Abstract: A method of manufacturing a clock or watch component (19; 29) includes (i) providing (E11; E21) a wafer (11; 21) having a single slice (12; 22) including a material of the component, notably silicon, diamond, quartz, sapphire or ceramic, optionally first coating the lower surface of the slice (22) with a lower layer (24), (iii) etching (E12 to E14; E22 to E24) the slice (12; 22) starting from its upper surface to form at least one clock or watch component, (iv) revealing (E15; E25) at least one clock or watch component (19; 29), by removing a layer that served as a mask for etching (E15; E25) and (y) optionally releasing (E26) the slice and the at least one etched clock or watch component by removing the lower layer (24).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method which comprises the steps of providing a plate (2) made of a micromachinable material, forming the timepiece component (1) with at least one attachment (3) for keeping the component attached to the rest of the plate (2), by etching the plate (2); and creating, along a desired breakage line of the attachment, a pre-detachment area (4) comprising at least one gap (5) obtained by etching into the body of the plate (2).

Abstract: A balance spring for an oscillator of a timepiece, wherein it comprises a component part, in particular at least a coil or a portion of a coil, provided with heavily doped silicon having an ion density greater than or equal to 1018 at/cm3, in order to permit the thermo-compensation of the oscillator.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, comprising structuring at least one wafer (14) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening (15) within the wafer (14), said structured wafer (14) being intended to form a first part (4) of the hybrid timepiece component; and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening (15) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer (14) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part (8) of the hybrid timepiece component.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, comprising structuring at least one wafer (14) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening (15) within the wafer (14), said structured wafer (14) being intended to form a first part (4) of the hybrid timepiece component; and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening (15) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer (14) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part (8) of the hybrid timepiece component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a clock or watch component (19; 29) includes (i) providing (Ell; E21) a wafer (11; 21) having a single slice (12; 22) including a material of the component, notably silicon, diamond, quartz, sapphire or ceramic, optionally first coating the lower surface of the slice (22) with a lower layer (24), (iii) etching (E12 to E14; E22 to E24) the slice (12; 22) starting from its upper surface to form at least one clock or watch component, (iv) revealing (E15; E25) at least one clock or watch component (19; 29), by removing a layer that served as a mask for etching (E15; E25) and (y) optionally releasing (E26) the slice and the at least one etched clock or watch component by removing the lower layer (24).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method which comprises the steps of providing a plate (2) made of a micromachinable material, forming the timepiece component (1) with at least one attachment (3) for keeping the component attached to the rest of the plate (2), by etching the plate (2); and creating, along a desired breakage line of the attachment, a pre-detachment area (4) comprising at least one gap (5) obtained by etching into the body of the plate (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method which comprises the steps of providing a plate (2) made of a micromachinable material, forming the timepiece component (1) with at least one attachment (3) for keeping the component attached to the rest of the plate (2), by etching the plate (2); and creating, along a desired breakage line of the attachment, a pre-detachment area (4) comprising at least one gap (5) obtained by etching into the body of the plate (2).

Abstract: A method for determining an imbalance characteristic of a hairspring (5) balance (4) oscillator (3) of a timepiece movement (2), the method comprising at least the following steps: —Setting the hairspring balance oscillator in an oscillating motion at at least two amplitudes, —Determining, for each amplitude and for at least two positions of the oscillator, a piece of data representative of the oscillation period of the oscillator, —Using the data from the previous step to calculate the imbalance characteristic of the hairspring balance oscillator.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a hybrid timepiece component, wherein the following steps are comprised: comprising structuring at least one wafer (14) of a first micromachinable material so as to form at least one through-opening (15) within the wafer (14), said structured wafer (14) being intended to form a first part (4) of the hybrid timepiece; component and depositing a metal by electroforming, so that the metal extends through the through-opening (15) and over the two upper and lower faces of the wafer (14) as a single piece resulting from one and the same electroforming step, the electroformed metal being intended to form a second part (8) of the hybrid timepiece component.

Abstract: A balance spring for an oscillator of a timepiece, wherein it comprises a component part, in particular at least a coil or a portion of a coil, provided with heavily doped silicon having an ion density greater than or equal to 1018 at/cm3, in order to permit the thermo-compensation of the oscillator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method which comprises the steps of providing a plate (2) made of a micromachinable material, forming the timepiece component (1) with at least one attachment (3) for keeping the component attached to the rest of the plate (2), by etching the plate (2); and creating, along a desired breakage line of the attachment, a pre-detachment area (4) comprising at least one gap (5) obtained by etching into the body of the plate (2).

Abstract: An integral assembly of a single or double hairspring and an unsplit collet including two portions opposite one another for receiving the balance staff, one portion including one of the bearing surfaces (2 or 3) for the balance staff and a point (10, 11) for attaching the hairspring, and the other portion including another bearing surface (4, 5 or 14) for the balance staff, the two portions being connected together by two linking portions that are less rigid than the receiving portions so as to be capable of elastically deforming during the fitting of a balance staff. According to another aspect, the invention also relates to an integral assembly of a hairspring and a collet, including at least two stages, as well as to a method for manufacturing such an assembly.

Abstract: A method for determining an imbalance characteristic of a hairspring (5) balance (4) oscillator (3) of a timepiece movement (2), the method comprising at least the following steps: —Setting the hairspring balance oscillator in an oscillating motion at at least two amplitudes, —Determining, for each amplitude and for at least two positions of the oscillator, a piece of data representative of the oscillation period of the oscillator, —Using the data from the previous step to calculate the imbalance characteristic of the hairspring balance oscillator.

Abstract: The manufacturing process produces a part (10), from a micromachinable material, the part (10) forming a blank of the timepiece component and comprising at least one surface having an initial roughness. It comprises a step of mechanical strengthening treatment of the part in an etching fluid intended to decrease the roughness of said surface. For example, a substrate of said micromachinable material is provided; the substrate is at least partially covered with a protective coating containing at least one aperture; the substrate is etched through the aperture in the protective coating and an etched surface is thus obtained; the mechanical strengthening treatment is applied to said etched surface through the aperture in the protective coating; and then the protective coating is removed. The etching fluid may be a plasma or a liquid chemical etchant.

Abstract: An integral assembly of a single or double hairspring and an unsplit collet including two portions opposite one another for receiving the balance staff, one portion including one of the bearing surfaces (2 or 3) for the balance staff and a point (10, 11) for attaching the hairspring, and the other portion including another bearing surface (4, 5 or 14) for the balance staff, the two portions being connected together by two linking portions that are less rigid than the receiving portions so as to be capable of elastically deforming during the fitting of a balance staff. According to another aspect, the invention also relates to an integral assembly of a hairspring and a collet, including at least two stages, as well as to a method for manufacturing such an assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hairspring for a timepiece hairspring-balance oscillator, which can be produced, in particular, from a low-density material such as silicon, diamond or quartz, and to a method of manufacturing such a hairspring. According to the invention, this hairspring comprises at least one leaf (2) the cross section of which has a thickness and a height and its characterizing feature is that the leaf (2) comprises a plurality of apertures (3) extending in the heightwise direction of the leaf and alternating with bridges (5). The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a hairspring.

Abstract: Hairspring for a balance wheel/hairspring resonator, comprising n blades, where n?2, which are fastened via at least one of their respective homologous ends and wound in spirals with an angular offset capable of neutralizing the lateral forces liable to be exerted on its central arbor when one of the ends of each blade is moved angularly around said central arbor relative to its other end.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hairspring for a timepiece hairspring-balance oscillator, which can be produced, in particular, from a low-density material such as silicon, diamond or quartz, and to a method of manufacturing such a hairspring. According to the invention, this hairspring comprises at least one leaf (2) the cross section of which has a thickness and a height and its characterizing feature is that the leaf (2) comprises a plurality of apertures (3) extending in the heightwise direction of the leaf and alternating with bridges (5). The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a hairspring.

Abstract: Hairspring for a balance wheel/hairspring resonator, comprising n blades, where n?2, which are fastened via at least one of their respective homologous ends and wound in spirals with an angular offset capable of neutralizing the lateral forces liable to be exerted on its central arbor when one of the ends of each blade is moved angularly around said central arbor relative to its other end.