Atmos Moderne “Colani”

JAEGER-LECOULTRE, ATMOS “MODERNE” aka ATMOS DESIGN, by LUIGI COLANI

ICONEEK price: SOLD

Iconeek is proud to introduce here one of the rarest, most sough after and undervalued Atmos ever produced by Jaeger-LeCoultre: The Atmos Design. The model was created especially for the inauguration of the new building dedicated to the Atmos factory at la Vallée de Joux. The model is also called the “Colani” because of its associated designer Luigi Colani. Famous German industrial designer, Luigi Colani created products such as cars, motorcycles and aircraft but also many other common items that affect us in our daily lives.

This clock is a kind of ufo in the the Atmos world, for severals raisons. First, its design looks very industrial and well in advance for the time, its reminds us creations of Paco Rabanne , raison why some people also call this clock the “Paco Rabanne”. The famous Paco Rabanne ‘s steel dress from 1966 must have been a source of inspiration. Second, its design is a complete break with the rest of the Atmos’s line. Third, instead of the regular door to access to the hands or the rectangular removable glass front panel, here we find an unusual, hinged to the case, massive glassed curved bezel. The opening of the front panel reminds us an helmet. Another interesting fact, the front panel and the basement plate are sticking out from the main rectangular shape. a stylistic element rarely found on the Atmos. The shape of the dial is no more round or square, but stylized, a four leaf clover type dial, with blackened batons hands. The whole case is nickel plated with an attractive brushed finish. From top to bottom, from left to right, this clock is a true eyes catching, and one can easily understand why Luigi Colani was called the “Leonardo Da Vinci of design”. According to scholars, the model was produced during two years only, between 1973 and 1975, in a very limited batch. The clock is powered by a caliber 528/1. The movement is driven by changing air-pressure. dial signed, movement signed and numbered. The model is described and illustrated in Jaeger-leCoultre, Yearbook 2, page 110 & 111, inv. 540.

The Atmos Design probably deserves a place in a Modern Art Museum. This clock is for Jaeger-Lecoultre’s Atmos design, what was the Porsche 911S silver in the 1970s for cars, a “modern” for the time and timeless pleasure.

Condition: 9.5/10, some very light signs of wear, otherwise in excellent overall condition, fully serviced in 2014