-Léon Reutter (1899-1971). From his youth, he wanted to produce a clock that could be wound by atmospheric fluctuations, and in 1928 he succeeded. Reutter’s patent was first licensed to a French company which exploited it until 1935. Subsequently, it was purchased by Jaeger- LeCoultre. Though the early years were difficult, 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. It is arre to find this model with its original fitted wall braket.