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My Atmos


uzii

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This is my Atmos cal 528 story circa ~1960 – its been years that I’ve put my eyes on Atmos clocks looking in its beauty and clean / sharp looking as well as their technical structure. In the country where I live, I’ve never saw any Atmos clock new or pre-owned for sale therefore I decided to buy on Ebay. At that time, I didn’t think that I’ll have to fix it I just want this “furniture” at my saloon.

When unpacking the clock at home, I figured out that the chain is broken. I can’t tell if this happened due to shipment or it was originally broken but no matter - it was broken:( and here is where the adventure starts…(broken chain means winding mechanism is out of order).

As watch/clock hobbyist, there was of course only one option – jump into it, ignoring those who claims that even the experienced and professional clockmakers shouldn’t touch Atmos without the proper skills and knowledge. I’ve started to read the available material on the WEB, spending time to understand each and every step. I bought also the repair PDF notes with explanations and dedicated tools like hands remover since without it, you will damage the minute pivot.

Repair notes:

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Hand remover:

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Also, I couldn’t find a proper screwdriver since for some reason, the standard screwdrivers blades are 0.6mm or 0.8mm while this screws require 0.7mm blade. Important to mention is that without perfect fit, the screws will be damaged and if there something I hate is to see those signs on the screws because of using improper screwdriver (or sometimes due to non-skilled hands). Therefore, I took 0.8mm and resized it to 0.7mm. Also, need to say that this screws are having a large “cap” so once they are tightened, they are very difficult to be removed. One of the screws:

DSCF7037.JPG

Another mission was to get new chain but this was found easily online. It took me about 5 month to complete the study and buy everything.

Before I started the work, I did few inspections looking for other potential issues:

1) I manually wind up the spring to the desired tension (according to the spec). I found the clock is running although the amplitude was lower than the spec (spec is 360 – 540 deg).

2) I checked that the bellow is functioning – measuring at room temperature and after refrigerator. It looks that bellow is ok :) 

In order to replace the chain, I had to remove the dial, bellow, motor, front plate and the main spring. I didn’t disassemble the balance system as in my inspection, it was looking functioning properly. I disassemble the motor gears and cleaned the holes. I also disassemble the mainspring and cleaned it and oil it. It looks that the clock wasn’t serviced for a long time. There are only few points to lubricate the clock. Most of the friction points must not be lubricated!

Then I installed the new chain following the instructions of the required distance between the ratchet and the bellow to allow the optimal torque for the windup process. Then, I’ve put everything back and wind-up the main spring manually to its base level means that from this point on, the bellow will wind-up the mainspring according to the thermal changes and the power that ran-out from the spring.

The clock came back to life and I was able to monitor the mainspring winding up properly. This can be done by following a moving red point located on the barrel arbor ratchet winding system. The chain and the red dot:

DSCF7030.JPG

The clock is running ~2 years keeping excellent time after this service however, the amplitude is about 330 and even less, while the spec requirement is 360-540 deg. I’m trying to look for the reason but so far I didn't found.

There is still work to do but so far I’m really proud of it.

This is just beautiful, I hope you like it:

DSCF7027.JPG

 

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Great job on the Atmos, I love them. Here's a pic of my rhodium plated Atmos that sits proudly on my mantle piece, always a talking point.

They do run at their best if you leave them alone and admire them from afar, only touch them if you have to!

Enjoy your beautiful clock.

image.jpeg

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Brain,

what a fabulous clock!! 

Hello Kaari,

8 hours ago, Kraai said:

Never use oil on the pivots from an Atmos Clock.

It's so tempting, but it gives loss of power!

 

 sure, only lubricate those points recommended in the repair notes, nothing else. 

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21 minutes ago, Geo said:

They were made long before you OH. That must make it positively ancient!! :D

So I see I had to google to find out. For some reason I thought they were mass produced in the 50's. I have learned something new today. The thing is will I remember it tomorrow. :D The other day I had to go to my G P for memory test and I failed the lot, it seams I have a short term memory loss  due to a mild stroke at the beginning of the year.

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OH - Thats not good but I suppose there is something positive in that the vast amount of knowledge you have amassed was mainly gained a longer time ago.  They thought I had had a mild stroke as my upper eyelid on the right side of my face is a third closed all the time but it turned out to be Horners Syndrome which is relatively innocuous.

 

Didn't know much about Atmos Clocks George has mentioned them before and after reading the thread from Uzi and googling a bit, they certainly have a good pedigree, the variety in appearance is quite interesting.  I can see why Uzi and Brian like them.

Cheers,

Vic

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OH its only natural to have memory loss after a stoke so my stroke doctor told me only last week. It's my long term memory that's gone more the wife has to keep reminding me what things are called just simple things. Only last week I saw someone I have known for years and couldn't remember his name for the life of me I managed to get away without saying his name and then said to the wife as we walked away "what the he'll is his name" 

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I have the exact same clock. The clock was given to my Grandfather as his retirement gift back in 1962. Somehow I have managed to preserve it all these years but it is not running. Like you, I have begun to do some research on the theory and workings and just this week ordered the service data for it.

I will read / study and learn the repair data before attempting to get it running. I really cannot afford professional service on it as I imaging that would be quite expensive.

I will post a picture of it later today.

Don

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Nice Don,

Yes the service on these clocks can be crazy expensive, my store sell Jaeger Le Coultre watches and we have a service contract with them, we certainly don't service the Atmos, we send them to Jaeger, now remember this is JLC themselves and not an independent repair chap and their estimates are the full deal, they'll estimate everything required to bring the clock back to a beautiful condition, all or nothing, no part jobs.

For example, an overhaul only will be approx $1400, usually the clocks require more than just the overhaul, I've seen one that required a new glass panel supplied, one that needed a 'weld' at the corner of the brass framework itself, (I've read with interest that this is a fairly common problem, cracks at the corners appearing, so treat it with delicate hands and don't touch it unless you must). We had a rhodium plated one getting serviced six months ago and Jaeger insisted it must also be re plated as the rhodium was wearing thin in a few areas and you could see the hint of brass underneath, (another lesson here not to touch them and not polish the case away), full service on that one was around $2000

Not a cheap service as you see but people do usually proceed with the work as in so many cases they are hugely sentimental being a service gift from work given to their father etc.

Funny to read about them tho as I've read some crazy stuff, if, and I said if you keep your clock running in an air proofed unit where no air contaminates get access to the clock (not sure what that is really) Jaeger claim the service interval for these clocks are................600 years!!

Reality is I believe 20 to 25 years is the normal service interval recommended, I suppose if you break down the service cost to how much you pay per week of ownership it doesn't seem too expensive.........I don't know.

Enjoy your clock Don and good luck with it, I'll be real interested to follow your progress, please keep us all updated.

Brian

 

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Hello Don,

good luck at your job! don't hesitate to ask questions - some of them I might know. As I mentioned in my post, hands remover is a mandatory tool otherwise minute pivot can be easily broken. another important tool is the correct screwdriver otherwise you will hurt the screw which are part of the beauty if this masterpiece.

thx, uzi.

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Take on board what Uzii said about removing the minute hand, the pivot is glass hard end will break with the slightest abuse.  

Why do I know?  When I serviced my first one I made all the tools that I required to do the job including a movement holder.  The hand remover worked a treat removing the hand easily, then horror of horrors I inadvertently brushed my hand against the bare pinion and ping that was it broken.  I re- pivoted it so all was good in the end.

 

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