Back to Mike's Clock Clinic's Main Web Page

Copyright © 1995-2023 Michael P. Murray & Mike's Clock Clinic

Mike Murray's LeCoultre Atmos Clock Repair & Service Charges

Mike Murray
P. O. Box 562
1151 D Street
Fossil, OR 97830-0562
The P.O. Box is for the USPS only and should be removed for all other carriers.

E-mail address: Mike@atmosman.com (Preferred method of contact)

MCC's Web site is located at http://www.atmosman.com

I ask you to read this page prior to calling or E-mailing. I realized it's boring and long but it should answer just about any question you may have and that is its intent.


Here's the basics:
My mechanical overhaul for the LeCoultre Atmos is $725.00 plus parts. This includes all labor, my 5-year parts and labor warranty, and return shipping within the U.S. Parts are an unknown until the clock is disassembled. All parts and all refinishing are extra.  50% of the time an Atmos will need parts. Virtually every detail is covered below, so please give this entire page a good read before you E-mail. My average turn around is 8 to 12 months. The average cost of a mechanical overhaul on the LeCoultre Atmos is $900.00. The caliber 540 is usually the $725.00 shipped in the U.S. because it rarely needs parts. One more thing and that is I have been working on the Atmos clock since 1990 and that was 8 years after I started my clock repair business. This experience is vital in order to due a first rate job on your Atmos and that is why I back my work with a 5-year warranty. Details below:
For overhauling jobs outside North America, please see: Service charges for clocks outside North America
Atmos Clock Service Charges

A link to a 528 Atmos apart and before any cleaning and polishing.
http://www.atmosman.com/528.jpg.
A link to a 540 Atmos apart and before any cleaning and polishing.
http://www.atmosman.com/540.jpg.
This is what I mean by an overhaul and never do anything less.

Overhaul Pricing and Comparisons
I make my living overhauling the Atmos and 400-day or Anniversary clocks from all over the globe and I was both an Atmos and 400-day overhaul Instructor. Because of the complexities of the Atmos clock, an Atmos needs a complete mechanical overhaul whenever serviced. An Atmos keeping good time does not need any periodic maintenance, so don't waste your money based on what other's may have said. The current price of a mechanical overhaul for most LeCoultre made Atmos is $650.00, which includes all labor, plus shipping, handling, and insurance, which adds $75.00. This brings the base overhaul total to $725.00 which includes $1,000.00 of return shipping insurance. Any additional insurance is charged at $1.00 per additional $100. Added to that base charge is any needed parts. The above price includes a 5-year warranty. Any needed parts and any refinishing is extra. Shipping to Canada, Alaska and Hawaii is $125.00. International shipping is $125.00 and complete information is located at: Service charges for clocks outside North America. One part of note because of its expense is the bellows also called the motor. It is the large round "bowl shaped" object on the back of the clock. The current cost to refill your original bellows (if needed) is $250.00. On average 80% of bellows can be refilled and that assures that your Atmos stays 100% original. If the bellows cannot be refilled then the choices are; use another refilled bellows that is close to the date of your original bellows (usually within a year) for the an extra $50.00 for a total cost of $300.00 or replace with a new bellows which costs $800.00. Most diagnose your Atmos' trouble as a flat or dead bellows when in fact the bellows is the cause of stoppage about 15 to 20% of the time. The primary reason this is mentioned is because they do not understand the expertise required to do a full mechanical overhaul. My overhaul service takes about 8 to 12 months and includes a 5-year warranty on all labor and any part you paid for and installed by myself. The price exceptions are the 50th and 150th anniversary special editions or any other special edition Atmos' are $850.00 for the base labor overhaul. I have over 30 years of experience on the LeCoultre Atmos and I have the longest warranty anywhere at 5 years. Return to Index
Parts (If they are needed)
I use genuine LeCoultre parts and proven after-market parts where the cost saving are justified. Also, many overhauls require a new suspension spring, which currently cost $150.00 installed. It has been my experience that if the serial # of the Atmos is under 150,000 then, sometimes, the suspension spring WILL need replacing, if it is still the original part. Because of the high cost of the new bellows, currently $800.00, I do not replace it unless it has lost 9 mm or gas or more. That would make my depth measurements 32mm or greater. In most cases, I can have your original bellows refilled at a cost to you of $250.00 and that represents a $550.00 savings over new replacement bellows. Refilling the bellows is my personal preference because it keeps the clock 100% original and your original bellows contains the date of manufacture, which is used to date your Atmos. If the clock stops within the 5 year warranty period and we find that it is the bellows, then I do NOT charge for my labor to install a refilled or new bellows but you would be responsible for the cost of the bellows and the return shipping charge of $75.00. I like to take the wait and see approach. I have seen bellows "flat" after only ten years and I've seen "perfect" bellows that were 65 years old. If you have a caliber 540 or higher, which translates into a serial # of 600,000 or higher, then there is about a 90% possibility that your Atmos will NOT need any parts including bellows refilling.
If you need a specific part then please see my Atmos parts page.
Return to Index
A Link to Some Atmos Production History
Please see Atmos History for more information about the history of the Atmos clock. Return to Index
My 5-year Warranty
The reason I give a 5-year warranty is because I feel that no one can touch my service or expertise in the repair of the Atmos clock. All Atmos clocks will run anywhere from 14 months to 20 months on a full wind of the mainspring, which all "repair persons" do for any level of service. Typically the older an Atmos is the longer it will run on a full wind of the mainspring. Realize that the bellows job is to wind the mainspring, so if there are any bellows or winding troubles, they will not surface for over a year and that may be after "their" warranty expires. If an Atmos comes back within the 5-year warranty for any reason and I find that I take it from its packing box and then to the test shelf and it runs continuously, there is a $200.00 charge plus return shipping of $75.00. Most times if an Atmos I have worked on stops, it will run provided that the customer follows my stating procedure that is contained in my operations manual. Proper Starting section of my operations manual. The same $275.00 would apply if anyone caused the breakage of a part. Added to that would be the cost of the part. I would still eat the labor because there would be no need to "re-overhaul" the clock assuming that I worked on that particular Atmos and it was still within the warranty period. Under my 5-year warranty, you would pay the shipping and insurance to the Clinic and I would pay for the shipping and insurance back. If the returned Atmos is still under my 5-year warranty and stops within a few weeks from packing box to test shelf then there is no charge what-so-ever and will be returned running properly in about 6 to 8 weeks because of the need to retest your Atmos for at least 3 weeks The original warranty is valid for 5 years but never extended. The initial overhaul is warranted, meaning that you have leveling and starting responsibility and if nothing is wrong when it come back then you are billed $275.00. Return to Index
Shipping, Packing & Turn Around Times
I advise shipping the Atmos with the original carton if available. Please make sure that the clock does not rattle in its first shipping box. Take up any space with packing peanuts or bubble wrap in order to eliminate any looseness. In any case, please be sure to double box the clock and insure it for at least $1,000. For those outside the U.S. you must be careful because if you don't state that you are sending a USED Atmos clock for repair, customs will assume it's a sale and charge me, which means ultimately you, a duty or customs fee based on the value you place on the clock for shipping. By double box I mean to pack the 1st and 2nd boxes as if you were going to ship each independent from the other one. When I ship the Atmos back, I use a 11" x 11" x 11" box for the clock and then the 14" x 14" x 14" for the second and advise you to do the same. Or for more room and therefore more packing material, then use a 12" x 12" x 12" box for the clock and then the 16" x 16" x 16" for the second. The larger the box the more expensive it is to ship because most carriers use girth to establish the shipping charge more so than weight. Eco Box is an on-line business in Texas that allows you to order as little as one box. So if you're having difficult securing the correct size boxes, then you have another resource. It's really a game between a larger box and therefore more expensive to ship or a smaller less protective box for cheaper shipping. I believe the box sizes I have chosen above are the best compromise but it's your Atmos and your money. UPS sells boxes but you can Goggle to find someplace to buy boxes. In my opinion there is no best when it comes to a carrier. I use UPS for convince not because I believe they are the best. The best insurance is to double box and pack each box well, even if it means an oversize final box causing an increase in shipping price. If you're a busy type, then you can use a UPS store to ship it and have them pack it but I have seen them do lousy packing as well. The goal is to have nothing negative happen shipping both to me and back to you and why I do my own packing and always double box and always have some packing material surrounding the clock and surrounding the 1st box. A little more time and a little more expense will save the large headache of trying to find someone who will work on the case because this will fall on you because the carrier will have me return it to them and then they inspect it before they ship it back to you. Also, if your Atmos has the two slide pins on the side of the case for lifting the upper case off in order to set the time, please use a low adhesive tape like painter´s tape, in order to secure the pins. Any other tape will adhere to the case and is something impossible to remove without damaging the case. This is usually found on the Atmos II, calibers 519, 529, and the 528-6 (that's exactly what the -6 means). These pins can work themselves out during shipping and can easily be bent. Be sure to pack your Atmos well with minimal tape because when I unpack I try to save your packing material and a lot of packing tape prevents me from recycling. Please be sure to ask for 100% biodegradable packing peanuts or purchase them yourself. Please do NOT use shredded paper because it is extremely messy and drives me crazy. For return shipping I use UPS for most shipping. If you want to use another carrier then you will have to arrange everything for shipping, meaning I hand the box to the driver, get a receipt and nothing else. I understand some trepidation about shipping an Atmos and I can assure you that if the clock is packed well, and the pendulum (balance) is locked, then there should not be a problem. With the balanced locked, any Atmos can withstand a great deal of shaking and movement just short of dropping it. I have shipped overhauled Atmos' all over the world and never have had to deal with shipping insurance because of any damage done during transit. I must have shipped over 3,000 Atmos' so just use common sense and pack each box well. If you cannot lock the balance (pendulum) then place something soft that will take up space, like a clean hand towel. Since the Atmos is coming here for a mechanical overhaul, then you don´t have to be too concerned about the lock because even unlocked, there is noting that I can't fix. The lock is important if the clock is working properly and you want to move it across the room or across the country. My turnaround is usually 8 to 12 months. Please be sure to LOCK the pendulum before doing ANYTHING! Old parts are returned by request only. Upon the receipt of the clock, I inspect it to make sure that it survived its trip to the Clinic and E-mail you that the clock has arrived. It usually takes about 8 months or so to perform the complete disassembly. Once I disassemble, I E-mail you to advice on what, if any, parts are needed and the amount quoted, at that time, becomes a firm price. After that disassembled contact, the parts are ordered and the overhaul work usually begins within 1 to 2 weeks, longer if the bellows needs refilling or if the case or dial need refinishing. The reason for the longer turn times is that I must send these out to another professional and I'm subject to their work volume. My volume of Atmos overhauls has been steadily increasing and turn times are estimates and may be longer than indicated above. Return to Index
Customer's Close Enough to Bring in the Atmos
All appointments must be scheduled at least a week in advance because of the havoc it plays on my schedule. Please do NOT expect an appointment on Sunday's or Monday's. There is no advantage to dropping off your Atmos. If you want to meet me and assure yourself that I exist and/or you want to see my set up, then fine. Please realize that I'm not someone who enjoys small talk but be forwarded that there are times when I get diarrhea of the mouth. My mission is to take a quick look at your Atmos and judge what it may need and give you my opinion as to its physical condition in case you are thinking of case or dial refinishing. Also, you leave with a photocopy of the invoice and that copy becomes your "repair ticket" and the price on that ticket becomes a quote and a firm price as far as my labor charge. Any needed part(s) and/or refinishing will be ascertained once it is disassembled and since that is some time in the future, you still have the right of refusal with my standard estimate charge of $275.00 still applying. That charge only occurs if the overhaul is refused for whatever reason. 99% of Atmos' do NOT have a "quick fix". The rare quick fix will be addressed in the first few minutes of my examination. One minor benefit is that you save the $75.00 in shipping costs. Naturally this assumes that you pick up your Atmos when the overhaul is completed. Return to Index
Testing and the Unknown
Once testing starts it is performed in two parts. The first test is the function test to ascertain whether or not your Atmos will run properly. During this electronic test the clock is "timed" without the dial or hands being attached. This most always takes about 24 hours. Then the second test is the Atmos fully assembled and is the final test which takes any where from a few days to as many as 6 weeks. Once the testing is finished and just before I start packing the clock, I bring the time adjustment lever to the middle or neutral position, if you will. I ship when both the final payment and the testing period have been satisfied. Normally shipping takes place about a week or so after the overhaul is completed. Here's how long it takes each wheel in the Atmos to turn. 1 turn of the mainspring barrel occurs in 103.57 days (LeCoultre calls it the barrel wheel) 1 turn of the 2nd wheel occurs in 20.714 days (LeCoultre calls it the intermediate wheel) 1 turn of the 3rd wheel occurs in 3.4524 days (LeCoultre calls it the center wheel) 1 turn of the 4th wheel occurs in 8.2854 hours (LeCoultre calls it the third wheel) 1 turn of the 5th wheel occurs in 1.0000 hour (LeCoultre calls it the fourth wheel) 1 turn of the 6th wheel occurs in 0.2500 hour (LeCoultre calls it the escape wheel) Now a test for 104 days would be excessive but 3 or even 6 weeks is in the realm of possibilities. The best of all worlds would be for me to test for 6 weeks, which allows most wheels to turn at least 2 revolutions. I realize that some people do not have the patience for that and why I prefer 3 weeks. What sometimes does happen is that the Atmos, after the overhaul, is now too efficient. Meaning that the balance will rotate too much. The excessive rotation causes the roller on the balance to pass though the fork and then have so much more rotational force that it then hits the fork on its side, some 340° away. This hitting the fork after it has passed through causes the Atmos to run too fast and in fact you will not be able to regulate it. I bring this up because it takes at least a week and many times 2 weeks for the balance to arrive at full rotational strength. NOTE: Just for your information, a balance rotation of under 360° in total, from stop to stop, will have a similar affect. Here the Atmos can run either fast or slow, there is just no telling. The reason for this is that the balance is now underpowered but can keep running for months and months. So for those that have the patience to wait for a six week test, I'll be more than happy to do so BUT I would need to be paid in the same time frame as if I would be shipping it with only a three week test. But even with the extra testing, you will still have to adjust the timing of your Atmos because each environment will have a different average temperature and the hours it stays at any set temperatures would also be different. The Atmos is affected by the temperature of the environment it is located in. The "fun" will be that once you have it adjusted, the outside temperature will be changing enough so that the inside temperature will change as far as how long it stays at one temperature or another and then you'll have to adjust the Atmos again. If an Atmos is within 30 seconds per month then it is an accurate Atmos. So I can test it until the cows come home and you will still have to address the fact that the Atmos will run at a different rate at your location. When I ship back Your Atmos, the package will contain your original invoice and an instruction manual that I authored. When the timing process is over I bring the adjustment lever, if it has one, some have a turn knob, back to center and in a way that does not interfere with what was previously accomplished. Return to Index
Payment and Estimates
Please do not send any money or check with your Atmos. I would like payment by money order, certified check, personal check, business check, or through Pay Pal or Square, which is the only way I take credit cards. I do prefer a check over Pay Pal or Square because Pay Pal and Square take 3%. The 3% is added to the total bill if you use a credit card or Pay Pal. With either Pay Pal or Square, I will send an invoice to your E-mail address. Here you are dealing directly with either service and not me. All sales outside North America will be charged 4% on top of the total through Pay Pal only. All of the added fees are exactly what either service charges me for taking your credit card. I discourage prepayments, except for part charges that exceed $500.00. I usually collect 1/2 of the parts total once the disassembly is completed if the parts total exceeds $500.00. Please give me about 8 to 10 months to disassemble and E-mail you again with a quote and completion date estimate. Once you approve, your Atmos becomes the very next one I work on but that's 8 to 10 months away. Right now I'm running about a year turn around and the minimum is $725.00, which is $650.00 for my labor and $75.00 for return shipping and insurance. If you decide not to go ahead with the repair, then I return the clock via FedEx. The charge will be $200.00 labor, plus my standard shipping and the insurance charges ($60.00). This total works out to be $275.00 for a clock returned to you and not repaired after my estimate. The labor change is for my time in disassembling and then reassembling. Return to Index
Refilled Bellows
Through various efforts in the trade, I now can offer to refill your original bellows (if needed). Bellows are filled with ethyl chloride, which is that same material used by LeCoultre. I offer this service for a cost of $250.00, which is a $550.00 savings versus a new bellows. If the bellows fail within the 5 year warranty period, you must pay for return shipping. I will replace your spent refilled bellows, which was initially refilled by me, with another refilled bellows that is within a year of your original bellows and only charge the $75.00 for return shipping, no labor cost will be charged. The above costs are only good as part of a complete overhaul. If you want the bellows refilled as a stand alone service, then the cost is $320.00. That includes return shipping (in the U.S.) and you will have to remove the spent bellows and sent it to me and reinstall the refilled bellows. You must be aware that there is a 20% failure on refilling used bellows. Therefore, I cannot guarantee that your bellows refill will be successful. I can, however, have one of my old stock bellows refilled in case of failure and that adds $50.00 to the refilling charge. If the procedure fails, then I'll return your original bellows at no charge, assuming that you sent just the bellows for refilling or take a spend bellows from my inventory and charge $50.00 extra for a total of $370.00. I will NOT and do NOT sell "NEW" bellows to anyone. Return to Index
Soldered Bellows
Many of the older Atmos' with a serial # below 50,000 have soldered bellows. This presents a whole new set of problems in order to replace worn out bellows because the bellows are actually soldered onto the bellows canister and plate. I have a procedure for removing a "dead" bellows from the old soldered bellows cover found on the older Atmos' and to determine whether yours is soldered or not, please see: Soldered Bellows This procedure keeps the original bellows canister and hardware, except the "dead" bellows, I charge $1,600.00 which includes the new bellows. The actual original bellows is replaced with a new one. The $1,600.00 only covers the material and labor costs for changing the soldered bellows canister to one where any future changing of the bellows would be greatly simplified. The above costs are only good as part of a complete overhaul. All overhaul and other part costs will be added to the $1,600.00. If you want your soldered bellows replaced with a new bellows as a stand alone service, then the cost is $2,500.00. That includes return shipping and you will have to remove the entire bellows (cover and motor included) and sent it to me and reinstall the completed bellows. The $2,500.00 must be pre paid (or at least 1/2) and the service can take as long as 4 months because of slowness in the ordering process for the new bellows. Return to Index
Dial and Case Refinishing
Prices for refinishing for both the dial and the case can fluctuate because I send them out to another professional and they do not inform me of the price until the work is finished and they do not tell me when their pricing changes. Dial refinishing is expensive. I can use a used but in very good shape dial for $150.00 or have your original dial refinishing for $300.00 when it is part of an overhaul. This will make your old worn Atmos dial look like new. This is a nice companion to case refinishing. Dial refinishing is sent to another professional. Dial refinishing is offered as a stand alone service for an additional $50.00 ($350.00) plus shipping. Payment must accompany the dial. Shipping is $20.00 in the U.S. ($365.00). You would be responsible to remove and reinstall the dial. Expect the dial to be returned to you in about 6 to 8 weeks. I will sell used dials for $250.00 plus shipping. Case work such as stripping, polishing, and clear coat sealing is an additional $700.00. This procedure makes the clock look new and I offer this down to brass finish as a cheaper alternative to the 24k gold finish because it is very hard to tell the difference between that and the gold finish. Brass is the base metal so nothing changes metallurgically. All case work is sent to another professional. Polishing and lacquering includes all exposed case parts, all base parts, and occasionally the bellows canister and the canister lid (if needed on the canister if there are fingerprints or tarnish on it). Normally the pendulum and dial bezel do not need this but are included if they have been tarnished. Please be aware that some pendulum bobs cannot be refinished because of their uniqueness. An example would be if your pendulum bob has black lines on it because the refinishing would remove these black lines and I have no way to accurately "reline" the bob. If 24 karat gold plating is desired, which is the original LeCoultre finish, then the total additional cost is between $1,200.00 and $1,600.00 depending on how many pieces are plated. Gold plating is so expensive because it involves the initial polishing procedure to bring the parts down to brass. Then the parts are nickel plated which is followed by the 24 karat gold plating and finally the clear coat. Both the $700.00 for polishing and between $1,200.00 and $1,600.00 for polishing and 24 karat gold plating are added to the cost of the overhaul and any needed parts. All exposed case parts are treated in both the down to brass and the 24k gold treatment for a uniform finish. The internal movement was never gold plated and is made of brass. A deposit of $350.00 for down to brass case refinishing or a deposit of $700.00 for 24k gold case refinishing is required and will be address as soon as you request one or the other. Case polishing and/or plating is NOT offered as a separate service and will only be done in conjunction with an overhaul. See a typical letter to my Refinisher, so you can see the extent of the work performed. Individual parts may be obtained by going to the link Atmos parts. Return to Index
Trade Discounts
I do not give any trade or volume discounts. Return to Index
"Rush" Jobs
Now I do have a policy that allows for a "Rush" job. If you really want your Atmos clock moved to the very next project that I'll work on, it will cost you triple. I will contact you within a few days of it landing. I must first disassemble it in order to ascertain what it needs. Once done then everything triples except return shipping. In general your costs will go from $725.00 to $2,025.00 plus parts and those parts will also triple. I realize that this is outrageous but if I'm going to deal with all those in house customers that will have to wait longer because you need the project done as soon as possible then I must be compensated for that future aggravation. It may bring no additional work but we'll see what we'll see. Including the bench time and testing it should leave here in 6 weeks and 8 weeks on the outside but I'll need a check for that to happen. Please make it out to Mike Murray at P.O. Box # 562, Fossil, OR 97830 but wait until I have disassembled it and contact you via E-mail with an exact amount. I'll not procede until the check lands or a Pay Pal payment is made which will be 3% higher. Return to Index
Generic Operations Manual
A link to my Atmos Operations Manual Return to Index
Why an Atmos Would Run for a Short While Then Stop.
I'm asked why an Atmos would run for a few hours or a few days and then stop. Most assume it is the bellows, but bellows failure accounts for about 20% of Atmos failures. There are many reasons as to the "why" and here's a few reasons. In general stopping could be accumulated dust, wear, dried lubricant, mishandling, some form of metal fatigue, weak or dead bellows, or any combination of these. Some of the factors below will also be responsible for a running Atmos that is either way too fast or too slow. In all cases there is no quick fix and a mechanical overhaul must be done. There are many reasons and I'll try to list as many as I can think of:
  • Dead or dying bellows; causing the wind on the mainspring to be deficient.
  • Winding system has failed from another reason other than the bellows. (Broken chain, broken click spring, broken or misaligned ratchet click, chain stopper pin worked its way loose, broken or misaligned pulley washer, etc.)
  • Dirty mainspring.
  • Dirty frame bearings.
  • Dried up lubrication in frame and/or mainspring.
  • Dirty movement and/or bearings (jewels.)
  • Cracked jewels.
  • Bent arbors or pivots.
  • Scored pivots or pinions.
  • Bent tooth on any gear.
  • Minute wheel set too low and rubbing on the movement's top plate.
  • Balance out of poise.
  • Balance and/or fork out of beat.
  • Locking system rubbing on the balance even though it is in the unlocked position.
  • Balance mounted either too high or too low causing rubbing friction.
  • Twisted or kinked suspension spring.
  • Broken suspension spring.
  • Broken mainspring.
  • Fork position as it related to the roller is misaligned. (Fork position too high, too low, fork tines too closed, too open, fork too deep, too shallow, etc.)
  • Dirty roller and/or fork tines. (fingers).
  • Clock not level.
  • Household temperature not varying by 5 degrees or more per day.
  • A friend or incompetent (repair) person recently worked on it.
    The following reasons are extremely rare:
  • Minute hand not poised.
  • Hour hand not poised.
  • Bent arbors or pivots.
  • Bent tooth on any gear.
  • Scored pivots or pinions.
  • Broken pivot(s). (The last two of this group are the only ones I have seen)
Most likely others that escape me at the moment. Return to Index
Who Does the Work?
It should be known that ALL work is done in house and by me personally.
The exceptions are bellows refilling, dial refinishing and case refinishing. These are done by professionals who specialize in this type of work and I do not "give up" their names because it took many trials to finally come up with good professionals for these services. Return to Index
What you need to do if you sent the Atmos to me for an overhaul
Assuming you sent the Atmos my way for an overhaul, then you must make sure that the clock is packaged properly and the balance is locked. Instructions on locking the balance can be found at: Locking the balance. If you cannot lock the balance then don't go to any extremes in order to do so because the balance locking device will be working properly when the Atmos is returned. Please see the link above about Shipping & Turnaround for proper packaging. Please make sure you have your name, address, phone number, and E-mail address are somewhere in either box. The address must be the physical location you want me to return your overhauled Atmos. If you plan on going to a shipping store, then please write or print the information on a file card or something similar so that the person packing the Atmos can include that information along with the clock. A big help would be to include the tracking # in your E-mail to inform me that your Atmos is on its way. The reason is that I want to make sure that I'm here to receive your Atmos so it spends as few days in a truck or warehouse as possible. Return to Index
Why am I the ONLY qualified repair person on the West coast in the US?
A good question and I do not have a definitive answer. I know that there were at least two others when I started in 1990 and they have either passed on or retired. Around 2005, LeCoultre stopped opening parts accounts for the procurement of Atmos parts and "the rest" of us were grandfathered in. So if a competent repair person wanted to overhaul the Atmos since 2005, they would have no access to parts. The other factor is that all with Atmos accounts have signed a contract NOT to sell parts and only use these parts in conjunction with the Atmos that they are currently working on. Probably most important is the fact that ever since I was taught Atmos overhauling, my intent was to teach the same. I have taught many others and since they cannot get parts, most take my course for general knowledge and to keep their Atmos in good running order. It is surprisingly time consuming to think to yourself, "How would I convey this to another", each and every time you tear down or rebuilt something concerning an Atmos clock. But this is exactly what I do every time I overhaul an Atmos. I guess some habits are valuable.
Return to Index
Accuracy of This Web Page
For whatever reason, I get asked if the above Web site is up to date and accurate. If and when anything about my business practices, prices, or policies changes, the first thing I do is update this Web page regardless of the "last updated" date that appears at the bottom. In other words, if you are viewing this Web page for the first time and/or have hit the "refresh" on your browser, you can be assured that all the information is accurate and completely up to date. I'm also asked if I'm taking in work and I can assure you that I'm taking in work and if that ever changes then this Web site will be deleted. Return to Index Respectfully, Michael P. Murray A service from, E-mail address: Mike@atmosman.com Mike Murray Founder of Clocksmiths A specialist in Atmos and 400-day clock repair. Also, I overhaul most plug in electric clocks. In continuous service since 04/01/1982. Mike Murray Membership: NAWCC P. O. Box 562 1151 D Street Fossil, OR 97830-0562 Phone: 541-370-2440 My Web site is located at http://www.atmosman.com/ Main FTP site is located at http://www.atmosman.com/earthpdf.html Memberships: Clocksmiths & NAWCC N.A.W.C.C. International 400-day Clock Chapter # 168 Formally published in Chapter 168's "Torsion Times" Formally published in AWCI's "Horological Times" Formally AWCI's 400-day (Anniversary) clock Bench Course Instructor!

My Go Fund Me Page

Back to Mike's Clock Clinic's Main Web Page 
Return to Index Copyright © 1995-2023 Michael P. Murray & Mike's Clock Clinic

Back to the top of this page

Created in December of 1995 and last updated January 02, 2023.
J. L. Reutter & Mercury Bellows

Sorry but I'm no longer working on the French made Reutter Atmos

Return to Index The very first commercial production run of the Atmos (now called the Atmos 1) was made by Compagnie generale de radio (CGR). Together with Jean-Leon Reutter, production started in June 1929. Two French patents were granted for the Atmos 0 麰.595) and for the Atmos I 默.689) but that company never produced the Atmos 0. They are very nicely made and typically they have a plate saying "Reutter Brevet" or "Brevets J. L. Reutter S. G. D. G." (Brevet = Patent). Production stopped on July 27, 1935 when the company transferred all inventory and work in progress to LeCoultre. I will overhaul these clocks for $750.00, which is a base mechanical overhaul including all labor. Add to that shipping plus any needed parts. Reutter's will carry my 5-year warranty. Please be aware that original parts are nonexistent but internally the LeCoultre parts will work as original parts. This means that I have no access to any external or case parts but can provide any needed internal and movement parts. The only supplier of the Reutter suspension springs, furnishes springs that are wider than they need to be so I must thin these in order to bring the Atmos to time. This is very time consuming and labor intensive, so I charge $200.00 if your Reutter Atmos needs a suspension spring. Just to alert you, the testing on a Reutter can take weeks to months because of the thinning of the replacement suspension spring. It is the real tedious part of the job and tries my patience. I'm preparing both you and I for the future frustration. These clocks were wound with two mercury filled glass vials. I have no way to replace the glass vials or the mercury, which make up the Reutter's bellows. But manual winding is a snap and to access, just open the back door and then push the protruding small knob on the bellows up and then allow it to come down on its own. Once the bellows no longer comes down on its own, the clock is fully wound and should last for about a year.