Abstract: Mechanism for driving an information indicator connected to a timepiece movement and varies according to a plurality of periods, during each of which the information changes, step by step, to a maximum value that varies between n and n?m. The mechanism includes a drive wheel including a first set of gear teeth arranged to advance by n steps per period, m retractable teeth borne by the wheel, encoding cams corresponding to the retractable teeth, each cam corresponding to one maximum value n?x of the information, x being between 1 and m, for a period, and a drive unit to provide adequate rotation speed to the cams relative to the wheel such that, when the information reaches a maximum value n?x for a period, x retractable teeth pass in an operative position and then return to an inoperative position, the wheel advancing by x additional steps for the period.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic timepiece including a rotary switch, a rotation detection unit which detects a rotation of the rotary switch every time the rotary switch rotates for a predetermined rotation angle, a determination unit which determines as a continuous detection when a number of times the rotation detection unit detects the rotation is a predetermined number of times or greater before a preset unit time have elapsed from a detection timing, the predetermined number of times being 2 or more and a control unit which executes a predetermined function when the determination unit determines as the continuous detection.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece is operated with a power-supply voltage from a secondary battery charged with a voltage from a solar panel. An oscillation circuit generates and supplies a clock signal to a CPU when the voltage charged to the battery is lower than a first voltage. A reset circuit resets the CPU when the voltage charged to the battery does not exceed a second voltage higher than the first voltage, and cancels the reset of the CPU when the voltage charged to the second battery exceeds the second voltage. The CPU starts an operation when the voltage charged to the secondary battery exceeds the second voltage and the reset is cancelled, and performs a time-of-day display on a display unit when the voltage charged to the secondary battery is equal to or higher than a third voltage higher than the second voltage.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a portable device, such as a wrist watch, which realizes, with a simple structure, improved waterproof property against water leak associated with a push-in operation. A wrist watch (portable device) includes an outer case (device outer housing), an operation member and a holding ring. The outer case includes a holding portion in which an annular bearing surface is formed. The operation member is made of a soft material having waterproof performance. The operation member includes an annular packing portion to be seated on the bearing surface and a push-in portion integrally connected to the bearing portion, to which the push-in operation is performed from the outside of the device outer housing.

Abstract: Disclosed is an analog electronic timepiece including a first pointer which rotates freely with respect to a dial, a driving control unit which controls rotation of the first pointer, and an operation unit which receives an input operation performed by a user. In the analog electronic timepiece, the driving control unit includes an intermittent fast forwarding unit which performs a fast forwarding operation with temporary stops, where the rotation of the first pointer is stopped for a predetermined time period every time the first pointer is rotated by being fast forward for a predetermined number of steps according to a predetermined starting operation performed on the operation unit, the predetermined number of steps being 2 or more steps.

Abstract: A sealing device for a minute-repeater mechanism, comprising a striking work control bolt which can move in an aperture of a case between a rest position and a pulled-out position. The case includes a seat for receiving in sealed abutment, in the rest position of the bolt, a first sealing gasket mounted in a sealed manner on the bolt and moveable therewith, and which is at a distance from the seat when the bolt is in a pulled-out position for operating the striking work. The case includes a chamber, one wall of which comprises the aperture, which limits the travel of a second sliding sealing gasket in which the bolt slides in a sealed manner, and which is in sealed abutment on an inner surface of the chamber.

Abstract: An anti-trip mechanism includes a flange with a radial travel limiting channel and a balance spring with a strip wound into a plurality of coils. The balance spring includes an inner coil fixed, at a first end, to a collet coaxial to the balance spring relative to a pivot axis, and an outer coil fixed, at a second, opposite end, to a hooking element. A coil of the balance spring includes a finger that includes a feeler spindle stud that is mounted integrally with the coil. The feeler spindle stud is moveable without any contact, during the normal extension and contraction of said balance spring, in the radial travel limiting channel of the flange. The radial travel limiting channel limits travel of the finger relative to the pivot axis when an angle of pivoting imparted to the collet is greater than a determined nominal value.

Abstract: A timepiece movement comprising including a sprung balance resonator mounted between a bar and a bottom plate wherein the balance is formed from a ferromagnetic material. The timepiece movement includes a magnetic polarizing device for the balance spring for maintaining a predefined state of polarization in the balance spring and including a permanent magnetizing device which forms a magnetic field in the plane of the balance spring so as to totally or almost totally magnetically saturate the balance spring in the absence of an external magnetic field.

Abstract: A balance spring includes a first hairspring, a second hairspring, and an attachment member securing an outer coil of the first hairspring to one end of the second hairspring so as to form a dual balance spring in series. A curve of the first hairspring and a curve of the second hairspring each have a continuously variable pitch and are symmetrical relative to a straight line parallel to first and second planes and pass through a median plane of projection of the attachment member. Each hairspring further includes at least two counterweights so as to compensate for an unbalance formed by a mass of the attachment member and personalize an anisochronism slope of the balance spring.

Abstract: A visual indicator display device includes a bracelet, a transparent capillary chamber, and a displacement member. The transparent capillary chamber is matched to an indicia and has a primary length and a width less than the primary length. The displacement member is functionally disposed at one end of the capillary chamber and is responsive to a measureable input for moving a fluid contained therein a defined amount.

Abstract: A date indication display device for a timepiece includes a support element having a plurality of display areas on which are arranged the indications of the days of the month. The support element moves behind an aperture arranged in a dial of the timepiece. The indications of the days of the month are divided into a first and a second group, the two groups being two different colors. A date indication of the first group is superposed on a date indication of the second group on each display area. A first optical filter whose transmittance is chosen to transmit the first color and to block the second color, and a second optical filter whose transmittance is chosen to transmit the second color and to block the first color, are alternately positioned behind the aperture.

Abstract: A display apparatus characterized by having a scale mark display section which is provided in a predetermined display area; a pointer which moves on the scale mark display section and indicates a scale mark in the scale mark display section; a stepping motor which drives the pointer; a stopper section which is positioned in an end section of the scale mark display section and which restricts movement range of the pointer; and a movable supporting section which movably supports the stopper section.

Abstract: A change of state indicator (2) device for a timepiece display mechanism (30) by jumps of a given magnitude for the display of a transition between two stable display states of this given magnitude movable close to the display zone of this magnitude facing a supplementary display (3) driven discontinuously by a drive element (7) against elastic return means (19). A driving pinion (9) controls a star wheel (10) in a discontinuous manner to control each jump against a beak (14) of a first arm (15) of a lever (13) controlling a pivoting movement and a return to position of this indicator (2) each time this beak (14) passes between two successive tooth spaces (12) of this star wheel (10) by means of a tooth (11) between these spaces (12). The lever (13) includes a second support arm (16) for supporting the indicator (2) or controlling its displacement.

Abstract: With the conventional timepiece, when watching the timepiece at a casual glance, it has not been easy to comprehend the starting point of a physical quantity indicated at the present time by the timepiece, and the physical quantity at the present time. To solve the problem, a timepiece is provided, comprising; a dual-purpose scale, indicating time and a below-mentioned physical quantity; a driving unit for hand, driving a hand for pointing the dual-purpose scale according to time; an acquisition unit for physical quantity, acquiring information of the physical quantity from predetermined time designated as a starting point; and a driving unit for indicator of physical quantity, driving an indicator of physical quantity for indicating the acquired physical quantity on the dual-purpose scale, where a position on the dual-purpose scale pointed to by the hand at the predetermined time is designated as an original position for the physical quantity.

Abstract: presenting A timepiece faceplate includes a plate-shaped member provided on one surface with a ridge having a function for reflecting and scattering incident light, which is made of a material having optical transmission properties; and a layer in which numerous powder particles having a function for reflecting light are dispersed and which faces a surface opposite from the surface on which the ridge of the plate-shaped member is provided. The plate-shaped member and the layer of the timepiece faceplate are superimposed when viewed from above.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece includes: a radio-wave receiving unit; a time acquiring unit that acquires time information and daylight-saving-time implementation information; a storage unit that stores predetermined information associated with a time in a preset area; and a calculation unit that calculates a current time in the preset area, wherein the predetermined information includes daylight-saving-time setting information; and when the time of switching to/from daylight saving time comes during a radio-wave reception process, the calculation unit determines whether a first or second condition is satisfied, wherein the first condition is that radio-wave reception has failed; and the second condition is that the daylight-saving-time implementation information is information provided before the time of switching; and when the first or second condition is satisfied, the calculation unit switches the time to calculate current time.

Abstract: The invention provides an analog quartz timepiece, comprising a housing; one or more hands; a drive movement comprising gears and drive motors associated with the hands for timekeeping; a position sensor comprising a light transmitter and a light receiver positioned to define a reflective area on the dial, where the light transmitter transmits a beam of light to any one of the hands passing through the reflective area and the light receiver receives the light reflected from the passing hand; and a processor programmed to determine a position of the passing hand in the reflective area in correspondence to the reflection of the light from the hand, and to drive the movement to move the hand to a correct time position responsive to the determined position. The invention also relates to a method for providing time-correction of an analog quartz timepiece.

Abstract: The column wheel (40) for a 3 stroke mechanism has a hub (46) arranged at the centre of a superstructure exhibiting rotational symmetry of order n, the superstructure including n radial arms (48) and n columns (44) parallel to the axis of rotation of the column wheel, the columns being regularly distributed along the circumference of the column wheel and separated from each other by n empty spaces forming as many openings between the columns. The column wheel is characterized in that the width of the columns (44) is larger than the openings between the columns, and in that the width of the arms (48) is less than half the width of the columns (44).

Abstract: To provide a timepiece dial that presents a rich stereoscopic effect, and to provide a timepiece comprising the timepiece dial, the timepiece dial of the invention comprises a microlens layer composed of a plurality of microlenses arranged in an orderly fashion as viewed in a planar view, and a decorative layer composed of a repeating design having a plurality of constituent units. As viewed in a planar view, the microlens layer and the decorative layer are superimposed, and the decorative layer has regions where pitches of the constituent units that are adjacent are different from each other.

Abstract: A timepiece is equipped with a novel type of entertainment, that is a mechanical card game. The timepiece includes: a dial (10) provided with a plurality of windows (12); systems (14) for opening and closing at least some of the windows (12), actuated by control bodies; a plurality of display disks (16) carrying representations of cards to be played, to be visible via the windows (12), the disks being pivoted on axes that are perpendicular to the plane of the dial (10); and a system (18) for rotating the disks and stopping them at random.