JAEGER-LECOULTRE’S ATMOS

Though the Atmos table clock was invented close to 90 years ago, it still deserves a place in this list of high-tech, revolutionary timepieces. It runs without human intervention, thanks to a gaseous mixture in a hermetically sealed capsule that expands when the temperature rises and contracts when it falls. The gas pod is connected to the clock’s drive spring and as it swells and contracts, it winds the movement. The slightest temperature fluctuation is enough to provide the clock with two days of power, making the revolutionary clock perhaps the closest thing to a genuine perpetually powered machine. The latest in the series, the Atmos 568, was released last year and was designed by Marc Newson, who has been collaborating with the brand since 2008. This time Newson plays on extreme transparency using a white Baccarat crystal case. As well as the time, the Atmos 568 displays the month and current phase of the moon.