Abstract: A spiral spring for a horological resonator mechanism, including a flexible strip (2) coiled on itself into several turns The spring (1) including an element for adjusting its stiffness, which includes a first elongate flexible element (5), and a second elongate flexible element (15) arranged in series with the strip (2), each elongate flexible element (5) connecting the same end (4) of the strip (2) to a fixed support (11), so as to add an additional stiffness to the strip (2), each elongate flexible element (5) preferably having a stiffness higher than that of the strip (2). A prestressing element (6) applies at least two different adjustable efforts, the two efforts being applied on the first elongate flexible element (5) so as to make the stiffness of the first elongate flexible element (5) vary according to the prestress level.

Abstract: A horology component including a substrate (2), a first interference layer (4) in contact with the substrate (2) and a second interference layer (3) covering the first interference layer (4). The interference layer (4) has a thickness between 3 nm and 250 nm and is made of a first material that is transparent to the luminous spectrum in the visible range between 380 nm and 780 nm. The first material has a refractive index n less than or equal to 2 over the entire the visible range. The second interference layer (3) has a thickness between 3 nm and 80 nm and is made of a second material having a refractive index n and an absorption coefficient k respectively reaching a value greater than or equal to 3 and greater than or equal to 0.5, over at least part of the visible range.

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: A method for manufacturing a set of mechanical resonators (2a) having structural characteristics with an average value comprised within a predetermined range of values, the method providing for the formation (21), in a plate (1), of mechanical resonators (2b, 2c) and of oscillating members (10a, 10b, 10c) and the calculation (26) of dimensional corrections to be applied to the resonators (2b, 2c) formed based on the value determined for the structural characteristic, and then a modification (28) of the dimensions of the resonators (2b, 2c) formed, based on the dimensional corrections calculated, to obtain the set of resonators (2a) having structural characteristic values comprised within the predetermined range of values.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a set of mechanical resonators (2a) having structural characteristics with an average value within a predetermined range, the method including a step in which the mechanical resonators (2b, 2c) and at least one oscillating member are formed (20) in the plate (1) (10a, 10b, 10c) and a step in which the dimensions of the resonators (2a) formed are modified (28) based on dimensional corrections calculated to obtain the set of resonators (2a) having structural characteristic values within the predetermined range of values.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an oscillating member having a structural characteristic with a predetermined value, the method including a determination step (31) in which a value of a structural characteristic of an oscillating member (2) formed in a plate (1a, 1b) is determined from a generation substep (39) in which this value is generated on the basis of a predictive algorithm applied by a computer (8) to process at least one characteristic of an identified resonance frequency of the oscillating member (2) when it is exposed to vibratory excitation in an optical measurement substep (38) and a modification step (42) in which the dimensions of the oscillating member (2) are modified on the basis of a dimensional correction calculated on the basis of the value of the determined structural characteristic.

Abstract: A horological component including a first part having a body provided with a first and a second cavity, the second cavity receiving a second part by engagement therewith, the first and second cavities being connected to each other by a capillary channel configured to allow the capillary flow of an adhesive from the first cavity to the second.

Abstract: A method produces an assembly of an elastic holding member-timepiece component assembly with a support element. The elastic holding member is made of an electrically insulating material and the support element is made of an electrically conductive material. The method includes mounting the assembly with the support element aiming to define at least one zone for receiving at least one element for blocking a movement of the holding member relative to the support element, and producing by galvanic metal growth the at least one blocking element on at least one of the reception zones.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a batch of horological balance springs (2a), the average of whose stiffnesses lies within a predetermined range, and the method includes forming in a wafer the horological balance springs (2b, 2c) with dimensions that differ from the dimensions required to obtain the batch of horological balance springs (2a), the average of whose stiffnesses lies within the predetermined range, determining the stiffnesses of the systems, computing a dimensional correction to be applied to the horological balance springs, and modifying the dimensions of the horological balance springs (2b, 2c) formed, on the basis of a dimensional correction computed to obtain the batch of horological balance springs (2a).

Abstract: A barrel (1) for self-winding timepiece including a drum (11) provided with an inner lateral wall (12) and a mainspring (2) forming a winding including an outer coil (21) the end (22) of which is friction coupled with the inner lateral wall and free to slip against the inner lateral wall in the event of overtension of the mainspring (2). The end of the outer coil includes an external face (23) having two friction surfaces (24, 25) disposed in the top and bottom portion of the outer coil and arranged to be in contact with the inner lateral wall in such a way that the portion between the friction surfaces, referred to as central portion (26), is not in contact with the inner lateral wall, the central portion forming a reservoir (27) for a lubricant between the two friction surfaces.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon timepiece component (1) with a functional external profile.

Abstract: A timepiece oscillator structure includes at least one divisible unit, which includes at least one component which includes at least one flexible blade or at least one blade with necks, joining two main units, each more rigid than the flexible blade or blade with necks, where the divisible unit includes at least one protection unit adjacent to at least one main unit to which it is connected by at least one divisible linkage which is designed in order to make possible the detachment of this protection unit from the component when the component is fixed, with at least the particular main unit which is adjacent to the protection unit, to a more rigid external element than the flexible blade or than the necks of the blade with necks.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a batch of horological balance springs (2a), the average of whose stiffnesses lies within a predetermined range, includes forming in a wafer the horological balance springs (2b, 2c) with dimensions that differ from the dimensions required to obtain the batch of horological balance springs (2a), the average of whose stiffnesses lies within said predetermined range; determining the stiffnesses of said systems; computing a dimensional correction to be applied to the horological balance springs; andmmodifying the dimensions of the horological balance springs (2b, 2c) formed, on the basis of a dimensional correction computed to obtain the batch of horological balance springs (2a).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing watch components in batches.

Abstract: An elastic retaining member for attaching a timepiece component to a support element, includes an opening into which the support element is likely to be inserted, the retaining member includes rigid arms and elastic arms defined between connecting zones helping to ensure elastic clamping of the support element in the opening the rigid arms being provided with the only contact zones of the retaining member with the support element and in that, the rigid or elastic arms each extend longitudinally between connecting zones, the rigid arms and the elastic arms being arranged in the retaining member successively and alternately and each rigid arm has a volume of material greater than the volume of material constituting each elastic arm.

Abstract: A holding member for fixing a timepiece component on support elements of different cross section includes an opening into which each support element can be inserted, the holding member having structural elements together forming a body configured to ensure mounting of each support element in the opening. Each of the structural elements includes a first structural sub-element and a second structural sub-element, the first structural sub-element including a volume of material greater than a volume of material constituting the second structural sub-element. The holding member includes a connecting portion ensuring the mounting of each of the support elements in the holding member, the portion being defined on an inner face of the first structural sub-element.

Abstract: A spiral spring for a timepiece resonator mechanism, the spiral spring extending substantially in a plane and including a flexible blade wound on itself in several turns and a setting device for modifying the effective length of the wound blade, the setting device including a clamp movable along at least one ending portion of the spiral spring, the clamp extending substantially in the plane of the spiral spring, the clamp including two bearing faces arranged on either side of the wound blade in a multiplicity of positions so as to define a variable effective length of the spiral spring, the clamp and the wound blade being linked to each other by a flexible element allowing the clamp and the bearing faces to be displaced along the wound blade.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a metallic timepiece component, wherein the method includes the steps of forming, via a UV-LIGA type process combined with hot stamping, a multi-level photosensitive resin mould and electroplating a layer of at least one metal from at least two conductive layers to form a block that substantially reaches the upper surface of the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: An elastic retaining member is for attaching a horological component to a support element. The retaining includes an opening into which the support element is capable of being inserted. The retaining member also includes rigid arms and elastic arms defined between the connection zones of the retaining member. The arms contribute to procuring elastic gripping of the support element in the opening, each rigid arm being provided with a single convex contact zone of the retaining member capable of engaging with a corresponding convex contact portion of the support element.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing metal horological components, includes the steps of forming a multilevel mould made of a photosensitive resin, with a UV-LIGA method, and galvanically depositing a layer of at least one metal starting from a conductive layer in order to form a block that substantially reaches the upper surface of the photosensitive resin.