Abstract: A timepiece component for a timepiece movement and notably a pivot arbor of a regulating member of a mechanical timepiece movement, made of an alloy containing by weight: between 25% and 55% of palladium, between 25% and 55% of silver, between 10% and 30% of copper, between 0.5% and 5% of zinc, gold and platinum with a total percentage of these two elements comprised between 15% and 25%, between 0% and 1% of one or more elements chosen from among boron and nickel, between 0% and 3% of one or more elements chosen from among rhenium and ruthenium, no more than 0.1% of one or more elements chosen from among iridium, osmium and rhodium, and no more than 0.2% of other impurities, the respective quantities of the components being such that, added together, they do not exceed 100%.

Abstract: A balance spring (1) intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring (1) is made of a niobium and titanium alloy containing: niobium: the remainder to 100 wt %; titanium with a weight percentage that is greater than or equal to 1 wt % and less than 40 wt %; traces of other elements chosen from among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, each of said elements being in the range 0 to 1,600 ppm of the total weight, and the sum of said trace elements being less than or equal to 0.3 wt %.

Abstract: A zinc-free gold alloy containing by weight between 37% and 38.5% of gold, between 4 and 32% of palladium and/or silver, between 25% and 54% of copper and between 0% and 10% of gallium. A timepiece or piece of jewellery or gemstone jewellery made of this alloy.

Abstract: A component intended to be in friction contact with another component, the component being coated with an electrically conductive layer in one piece, at least partially covering every surface of the component, the friction occurring on at least one of these surfaces, called the functional surface, the functional surface being surrounded by a plurality of side surfaces, the component having on its functional surface a texture formed of a succession of troughs coated with the electrically conductive layer, the troughs each extending between two side surfaces such that the electrically conductive layer remains in one piece over the component despite the wear caused by friction on the functional surface. The invention also relates to the method for manufacturing the component by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sides machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, including a step of producing a blank made of a niobium and hafnium alloy including between 5 and 60 wt %, preferably between 5 and 30 wt %, and more preferably between 8 and 12 wt % hafnium, a step of annealing and cooling the blank, at least one step of deforming the annealed blank in order to form a wire. The method includes, before the deformation step, a step of depositing, on the blank, a layer of a ductile material chosen from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cupronickel, cupro-manganese, gold, silver, nickel-phosphorus Ni—P and nickel-boron Ni—B, in order to facilitate the wire shaping operation. A balance spring can be produced by the manufacturing method.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, including a step of producing a blank made of a Nb—Zr alloy including between 10 and 30 wt % Zr, a step of annealing and cooling the blank, at least one step of deforming the annealed blank in order to form a wire, wherein, before the deformation step, a step of depositing, on the blank, a layer of a ductile material chosen from copper, nickel, cupronickel, cupro-manganese, gold, silver, nickel-phosphorus Ni—P and nickel-boron Ni—B, in order to facilitate the wire shaping operation, the thickness of the ductile material layer deposited being chosen such that the ratio of the area of ductile material to the area of the alloy for a given wire cross-section is less than 1, preferably less than 0.5, and more preferably lies in the range 0.01 to 0.4.

Abstract: A spiral timepiece spring with a two-phase structure, made of a niobium and titanium alloy, and method for manufacturing this spring, including producing a binary alloy containing niobium and titanium, with niobium: the remainder to 100%; titanium between 45.0% and 48.0% by mass of the total, traces of components among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, of between 0 and 1600 ppm by mass of the total individually, and less than 0.3% by mass combined; applying deformations alternated with heat treatments until a two-phase microstructure is obtained including a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium and a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium, the ?-phase titanium content being greater than 10% by volume, with an elastic limit higher than 1000 MPa, and a modulus of elasticity higher than 60 GPa and less than 80 GPa; wire drawing to obtain wire able to be calendered; calendering or winding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a timepiece component (1) comprising at least one portion (3) machined by chip removal. Said portion (3) is made of a non-magnetic copper alloy in order to limit its sensitivity to magnetic fields, said copper alloy containing between 10 wt % and 20 wt % of Ni, between 6 wt % and 12 wt % of Sn, X wt % of additional elements, wherein X is comprised between 0 and 5, and the remainder is Cu. The invention concerns the field of timepiece movements.

Abstract: The invention concerns a timepiece component containing a high-entropy alloy, the high-entropy alloy containing between 4 and 13 main alloying elements forming a single solid solution, the high-entropy alloy having a concentration of each main alloying element comprised between 1 and 55 at. %.

Abstract: A spiral timepiece spring with a two-phase structure, made of a niobium and titanium alloy, and method for manufacturing this spring, including: producing a binary alloy containing niobium and titanium, with: niobium: the remainder to 100%; titanium: strictly greater than 60% and less than or equal to 85% by mass of the total, traces of components from among O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al; applying deformations alternated with heat treatments until a two-phase microstructure is obtained comprising a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium and a solid solution of niobium with ?-phase titanium, the ?-phase titanium content being greater than 10% by volume, wire drawing to obtain wire able to be calendered; calendering or insertion into a ring to form a mainspring, in a double clef shape before it is wound for the first time, or winding to form a balance spring.

Abstract: A balance spring (1) intended to be fitted to a timepiece balance having fixed inertia, the balance spring (1) being formed of a core (10) having lateral faces (10c) connecting an upper face (10a) to a lower face (10b), the balance spring (1) including on one of the lateral faces (10) in one portion of the outer coil (5), a coating formed of one or more layers, the coating including two layers with a first electrically conductive layer (12) coated with a second outer layer (13) made of a ceramic, or a combined layer (13), made of an electrically conductive ceramic. Also a method of manufacturing this balance spring.

Abstract: A substrate for forming timepiece components includes a first part based on photostructurable glass and at least a second part based on at least one second material. One surface of the first part is made integral with a surface of the second part so as to form a one-piece timepiece component.

Abstract: The invention relates to an external part including a first portion based on photostructurable glass, at least one second portion based on at least one second material. According to the invention, one surface of the first portion is made integral with a surface of the second portion so as to form a one-piece external part.

Abstract: Economical method for manufacturing a timepiece display or hand-fitting component, wherein: there is chosen a first material which is easy to shape or to machine; a workpiece is made in the first material; a second material is chosen to make each aesthetical and/or visible surface of component, which is an amorphous metal alloy or has a nanocrystalline structure or includes nickel or nickel-phosphorus, or which is a pure metal or an alloy of gold and/or silver and/or copper and/or rhodium and/or titanium and/or aluminium; the workpiece is coated, at least on the surfaces intended to remain visible on the component, with a thick layer, of an initial thickness greater than 20 micrometres, of the second material; at least one aesthetical and/or visible surface, is diamond tool machined, removing all or part of the thick layer.

Abstract: A method for improving an iron-nickel-chromium-manganese alloy for timepiece applications, particularly for producing a balance spring, is described. The base alloy contains, by mass, from 9.0% to 13.0% of nickel, from 4.0% to 12.0% of chromium, from 21.0% to 25.0% of manganese, from 0 to 5.0% of molybdenum, and/or from 0 to 5.0% of copper in addition to iron. The alloy is hardened while its anti-ferromagnetic properties are maintained by introducing 0.10% to 1.20% of carbon and 0.10% to 1.20% of nitrogen interstitially, based on the mass of the base alloy.

Abstract: A timepiece mainspring including, in the manufactured state, an eye and a portion formed of coils with an outer coil of radius R, the eye and the portion formed of coils being connected by a neck portion having substantially zero curvature, the timepiece mainspring wherein the neck portion has a length LC comprised between 1.5 and 10 times, and preferably between 2 and 8 times, the radius R. The mainspring having this specific geometry reduces the risk of premature breakage during use, typically for an application with a k factor lower than 10.

Abstract: Method for fabrication of a gold alloy wire: an alloy is prepared including from 33.33% to 45.83% Au, from 3.64% to 12.44% Zn, from 18.46% to 45.02% Cu, from 9.88% to 33.78% Ni, and from 0.0 to 5.0% of elements from among Ir, In, Ti, Si, Ga, Re, a continuous cast bar is produced, having a diameter of 8.0 to 20.0 mm, this bar is wire rolled while limiting the cross-section deformation to less than 20% per pass, preferably 13%, the cumulative deformation compared to the initial cross-section is measured, the wire rolling is stopped when the cumulative deformation reaches 60% to 75%, an anneal is performed, the wire rolling is started again and the wire rolling, measuring, annealing process is repeated until the desired cross-section is achieved, the intermediate product is drawn to obtain a section wire of circular cross-section.

Abstract: Economical method for manufacturing a timepiece display or hand-fitting component: a casing material is chosen for each visible surface: amorphous metal or nanocrystalline alloy or alloy of gold and/or silver and/or copper and/or rhodium and/or titanium and/or aluminium; a thick, hollow blank of a thickness greater than 20 micrometres is created in a first tool, from the casing material with an initial thickness greater than or equal to 50 micrometres, with an overthickness with respect to each visible surface, with a first cavity for reception of a support structure; an interior material is chosen to make a support structure; the support structure is made and joined to the first cavity; one visible surface remaining visible, is diamond tool machined, removing all or part of the overthickness from the blank.

Abstract: Method for press-rolling a mainspring, from a wire comprising a pre-formed eye, utilizing a roller press comprising a first support and guide means exerting a force on the wire in a first contact area located between a second and a third contact area comprised in a second and a third support and guide means, in order to wind, beyond the eye, an accumulation area with an opposite curvature to that of the eye, and wherein, as the wire advances, the position of the first contact area is gradually moved away from the second and third contact areas, to vary the press-rolling radius from a first minimum value to a second maximum value at a neck junction between the accumulation area and the eye.

Abstract: The invention concerns a timepiece component containing a high-entropy alloy, the high-entropy alloy containing between 4 and 13 main alloying elements forming a single solid solution, the high-entropy alloy having a concentration of each main alloying element comprised between 1 and 55 at. %.