The third collaboration between Marc and Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Atmos 568 is about lightness, transparency, and simplicity. At first glance, what draws the eye in is the timekeeping mechanism: appearing to float freely in the air, it is actually held in place by the rear part of the movement.

Its very simple dial is optimised for easy legibility. Although light passes right through the clear glass face, it is simple to read thanks to blue Arabic numerals that always face outwards and are underscored by a minute circle. To avoid adding further elements, the marker indicating the month has been designed to form part of the transparent dial. The counterweights are painstakingly designed to melt from sight, while perfectly balancing the hands picked out in a harmonious echo of Marc’s chosen blue. Uniquely for an Atmos, the entire cycle of moon phases is shown – with a white moon and a blue sky – on a smoothly finished disc embellished with concentric striations.

On the movement’s reverse, the mechanism is visibly held in place at four points, rather than the three on traditional Atmos clocks, to create symmetry. The membrane bridge, redesigned in a cross-shape and with a brushed finish, showcases the membrane’s bellows to great effect.

Marc chose crystal for the glass casing for its aesthetic quality and unique finish. Only a Glassworks operating at the cutting edge of crystal manufacturing, like Baccarat, had the necessary technical expertise, and lengthy research was needed to reduce the crystal thickness to a minimum – a mere 13 mm in some places.

“I was thrilled to have been asked to design an Atmos because it is a timepiece that I have loved since I first saw one when I was in my early teens. An Atmos for me is a complex and magical object, it seemingly runs on perpetual motion or the closest thing to it and it needs a constant environment to function in. It is as if it is a living thing – you have the feeling that it can sense your presence – which I find strangely comforting.”

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