Marc Newson presents the Atmos 561 at the Triennale in Milan
The fascination of quasi-perpetual time
At the heart of Milan that celebrates design and the “Salone del Mobile” (furniture exhibition) from 22nd to 27th April 2009, Jérôme Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, had the pleasure of welcoming Marc Newson to the Triennale for a press conference and exhibition to present the historical and modern clocks which mark the 80 years of the Atmos.
Marc Newson talked of his fascination for the Atmos and its extraordinary, quasi-perpetual mechanism, which led him to collaborate with Jaeger-LeCoultre on the Atmos 561 project.
“The clock’s outer cabinet was one of the principal challenges”, said the famous Australian designer. “This is above all due to its form, blown from a single piece of Baccarat crystal. This transparent bubble is designed not only to reveal the watchmaking mechanism, but also to protect it and fix the entire ensemble, which is then suspended within the globe.”
The magic of the Atmos workings inspired this superb design which Marc Newson compares to the image of the collector’s miniature ship trapped in a bottle, surrounded by the mystery of how it got there.
Beyond this exceptional transparent case, the designer has reinvented the components and display of the Calibre 561 by collaborating with the technical teams of the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre in unprecedented synergy.
With the Atmos 561, Marc Newson stated that he wanted to “defy time by creating a clock that is inscribed in timelessness and aims to be recognised as a classic in the future.”
Echoing the retrospective of the historic models that have graced 80 years of Atmos of which he had just spoken, Jérôme Lambert added this vision: “There is no doubt that in 10 or 20 years, when Jaeger-LeCoultre shares another anniversary of its clock with you, the Atmos 561 by Marc Newson will be among the models that will have shaped its history and unique nature with panache.”
Following journalists, the public of the Milanese design event were then able to discover the “80 years of the Atmos” exhibition at the Triennale.
To know more about the Atmos 561 by Marc Newson and the Atmos collection, discover the e-catalogue by clicking here.
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