Abstract: A portable device, and related method, that allows the values of one or more parameters characterising the operation of a mechanical watch to be measured. The device is provided with a contact microphone including a contact piece and a piezoelectric element. The contact piece is brought into physical contact with the case of a watch during a measurement period. The device further includes a power source, such as a rechargeable or replaceable battery, a microprocessor, a memory, and a screen for displaying the values measured, preferably a touch-sensitive screen. Preferably, the dimensions of the device are of a same order of magnitude as the case of a wristwatch. The device may have the shape of a horological eyeglass.

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 method for manufacturing a digital display device which includes an optically active medium disposed between at least one electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode, the optical properties of the optically active medium being modifiable by applying an electric current or voltage between the at least one electrode and the at least one corresponding counter-electrode, the digital display device including a transparent display surface through which at least one piece of information displayed by this digital display device is perceptible, the manufacturing method including the step of providing the transparent display surface of the digital display device with at least one first and one second decorative and/or functional pattern, the first pattern having a thickness different from that of the second pattern. A digital display device provided with at least one first and one second decorative and/or functional patterns whose thicknesses are not the same.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a reflective or transflective liquid crystal display device including a 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 under the front substrate, parallel to and at a distance from the latter, these two front and rear substrates being joined together with a sealing frame which delimits a sealed enclosure in which a liquid crystal composition is confined, the front and rear substrates being coated on the opposite faces thereof with electrically conductive transparent electrodes and counter-electrodes, the optical properties of the liquid crystal composition being changed by applying an electric field at the crossing point between an electrode and a corresponding counter-electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary resonator mechanism (1) comprising an oscillating mass (2), a flexible guide comprising at least two flexible blades (4) connecting a stationary support (3) to the oscillating mass (2), the resonator mechanism (1) extending substantially in the same plane to allow the oscillating mass to perform a rotary movement around a virtual pivot, the flexible guide (1) extending along a main axis of symmetry (14), characterised in that the mechanism (1) comprises a translation table (5) arranged between the flexible guide and the oscillating mass (2), the translation table (5) being joined to the flexible blades (4) and/or to the oscillating mass (2). The invention also relates to a horological movement comprising such a resonator (1).

Abstract: A timepiece component including a phosphorescent multilayer structure (3) comprising a front layer (1) with a transparent or translucent polymer matrix and comprising phosphorescent pigments and a reflective underlying layer (2).

Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism (100), including a structure (1) carrying, by a flexible suspension (300), an anchoring block (30) from which is suspended an inertial element (2) oscillating about a pivot axis (D) extending in a first direction Z, according to a first rotational degree of freedom RZ, under the action of return forces of a flexible pivot (200) including elastic longitudinal strips (3) each fixed to said inertial element (2) and to said anchoring block (30), the resonator mechanism including a viscous substance (10) arranged at least partly around the flexible suspension (300), the viscous substance (10) being configured to at least partly dissipate the energy due to a shock.

Abstract: The striking or musical watch includes a watch case having a case middle and a back attached to the case middle in a sealed manner and in a detachable manner, a glass closing the case in a sealed manner, a watch movement or a watch electronic module retained in the interior of the watch case and equipped with a sonic vibration generator to be activated during specific periods in order to produce a sound or music. The watch includes at least one acoustic radiation membrane made at least in part of wood or a wood composite material and attached to a part of the case in order to radiate the sound produced by the sonic vibration generator towards the exterior of the case.

Abstract: A horological movement provided with a generator and a circuit for regulating the frequency of rotation of this generator, the regulation circuit being arranged to be able to detect the zero crossings of an induced voltage generated in the stator by the rotating rotor and to generate first braking pulses which are triggered after zero crossings and each end before the induced voltage reaches a peak value, preferably before the rectified induced voltage reaches a power supply voltage provided by a power supply capacity. In addition, the regulation circuit is arranged so as to be able to further generate second braking pulses each of which occurs after detection of the end of a charging period of the power supply capacity during which the induced voltage reaches a peak value and each end before the induced voltage crosses zero.

Abstract: A watch case including a hollow pivoting bezel formed of first and second external elements including a near-field communication device provided with at least one microcircuit connected to an antenna, the case including a device for remotely controlling the communication device configured to activate or deactivate the communication device.

Abstract: A watch case including a middle and a hollow bezel provided with a near-field communication device including at least one microcircuit connected to an antenna, the bezel being removably mounted on the middle and formed by an assembly of two lining elements that could define a housing within which the near-field communication device is arranged, the first and second lining elements of the bezel being assembled together with a reversible fastening device.

Abstract: A flexible guide assembly for a rotating resonator mechanism, the assembly including a fixed support and two flexible guides extending in substantially the same plane or in two different parallel planes, the first flexible guide including a first element movable with respect to the fixed support, a first pair of flexible strips connected to the first movable element, such that the first movable element can move by bending the strips of the first pair in a circular motion about a first centre of rotation, the second flexible guide includes a second element movable with respect to first movable element, a second pair of flexible strips connecting the second movable element to the first movable element, such that the second movable element can move with respect to the first movable element by bending the strips of the second pair in a circular motion about a second centre of rotation.

Abstract: A method and system for measuring a physical parameter, such as speed and/or distance travelled by a bicycle, includes a permanent magnet disposed on a front fork and a measuring circuit with a magnetic sensor disposed on a rim of the wheel at the same distance from the axis of rotation of the wheel as the magnet. The sensor passes in front of the magnet, in order to generate an induced voltage pulse at each passage. The induced voltage is rectified and stored on a capacitor to power the measuring circuit. A calculation of the parameter is performed in the calculation unit clocked by an oscillator based on the received induced voltage pulses received by knowing the value of the diameter of the bicycle wheel. Measurements performed from the measuring circuit are transmitted to a portable device carried by the user or mounted on the bicycle to be displayed.

Abstract: A method is described for protecting a silver surface against tarnishing. This involves depositing a layer of a silver-copper alloy on a substrate, which may be a silver substrate. The alloy comprises between 0.1 wt % and 10 wt % of copper relative to the total weight of the alloy. At least one layer of a metal oxide or a nitride having a thickness in a range of 1 nm to 200 nm is deposited on the alloy to protect against tarnishing. The presence of copper in the silver-copper alloy enhances the alloy's adhesion without altering the silver color.

Abstract: A process for producing a metal alloy balance wheel by molding includes a) making a mold in the negative shape of the balance wheel; b) obtaining a metal alloy that has a thermal expansion coefficient of less than 25 ppm/° C. and is able to be in an at least partly amorphous state when it is heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature; c) putting the metal alloy into the mold, the metal alloy being heated to a temperature between its glass transition temperature and its crystallization temperature so as to be hot-molded and to form a balance wheel; d) cooling the metal alloy to obtain a balance wheel made of the metal alloy; and e) releasing the balance wheel obtained in step d) from its mold. The process also includes a step for over-molding flexible centering components in the hub.

Abstract: A moving indicator for an analogue display device, in particular for a timepiece. The indicator includes a multi-layer part including an opaque metal layer and a transparent light guide layer and forming a body and a head of the indicator. The head is centred relative to a rotational axis of the indicator and arranged to receive a luminous flux on the bottom face thereof. A fluorescent material is arranged on the transparent light guide layer at the head of the indicator to absorb at least part of said luminous flux and to re-emit a second luminous fluorescence flux in the transparent light guide layer. Other aspects comprise a set of indicators, a display device and a watch comprising one or more moving indicators.

Abstract: An item including a substrate and a coating having a colour with an interference effect for the decoration and/or the protection of the item, the coating including: a first opaque layer covering at least partially at least one surface of the substrate; a stack of at least two semi-transparent layers deposited by an ALD method covering the first layer; the stack having a thickness depending on the colour with an interference phenomenon of the coating.

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: Method for adjusting the rate of a basic oscillator of a watch arranged to oscillate at a nominal frequency N0, with a master oscillator generating an excitation frequency NE approximately equal to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the master oscillator subjecting the watch to excitation or a modulated motion during a transition phase after which the basic oscillator is stabilised at the excitation frequency NE, and a state of display correction method with a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, moving a support carrying the watch and comprising a state of display correction oscillator, having a lower variation of rate value than the initial variation of rate value DI of this basic oscillator, and oscillating at a correction frequency NC to impose oscillation or a motion on the watch, during a state of display correction phase whose duration is adjusted to exactly correct a state of display error measured at the initial moment of actuation.

Abstract: Winding device (1000) including motorisation means (2) driving a watch holder (1) carrying at least one automatic watch (100) with a movable oscillating mass, and measuring means (3) measuring the amplitude of the resonator of each watch (100), and watch (100) identification means (300), providing the identification of a particular watch (100) to control means (200) including an internal database (400) with the history of the amplitude measurements of the resonator of this particular watch (100) and/or the value of its nominal amplitude, and/or communication means (500) communicating with an external database (600) for extracting these values.