Abstract: This arrangement for attaching the strands (1) of a bracelet to the watch case (3) includes, for each of the strands, at least one horn (4) attached to the caseband (10) and a lug (5) for connecting the horn to the strand. The horn comprises at least two thin plates (6) cut out to shape and juxtaposed. A part of such plates is introduced into a blind housing (7) formed in the caseband to receive a pin (8) which is introduced into a first hole provided in the caseband and second holes (15) provided in the plates in order to secure the horn to the case.

Abstract: The caseband (1) of this invention is fashioned from a contoured strip (2) which includes a profile in relief elongated in the longitudinal direction of the strip. This profile may serve a purely decorative purpose but may also have functional applications for instance that of attaching a watch crystal to the caseband. In such case the profile in relief includes projections (3) which define facing slide channels (6) into which the crystal may be introduced.

Abstract: This watch case is formed by the assembly of an upper shell (1) and of a lower shell (2) onto a caseband entirely confined within said shells, the edges (11, 12) which they exhibit being visible and substantially abuting, at least over a portion of their periphery. The shells are preferably spherical caps formed from a transparent scratch resistant material.

Abstract: A cap (2) is made of sintered hard metal and has on the inside a cylindrical surface (20) and a frusto-conical surface (21) that are true ground. The cap's cylindrical surface (20) is fitted with radial play around an outer cylindrical surface (9) of an underlying middle (1) and the cap's frusto-conical surface (21) has the same inclination as a subjacent frusto-conical surface (14) on the outside of the middle. The cap (2) and the middle (1) are secured to one another by a ring of deformable material sandwiched between their cylindrical surfaces (9, 20). On the outside the cap (2) is formed over its thicker main portion (18) with a trued and polished surface (22) having the same inclination as its inside frusto-conical surface (21) such as to provide the thicker portion (18) with a parallelogrammatic cross-section.

Abstract: The watchcase support (1) of this invention is fashioned from a contoured strip (2) which includes a profile in relief elongated in the longitudinal direction of the strip. Such profile includes projections (3, 4) and recesses (5, 6) which form a decorative undulation. Other embodiments are described in which the profiles are functionally employed for example to attach the watchcase to the support.

Abstract: The piece of jewelry protected by a hard metal shielding may consist of a metallic watchband composed of elements jointed to each other. In this case each one of said elements comprises a body member 61 of a material suitable for machining, such as stainless steel, and a plate 64 of sintered hard metal which is secured to body member 61 by means of plugs 65 welded against the back side of plate 64 and riveted to body member 61. The upper surface of the watchband elements is thus protected against injuries which contacts with foreign bodies could produce. Since that face of the watchband elements is practically the only one which is visible, when the watch is carried, the watchband will keep its original appearance during all the time it will be carried.

Abstract: The watch case including a back cover, a caseband, a crystal, the peripheral zone of which entirely covers the caseband, a casing ring including at least one packing, a pair of supports facing one another fixed to the caseband and forming therewith a slot in which the crystal may be engaged and means for displacing the casing ring in order to compress the packing against the internal surface of the crystal and block said crystal against the supports. The crystal exhibits at least in its peripheral zone a spherical form of constant thickness. The upper surface of the caseband has the form of a part of a sphere the radius of which is substantially equal to that of the internal surface of the crystal. During assembly the internal surface of the crystal is made to slide over the upper surface of the caseband with a rotational motion resulting from the sliding of a spherical surface over part of a sphere.

Abstract: The back cover of the case is provided with positioning means which determine more or less precisely the location where means external to the case must be placed in order to actuate each control mechanism.Such positioning means may for example take the form of grooves at the bottom of each of which is located a control mechanism and into which may be introduced a portion of the securing element of the bracelet.It might likewise comprise protuberances or portions in relief or cavities of more complex form, the remaining parts forming guide means for guiding the external actuating means toward such positioning means.This invention concerns electronic watches having a system of operating controls located in the back cover of their cases.

Abstract: A case for a wrist watch includes a crystal, in particular, formed from a mineral material in the shape of a spherical cap which extends over the entire upper surface of the caseband and the edge of which descends to a level below that of the dial.

Abstract: The timepiece includes in addition to the hours and minutes hands a calendar mechanism comprising at least one date ring on which is placed an index. The dial includes an annular zone of transparent material through which said ring appears. In a preferred version of the invention the data indications are borne by one of the surfaces of the transparent zone. If the colors of such indications and of the ring are the same and the color of the index different from that of the indications all indications except one will be concealed--that behind which is found the index.

Abstract: A timepiece containing, primarily, a first transparent element (1) visible from the outside of the piece, characterized in that this element has an adherent lining (2, 4) applied to at least part of its surface and assuring the attachment to that element of a decorative outer coating of hard material (3) and/or of a layer of high-temperature soldering material (5).

Abstract: In the manufacture of a watch case part comprising a glass and a middle having an opening for the glass, the following operations are carried out: first, a metallic coating is deposited on a peripheral portion of the glass, then one or more elements are formed on the coating by moulding a molten material having an affinity for the metal forming the coating, whereupon the glass is secured to the middle through the intermediary of the fastening element. The fastening element may consist of a heel extending around the periphery of the glass or of fastening studs extending at right angles to the plane of the glass. In some cases the fastening element may also act as sealing element.

Abstract: A watch case is described comprising a glass soldered to a metal part. The area of the glass having to be soldered to the metal part is provided with a coating which includes at least an outer layer made of the same material as the metal part.

Abstract: A watchcase (1) comprising essentially a body (15) to the top surface of which is held a flat crystal (2) by means of fixation members (4) providing grooves in which the edges of the crystal are secured after having been laterally engaged therein, and a sealing strip against the perimeter of the bottom face (11) of the crystal. The grooves of the fixation members (4) are bounded by two facing surfaces between which the crystal is engaged, the top groove surface (6) bearing against the top face (8) of the crystal. The case further comprises means (12) for applying the sealing strip (10) against the bottom face (11) of the crystal only after the crystal has been engaged in the grooves.

Abstract: A watchcase essentially comprises a crystal 1 engaged in a recess 2 of a bezel or body 3. A material 6 capable of assuming a liquid or pasty consistency at the time of assembly, then solidifying and adhering to the wall 4 of the recess 2 is inserted in the space formed by the walls 4 and 5 of part 3 and crystal 1. The crystal 1 has a configuration such that the material 6, after setting, will exert a geometrical locking effect upon it.

Abstract: A watchcase (1) comprises a flat crystal (3) of hard material held by pressure between elastically deformable opposite side walls (4) of a recess (5) formed at the top of the body (2) of the watchcase. The bottom face (8) of the crystal (3) compresses a seal (9) arranged around the opening of the body. The restoring force exerted on the bevel of the crystal by the facing surface of the walls (4) as well as the rigidity of the crystal make it possible to make tightly sealed watchcases in which the crystal is held on the body over a portion of its margins only.

Abstract: The watch case contains a crystal (1) and a casing (3), on an upper peripheral surface (2) of which the crystal (1) is detachably mounted by means of connecting members or straps (10). These connecting members may consist of a U-shaped clamps (10) having arms (11, 12) to which the edges of the crystal (1) and the casing (3) are tightened and which are capable of being set in place by being laterally engaged on the edges of the case.

Abstract: A watch (1) comprising essentially a body (15) to the top surface of which is held a flat crystal (2) by means of fixation members (4) providing grooves in which the edges of the crystal are secured after having been laterally engaged therein, and a sealing strip against the perimeter of the bottom face (11) of the crystal. The grooves of the fixation members (4) are bounded by two facing surfaces between which the crystal is engaged, the top groove surface (6) bearing against the top face (8) of the crystal. The case further comprises means (12) for applying the sealing strip (1) against the bottom face (11) of the crystal only after the crystal has been engaged in the grooves.