Abstract: A dial, and timepiece including the dial, including a mother-of-pearl wafer partially covering a support member, and a decorative element arranged on a reverse of the wafer, the decorative element being visible on an obverse of the wafer when subjected to a stimulus and invisible on the obverse of the wafer in the absence of the stimulus. The decorative element has a first empty area on a reverse of the wafer, and a second empty area on the obverse of the wafer, facing the first empty area. A colour compensation layer is deposited on the first empty area or the second empty area, the colour being selected such that the difference in colour ?E in the CIE Lab colour space between the colour compensation layer and the decorative element in the absence of said stimulus, perceived by a user observing the obverse of the wafer, is less than 3.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for broadcasting a message to a wearer of a watch comprising a step of digitising, by way of an electronic device, a graphical representation displayed in an aperture of a dial of said watch and a step of transmitting, by way of said electronic device, the message associated with said digitised graphical representation.

Abstract: A method for optimising an operation of setting and winding a watch or the timepiece movement thereof including initially making a measurement of the operation of the watch or of the timepiece movement followed by an activation of an operation of low-amplitude reciprocating movements of the watch or of the timepiece movement on said jig of the device, or initially implementing an activation of an operation of low-amplitude reciprocating movements of the watch or of the timepiece movement before making a measurement of the operation of the watch or of the timepiece movement, and resuming low-amplitude reciprocating movements in phase or a synchronisation step being implemented at the end of the first two steps. The first oscillating signal of movements includes a change in sign of the absolute rotation speed in each successive oscillation period, the oscillating signal having a positive part and a negative part of the operating speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a bracelet strand made of a transparent or translucent elastomer material, comprising a first end capable of connecting to a watch case, characterised in that it comprises a rigid insert having a solid part forming a reinforcement, and a hollow part arranged to receive a fluid and solid elements dispersed in the fluid, said hollow part being located at the centre of the solid part, and in that the insert is coated in the transparent elastomer, and is positioned at the first end capable of connecting to a watch case.

Abstract: A timepiece (100) including a case (10) including a middle (1), the top part whereof is closed by a bezel (2) and the bottom part whereof is closed by a back (3), a horological movement (4) mounted against the middle (1) by means of a casing ring (5), wherein the casing ring (5) comprises at least two clippable parts (50, 51) which hold the horological movement (4), the two parts being inseparable once mounted against the middle (1) when closing the case (10) of the timepiece (100).

Abstract: A method for depositing a decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of a surface of a finished or semi-finished article made of a non-conductive ceramic material, this deposition method includes the following operations: subjecting the at least a portion of the surface of the article to a carburising or nitriding treatment during which carbon, respectively nitrogen atoms, diffuse in the at least a portion of the surface of the article, then depositing, by galvanic growth of a metallic material, the decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of the surface of the article which has undergone the carburising or nitriding treatment.

Abstract: A device (1) for measuring a relative humidity level inside the enclosure (9) of a case (3) of a watch (2), the device (1) including: an emitter module (5) provided with a source of light radiation capable of emitting light beams (8) towards the enclosure (9) of the case (3); a receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c) for receiving at least one acoustic signal (12) from the enclosure (9), and a control unit (7) connected to the modules (5, 6) and which is configured to evaluate the water vapour content of a gaseous fluid (11) contained inside the enclosure (9) as a function of the at least one acoustic signal (12) received by the receiver module (6a, 6b, 6c).

Abstract: A horological movement includes a resonator and an escapement wheel with flexible teeth, and an anchor formed of two mechanical pallets capable of abutting, when the anchor switches between its two rest positions, with any one of the flexible teeth depending on the angular position of the escapement wheel. Each flexible tooth is arranged to bend by undergoing an elastic deformation under a radial force that can be exerted by one of the two mechanical pallets abutting against this flexible tooth while the escapement wheel has an unfavourable angular position and the resonator is braked by the anchor. Each tooth has an elastic capacity to elastically absorb, in a radial direction, most of a maximum mechanical energy that the mechanical resonator may have during normal operation of the horological movement, to avoid breakage or deterioration of the escapement.

Abstract: A device for illuminating luminescent watch displays containing luminophore material, including a case arranged to receive at least one receptacle for receiving at least one watch, the device including a illuminating device arranged to light up the displays of each said watch. The illuminating device include a control device and a time base, and at least one light source capable of exciting said luminophore material for a pre-determined charge time, or corresponding to a wearing duration chosen by the user via a control device included in the device, and watch self-winding device, including at least one such illumination device, and universal device for winding and setting the hands of a watch, including such a watch self-winding device.

Abstract: The horological movement includes a mechanical resonator and an escapement including an escapement wheel, which has a plurality of teeth, and an anchor formed by a stick and two arms having respectively two mechanical pallets likely to come into contact, when the anchor is subject to an alternative movement, with any of the teeth according to the angular position of the escapement wheel. To avoid damage to the escapement during rocking of the anchor while the escapement wheel is positioned in an unfavourable angular position, the anchor is arranged, during the rocking of this anchor, to be able to bend being subjected to an elastic deformation. The anchor has an elastic capacity between each of the two mechanical pallets and a fork of the anchor, enabling it to absorb elastically, during the elastic deformation, a maximum mechanical energy that the mechanical resonator can have during the normal functioning of the horological movement.

Abstract: The main element 2 is connected to the mechanism of the movement, having parts 4, 5, by an arbor about which it can turn. To this end, it comprises an attachment 6 for fixing to the movement, which is for example formed by a small ring arranged in the opening 9 of the ring of the main element 2. The attachment 6 is thus composed of the same material as the main element and is arranged in the same plane. By virtue of the attachment 6, the winding mass can make a circular movement about the arbor, when it oscillates.

Abstract: A coiling limitation device for a timepiece barrel includes at least one non-return notch arranged to cooperate with a sliding flange of the spring of the barrel, which is integrated in a watch including a resonator cooperating with an escapement mechanism. This device includes an acoustic device for the acoustic monitoring of the coiling of the barrel of a watch positioned on a receptacle included by the device, which acoustic devices are arranged to identify a click noise during each start of cooperation between the sliding flange and a notch. The device includes piloting devices arranged to stop the coiling of the barrel at the instant of the perception of the click noise or the repetition of the click noise.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device including a reflective or transflective liquid crystal cell whose liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a planar or vertical manner, this liquid crystal cell being formed of a transparent front substrate located on the side of an observer, and a rear substrate, also transparent, which extends beneath the front substrate, parallel to and at a distance from the latter, these two front and rear substrates being joined to each other with a sealing frame which defines a sealed enclosure in which a liquid crystal composition is confined, the front and rear substrates being coated on their opposite faces with electrically conductive transparent electrodes and counter-electrodes, the optical properties of the liquid crystal composition being modified by application of an electric field at the point of intersection between an electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode.

Abstract: A coloured article made of a ceramic including an oxide-based matrix and a doped or co-doped component of the aluminium garnet family, and a method for manufacturing the article.

Abstract: A watch incorporating an assembly (70) including a light sensor (72), including a photovoltaic cell, a negative electrode (78) and a positive electrode (79). The assembly has a first portion (52A), in which the electrodes are arranged, and a second portion (54A) which is not included in the first portion and which comprises or covers an antenna (80). The semiconductor material wafer extends into the first and second portions, and all the electrodes are arranged below the semiconductor material wafer. Preferably, this semiconductor material wafer or layer has no conductive doping in the second portion. The wafer, or layer, determines, together with additional layers provided thereon, the homogeneous colour and uniform appearance of the assembly from the side of its upper surface. Also, a dial formed by such an assembly.

Abstract: A regulating member for a horological movement includes an oscillating weight, for example a balance, a balance spring including a flexible strip wound about itself in a plurality of turns, the strip having a predefined rigidity to allow the oscillating weight to undergo a rotary oscillatory motion, and the strip including an outer end of the strip. The regulating member includes a resilient device for compensating for external pressure, connecting the outer end to a first support that is immobile with respect to the horological movement, the resilient compensation device being configured to adapt its stiffness according to the external pressure in order to compensate for an effect of the external pressure on the regulating member. Additionally, the horological movement includes the regulating member.

Abstract: A non-acoustic alarm for a portable object includes an electromagnetic motor which can be electrically controlled in order to generate a vibratory effect. The electromagnetic motor includes a movable magnetic circuit and a stationary magnetic circuit. The movable magnetic circuit includes a coil, a ferromagnetic core coupled to a magnetic cage forming an extension of the ferromagnetic core. The magnetic assembly of the movable magnetic circuit constitutes a movable magnetic mass of the non-acoustic alarm capable of generating the vibratory effect. The non-acoustic alarm includes resilient connection elements resiliently connecting the movable magnetic circuit to the stationary magnetic circuit. The resilient connection elements are shaped to guide and ensure that the movable magnetic circuit undergoes a linear, or quasi-linear, oscillatory motion during the electrical control of the electromagnetic motor.

Abstract: A method for measuring the medium frequency of a digital signal derived from a reference periodic signal generated by an electronic oscillator (quartz oscillator) forming a timepiece (2) which includes an analogue time display device and a continuous rotation electromechanical transducer (generator or continuous rotation motor) which is kinematically linked to this display device and wherein the medium rotational speed is regulated by a regulation device. The medium frequency of the digital signal is determined by a measurement device (70) without galvanic contact with the movement of the timepiece. The measurement method makes it possible to determine the rate of the timepiece and the precision of the electronic oscillator based on regulation impulses detected by a magnetic sensor (72) and over a measurement period limited to the duration of an inhibition cycle of periods of the reference periodic signal.

Abstract: A horological movement includes an escapement with a magnetic system to generate magnetic force impulses, so as to sustain the oscillation of the mechanical resonator associated with the escapement. In order to make possible an effective self-starting of the assembly formed of the mechanical resonator and of the escapement during a winding of the barrel, after a stop of the horological movement due to the unwound barrel spring, the escape wheel includes teeth and the pallet assembly includes two mechanical pallet-stones arranged to receive, upon starting, at least one mechanical force impulse of the escape wheel via one of the teeth thereof, the mechanical force impulse generating a starting force torque on the pallet assembly that is transmitted to the balance of the mechanical resonator to begin an oscillation of the latter so that the assembly can operate normally after a starting phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device, the display device including: two facing transparent substrates designated respectively front substrate and rear substrate, the front substrate being same disposed on the observer side, the front and rear substrates being provided on the inner faces thereof with transparent structured electrodes whereof the superposition defines shape pixels switchable between two optical states, the electrodes being connected to a voltage source via a control circuit, forming a cell closed by a sealing frame for receiving in the spaced delimited by the substrates and the sealing frame a liquid crystal composition; and a decorative pattern in direct contact with the front substrate or the rear substrate.