Barometers Realm

This chrome-plated altimetric barometer from 1980, produced by the renowned German brand G. Lufft GmbH & Co, continues the tradition of crafting reliable and elegant pocket barometers, established by Gotthilf Lufft in the 19th century.

The chrome-plated case of the barometer is equipped with a suspension ring and features a rotating knurled bezel with a flat glass insert. On the inner side of the bezel, there is an altitude scale in meters, with a limit of 6000 meters, along with a vernier scale for the barometric reading.

An important feature of this instrument’s scale is its linear altitude scale. Upon closer inspection, one can observe equal intervals between the altitude scale divisions, whereas the barometric scale “compresses” as its values increase. Typically, as altitude increases, altimeter scales become more compact, reducing measurement accuracy at higher altitudes. To address this issue, altimeters were developed with linear altitude scales, ensuring consistent measurement accuracy across all altitudes. However, in such instruments, the air pressure scales became nonlinear. To achieve this linearity, capsules with a specially designed movement characteristic were used. Linear scales were particularly in demand for aviation barometers and altimeters.