Abstract: A timepiece is provided which in addition to indicating information concerning the time and the date furnishes information relating to the direction and sense of the terrestrial magnetic field. The display is provided with an arrow which may be permanent or displayed at the will of the user and which indicates in which sense the display must be turned in order to align a fixed axis with the direction of the terrestrial field. An azimuth indication may appear giving the angle between the direction north and the route followed. A built in static detector picks up indications of the magnetic field.

Abstract: In order to determine the adjustment precision .DELTA.T of a timepiece provided with an oscillator (1) and an adjustable frequency divider chain (3-18; 18-20) on which an adjustment unit (15) acts, initially the real period TQ of the oscillator is measured with the adjustment unit disconnected following a first actuation of a time setting circuit (21). A second actuation of said circuit then effects running of the display at a rate n times above the normal and the adjustment unit is connected. Following a time T/n representing the adjustment cycle the period TQ is measured as corrected by the amount n.DELTA.T, thus TQ+n.DELTA.T. The first measured value obtained is subtracted from the second thus giving n.DELTA.T which when divided by n gives the adjustment precision .DELTA.T.

Abstract: A countdown device such as a timer employing a digital display is provided ith a plurality of up/down counters, one for each digit column. A single control switch is provided which may be in the form of a push-button and the signal obtained therefrom acts on each counter until a predetermined count is reached and then on the succeeding counter. Thereby digital data may be rapidly introduced, precision of the representation diminishing however as the interval increases.

Abstract: A timepiece is described having an electromechanical analogue display for rtain information and an electronic digital display for other information. Synchronizing means for the displays may consist of a signal generator associated with the analogue display driving mechanism and arranged so that at predetermined periodic intervals the signal generator may be operated so as to provide a synchronizing signal to the digital display.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece displaying both the time and the temperature. A tsducer which may take two positions is provided to reach this result: the first position incorporates the transducer within the timepiece and allowing the correction of the frequency drift of the time base which determines the time the second position projecting the transducer out of the timepiece case in order to measure, for example, the temperature of the ambient air. There is also provided an automatic switching system which adapts the transducer to the frequency correction or to the temperature measurement depending on the position of said transducer.

Abstract: An electrically driven timepiece has a high frequency oscillator, a frequy divider and a time display capable of displaying at least minutes and seconds wherein correcting and setting of the display is obtained by means of a single user accessible switch capable of assuming at least two positions including a neutral and an active position and a sequential discriminator circuit which includes a plurality of memory devices, a timing chain and a bistable circuit controlled by the switch so that cycles of impulses applied to the switch within predetermined time periods by the user will result in the addition of a unit count to the seconds display or the blocking of the display advance or the driving of the display at a higher than normal rate in accordance with the cycle pattern employed.

Abstract: A dual display timepiece employs a stepping motor capable of rotation in sense for driving hour and minute hands in an analogue display and an electronic digital display for displaying other information (second, date, chronograph, etc.). In order to facilitate hour hand corrections a logic circuit is provided which permits the user to enter the nature (positive or negative) and the amount of correction desired into the digital display. Following such entry the hour hand is corrected automatically by application of N.times.Y higher than normal frequency signals to the analogue display, where N corresponds to the number of signals required to effect a one hour or half hour correction and Y corresponds to the correction entered by the user.

Abstract: A timepiece having chronograph features has an electronic digital display pable of displaying six digits. In the chronograph operating mode these are normally minutes, seconds and hundredths of seconds. Should the instrument run for more than one hour prior to a stop or split operation, then during such operation a detector and a timer will cause hours alone to be displayed alternating with the remaining information (minutes, seconds, hundredths of seconds). Thus a six digit display may be employed for eight digit information.

Abstract: A time setting and correction circuit is provided for a quartz time stand timepiece in which the use of memory circuits permits the correction of minute hand setting, hour hand setting and internal putting into phase of seconds through actuation of a single switch.

Abstract: The invention concerns a solid state timepiece which provides chronograph nctions and in which a single display unit is adapted to display either an elapsed time or the time of day. To distinguish when the chronograph function is being carried out within the timepiece signalling means is provided which may, for instance, take the form of an index symbol on the face of the display and indicates that the chronograph function is in operation even although the display may continue to display the normal time.