Abstract: A winding device (1), in particular of a barrel (2) provided with a spring, including a ratchet (3) mounted integrally on a rotary winding shaft, the rotary winding shaft being, for example, a winding shaft of the barrel (2), the rotation of which winds the barrel (2), and a winding gear train (4) meshing with the ratchet (3), the rotation of the winding gear train (4) causing the rotation of the ratchet (3) and that of the rotary winding shaft by application of a torque to the ratchet (3), wherein the ratchet is deformable in order to be able to disconnect the ratchet (3) from the winding gear train (4). Also, a horological movement comprising such a winding device (1).

Abstract: An elastic holding member including a body provided with rigid portions and deformable portions each provided with a through hole, the member being intended for attaching a horological component to a support element and including an opening the contour of which includes three contact zones intended to come into abutment on the support element, the contact zones each being included on an internal face of a reception region of each deformable portion.

Abstract: An attachment monolithic part for fastening a timepiece component on a support element, including an opening into which the support element could be inserted, the attachment part including elastic arms contributing to ensuring an elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, each arm consisting of a contact portion provided with a through hole and with a connecting portion, the contact portion including a receiving region provided with a bearing area intended to come into contact with the support element and the connecting portion ensuring an elastic connection with another one of the arms of the part.

Abstract: A winding device (1), in particular for a barrel (2) provided with a spring, including a ratchet (3) mounted on a rotary winding shaft (5), the rotary winding shaft (5) being, for example, a winding shaft of the barrel (2), the rotation of which coils the barrel (2), and a winding gear train (4) meshing with the ratchet (3), the rotation of the winding gear train (4) causing the rotation of the ratchet (3) and that of the rotary winding shaft (5) by applying a torque to the ratchet (3), the winding device (1) being provided with means (10) for disconnecting the ratchet (3) and the rotary winding shaft (5), wherein the disconnection means (10) are arranged on the ratchet (3) and on the rotary winding shaft (5), and are configured to disconnect the ratchet (3) and the rotary winding shaft (5) when the torque applied to the ratchet (3) substantially exceeds a threshold value, in particular when the barrel (2) is fully coiled.

Abstract: An elastic fastening element for holding a timepiece component on a support element, including an opening the contour of which includes at least four contact areas for receiving and clamping the support element in the opening, the contact areas each being included on an inner face of a deformable portion provided with a through-hole of the fastening element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spiral spring for a balance wheel made of an alloy of niobium and titanium with an essentially single-phase structure, and the method of manufacture thereof which comprises: a step of producing a blank in a niobium-based alloy consisting of: niobium: balance to 100 wt %, titanium: between 40 and 49 wt %, traces of elements selected from the group consisting of O, H, C, Fe, Ta, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, between 0 and 1600 ppm by weight individually, and cumulatively less than 0.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes an electrically-conductive front contact layer; an electrically-conductive back contact layer, the back contact layer being intended to be situated further from a source of incident light than the front contact layer; and a semiconductor-based PIN junction having a substantially amorphous intrinsic silicon layer sandwiched between a P-type doped semiconductor layer and an N-type doped semiconductor layer. The layer of the PIN junction situated closest to the back contact layer is a silicon-germanium alloy layer including at least 2 mol % of germanium.

Abstract: A method for measuring the torque of a balance spring, made, in particular, of micromachinable material. A gripper places the collet on an insertion guide on the vertex of a mock obelisk-shaped arbor for a first centring of the collet, this balance spring is allowed to slide under its own weight along the guide surmounting a frustoconical shank that completes the self-centring of the collet on the tool axis, and for holding this balance spring without stress on the shank, the mock arbor including a drive device cooperating with the inner contour of the collet for the relative driving in rotation thereof without slipping, a holding tool holds the outer coil of the balance spring, to measure the torque of the balance spring by rotating the main tool and/or the holding tool about the axis, without stressing the balance spring.

Abstract: A spiral spring is configured to equip a balance of a horological movement. The spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of: Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from V and Ta, optionally at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a total content of Nb, V and Ta comprised between 40 and 85%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 15 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of the elements selected from O, H, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of the traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight.

Abstract: An elastic retaining member for fixing a timepiece component on a support element includes an opening into which the support element can be inserted, and rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connection areas of the member. The rigid arms and the elastic arms are configured to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening, each of the rigid arms being provided with a single flat contact area and configured to cooperate with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element.

Abstract: A spiral spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the spiral spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti and at least one element selected from Zr and Hf, optionally at least one element selected from W and Mo, possible traces of other elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al, with the following weight percentages: a content of Nb comprised between 40 and 84%, a total content of Ti, Zr and Hf comprised between 16 and 55%, a content for W and Mo respectively comprised between 0 and 2.5%, a content for each of said elements selected from O, H, Ta, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu, Al comprised between 0 and 1600 ppm with the sum of said traces less than or equal to 0.3% by weight. The method for manufacturing the spiral spring is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a one-piece, metal-based component of simple shape offering the illusion of faceting and/or chamfering for forming all or part of the exterior part of a timepiece.

Abstract: A balance spring intended to equip a balance of a horological movement, wherein the balance spring is made of an alloy consisting of Nb, Ti, H and possible traces of other elements selected from O, C, Fe, N, Ni, Si, Cu and Al, with the following weight percentages: a Ti content comprised between 1 and 80 wt %, a H content comprised between 0.17 and 2 wt %, a total content of all other elements of less than or equal to 0.3 wt %, the remainder to 100 wt % consisting of Nb. A manufacturing method for the balance spring is also disclosed and includes a step of thermochemically treating a blank made of a Nb and Ti alloy in an atmosphere including hydrogen so as to enrich the Nb and Ti alloy with hydrogen in interstitial form.

Abstract: A wheel for an escapement system including a hub intended to be mounted with a staff for rotation therewith, the staff being intended to be subjected to a mechanical torque, a felloe, at least two arms extending from the hub to the felloe, and a toothing formed by a plurality of teeth. The wheel for the escapement system includes at least one recess on at least one of the faces thereof, the recess extending from the felloe to the hub.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an escapement wheel (10) including steps of creating an escapement wheel ébauche having a hub (11) connected to a felloe (12) by radial arms (13), and teeth (14) regularly distributed around the periphery of the felloe (12), and simultaneously machining a reduction of cross-section of the free end of each tooth (14), by a cutting tool (20) aligned coaxially with the escapement wheel ébauche.

Abstract: A one-piece silicon device with flexible blades (2, 3), in particular for timepieces, for example a pivot with crossed blades, and to a method for manufacturing the device (1). The method includes: forming (21) a one-piece silicon device (1) blank from a wafer of the SOI type, the device (1) including two flexible blades (2, 3), each formed in a different layer of the SOI wafer, the blades (2, 3) being arranged in two different substantially parallel planes, the blades (2, 3) being separated by a clearance (7); growing a first silicon oxide layer on the surface of at least one of the blades (2, 3) bordering the clearance, the first silicon oxide layer being formed from a first sub-layer of silicon of the one or more blades (2, 3); and removing the first silicon oxide layer to increase the clearance (7) between the two blades (2, 3).

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: A gold alloy including, by weight, between 73% and 77% gold, between 20% and 24.5% silver, palladium and/or platinum with a total percentage for these two elements between 0.5% and 5%. With the addition of palladium and/or platinum, this alloy has an enhanced tarnishing resistance while having a green tint.

Abstract: A non-magnetic watch component (1) comprising a substrate (4) made of a copper alloy, wherein at least one part of the substrate (4) has a surface layer (5) including CuxTiy intermetallics, and a method for manufacturing this watch component.

Abstract: A platinum alloy consisting, by weight, of the following elements: 95.00 to 96.00% of Pt, 1.00 to 4.95% of Ru, 0.05 to 2.00% of Ge, 0 to 2.00% of Au, any impurities with a total content 0.50%.