Abstract: The present invention relates to a balance (1) including a hub (2) connected to a fellos (3) by at least one arm (4), characterised in that the felloe is made of a material whose relative magnetic permeability is less than 1.01, whose density is greater than 6.5, and which is electrically insulating.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a spiral spring may include: (a) providing a blank with an Nb—Ti core; (b) beta-quenching the blank; (c) deforming the blank in several sequences; (d) winding to form the spiral spring; (e) final heat treatment on the spiral spring. The blank in (a) may include a layer of X including Cu, Sn, Fe, Pt, Pd, Rh, Al, Au, Ni, Ag, Co and Cr or an alloy of one of these elements around the Nb—Ti core. The method may include heat treating to partially transform the layer of X into a layer of X, Ti intermetals around the Nb—Ti core, and may be carried out between (b) and (c) or between two sequences of (c). The method may include removing the part of the layer of X, which may be carried out between (b) and (c), between two sequences of (c) or between (c) and (d).

Abstract: A tool for separating a plate of balance springs after winding in, including substantially parallel lower and upper rolling surfaces which are movable relative to one another, vertically or longitudinally, in order to deform the plate by ovalisation, and to subject it to a rolling movement between the rolling surfaces, and further relates to a method for separating balance springs from a plate using this tool in order to mechanically crush it in the elastic range and initiate sequences of compressing and rolling the plate.

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

Abstract: A holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section includes an opening into which each support element can be inserted, the holding member having structural elements together forming a body configured to ensure mounting of each support element in the opening. Each of the structural elements includes a first structural sub-element and a second structural sub-element, the first structural sub-element including a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting the second structural sub-element. The holding member includes a connecting portion ensuring the mounting of each of the support elements in the holding member, the portion being defined on an inner face of the first structural sub-element.

Abstract: A method for treating at least one balance spring intended to equip a horological movement, said balance spring being made from an Nb—Ti alloy, the method comprising a step of steaming, called climatic steaming, in a temperature range comprised between 30 and 100°° C. in an atmosphere having a relative humidity comprised between 60 and 99%.

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 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 method for fabricating a metallic timepiece component, wherein the method includes the steps of forming, via a UV-LIGA type process combined with hot stamping, a multi-level photosensitive resin mould and electroplating a layer of at least one metal from at least two conductive layers to form a block that substantially reaches the upper surface of the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: A balance-spring intended to equip a balance of an horological movement, comprising a core made of Nb—Ti made from an alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100% by weight, titanium: between 5 and 95% by weight, traces of elements chosen from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, each of said elements being present in a quantity between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight, the total quantity formed by all of said elements being between 0% and 0.3% by weight, wherein the core made of Nb—Ti is coated with a layer of niobium, said layer of niobium having a thickness between 20 nm and 10 ?m.

Abstract: A setting machine (1000) for making a setting and/or adjustment on an assembly (1) attached to a receptacle (10), including a positioning module (100) to move this receptacle (10) on command from control means (3000) to convey it into a setting and/or adjustment position below an acquisition module (200), which includes measuring and/or testing means for determining the spatial position of the receptacle (10), and including a setting and/or adjustment module (400) for making a setting and/or an adjustment with motorised axes for moving, opening and closing, in a clamp plane perpendicular to a clamp rotation direction (DF, DG), a clamp (600) arranged to drive or deform a mobile component or a component included in such an assembly (1) borne by a receptacle (10), and method for using such a setting machine for setting and/or adjusting at least one horological component.

Abstract: A black-colored article which is not a photovoltaic device. The device includes a substantially transparent substrate; a substantially transparent textured layer provided upon a first surface of the substrate, the textured layer having a textured surface oriented away from the substrate; and an absorption layer including a silicon-germanium alloy, the absorption layer being situated upon the textured surface of the textured layer.

Abstract: A solar cell for an electronic device including a substrate made of a transparent material to be exposed to incident light, a first electrode made of transparent electrically conductive material, formed on one face of the substrate and including an inner face opposite an outer face oriented towards the substrate, the inner face including a first portion having a roughness greater than the roughness of a second portion, an absorbent layer extending by an outer face over the first portion of the inner face of the first electrode, a second electrode made of an electrically conductive material and extending over an inner face of the absorbent layer opposite the outer face of the latter, the absorbent layer and the second electrode being perforated to delimit blind cavities, the bottom of each being formed by the second portion of the inner face of the first electrode.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fastening element including a step of producing a blank of the fastening element including a head and a shank connected to each other, followed by a step of forming an impression in the head, the forming step including an operation of machining the impression, carried out with a cutting member and an operation of matting a target surface of the impression carried out with a matting member.

Abstract: An applique for horology includes a visible upper surface and a lower surface for resting on a dial or a structure of a timepiece. The applique also includes at least one foot projecting from the lower surface for attachment to the dial or the structure. To manufacture the applique, in a first operation, a profile or bar is provided in which blanks of the feet and of the lower surface are machined prior to cutting the profile or bar in a second operation. Then, the upper surface is re-machined with at least one final diamond-polishing operation. During the first operation, at least two machining operations are performed in a cross so as to form a blank of each foot with a polygonal contour having facets.

Abstract: An elastic retaining member is for attaching a horological component to a support element. The retaining includes an opening into which the support element is capable of being inserted. The retaining member also includes rigid arms and elastic arms defined between the connection zones of the retaining member. The arms contribute to procuring elastic gripping of the support element in the opening, each rigid arm being provided with a single convex contact zone of the retaining member capable of engaging with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal horological components, includes the steps of forming a multilevel mould made of a photosensitive resin, with a UV-LIGA method, and galvanically depositing a layer of at least one metal starting from a conductive layer in order to form a block that substantially reaches the upper surface of the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: A rigid horological component (6, 7, 8) for an oscillator mechanism or for an escapement mechanism of a horological movement, the component extending along a principal plane (P) and including at least a part made of a composite material (1), the composite material (1) including a matrix (2) and a multitude of nanotubes or nanowires (3) distributed in the matrix (2), the nanotubes or nanowires (3) being juxtaposed and disposed substantially parallel with an axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the plane (P) of the component, the matrix (2) includes a rigid material (4) to fill the interstices and join the nanotubes or nanowires (3) to one another, the material (4) having rigid mechanical properties to block the elastic deformation of the component, the rigid material (4) comprised in the component having a Young's modulus greater than 2 GPa.

Abstract: A winding device, in particular for a barrel provided with a spring, including a ratchet fixedly mounted on a rotary winding shaft, the rotary winding shaft being, for example, a winding shaft of the barrel, the rotation of which winds the barrel, and a winding gear train meshing with the ratchet, the rotation of the winding gear train causing the ratchet to rotate and the rotary winding shaft to rotate by applying a torque to the ratchet, the winding gear train being movable between a coupled position wherein it drives the ratchet and a disconnected position wherein it does not drive the ratchet, the winding gear train being mounted on a spring exerting a return force on the winding gear train to keep it in the coupled position. A horological movement can include such a winding device.

Abstract: A disengageable winding device (1) for a barrel (2) provided with a spring, comprising a ratchet (3) mounted on a winding arbor such that it is rigidly connected thereto, the winding arbor being an arbor for winding the barrel (2), the rotation of which winds up the barrel (2), and a winding gear train (40) meshing with the ratchet (3), the rotation of the winding gear train (40) driving the rotation of the ratchet (3) and that of the winding arbor.