JAEGER-LECOULTRE, NO. 681112, CIRCA 1997

Centuries ago Leonardo Da Vinci demonstrated the physical impossibility of constructing a perpetual motion device. However, scientists and artisans of many nationalities have always tried continually to do so anyway. In 1928 a French engineer named Jean-Leon Reutter constructed a clock driven quite literally by the air. This device captured the imagination of many of his contemporary clock makers. After extensive development, Jaeger LeCoultre, a famous watch and clock maker in its own right, perfected and patented the perpetual motion Atmos clock, like the present lot.