Abstract: A balance with hairspring of the present disclosure includes a balance shaft rotatably supported by a support member, a collet fixed to the balance shaft, and a metal hairspring fixed to the collet, and the hairspring includes an inner end portion fixed to the collet, a first winding portion continuously formed from the inner end portion and formed along a Grossmann curve, and a second winding portion continuously formed from the first winding portion and formed along an Archimedes' spiral, and the collet includes a fixing portion to which the inner end portion of the hairspring is fixed, and an outer peripheral shape portion arranged at a position facing an inner surface of the first winding portion and configured to form the first winding portion into a shape of the Grossmann curve.

Abstract: A method for treating a surface (2) of a base (1) of a timepiece component (10), in particular a balance spring, e.g. a balance spring made of a paramagnetic NbZr alloy, includes: a first step of depositing a first layer (41) of a first oxide or first nitride or first carbide; and a second step of depositing a second layer (51) of a second oxide or second nitride or second carbide.

Abstract: A balance of a timepiece including an adjustment face provided with at least one recess provided for receiving a projected material for an implementation of an adjustment of the rate of the timepiece notably by the modification of the inertia and of the unbalance of the balance, the recess including an opening and a back notably a solid back or a back fully or partially forming an orifice, the back being at most partially visible from a position defined above the opening notably on a central axis of the opening.

Abstract: There is provided a hairspring including a main body portion that extends around a central axis along an Archimedes curve; an outer end curve portion that extends along a circumferential direction around the central axis on an outer side in a radial direction from the main body portion; and a reformed portion including a first bent portion that connects the main body portion and the outer end curve portion to each other and is bent outward in the radial direction from a tangent line of the Archimedes curve in a first connection portion with the main body portion, and a second bent portion bent inward in the radial direction from the outer end curve portion in a second connection portion with the outer end curve portion, and in which at least one is curved of the first bent portion and the second bent portion.

Abstract: A timepiece resonator mechanism including a structure and an inertia element oscillating about an axis, subjected to return forces exerted by a RCC flexure pivot with elastic resonator strips, which are each fixed to the structure and to the inertia element and essentially deformable in a plane perpendicular to the axis, straight and extending in parallel or coincident planes, the crossing, in projection onto a plane perpendicular to the axis, of their directions defining this axis, these strips are fixed on the inertia element side to a stiff element, comprised in an anti-shock element and on which are fixed the strips and which is integral with anti-shock flexible elements arranged to keep suspended the inertia element, the anti-shock element providing shock protection for the strips of the flexure pivot.

Abstract: In an oscillator for a timepiece including a balance and a hairspring, the balance lacks equilibrium, such that: the curves for running of the oscillator owing to weight of the hairspring as a function of the oscillation amplitude of the balance in at least four vertical positions of the oscillator spaced by 90° each pass through 0 at an oscillation amplitude of the balance between 200° and 240°; and between oscillation amplitudes of 150° and 280°, curves representing the running of the oscillator owing to lack of equilibrium in the balance as a function of the oscillation amplitude in the vertical positions each has an average slope of opposite sign to the average slope of the corresponding curve among the curves representing the running of the oscillator owing to the weight of the hairspring. A reduction in the running discrepancies between the vertical positions can thus be achieved.

Abstract: An assembly for holding or supporting a timepiece balance spring, includes a balance spring stud and a stud-holder, the stud-holder includes a base having at least one circular portion, the base including, on the circular portion, a first lug and a second lug each extending radially. One of the two lugs includes an elastic arm extending from the lug, in a direction parallel to that of the base, towards the other lug, the elastic arm forming with the base a housing for housing the balance spring stud therein and the first and second lugs are able to cooperate with a tool to allow the balance spring stud to exert a stress on the elastic arm to deform the latter and permit the assembly or disassembly of the stud.

Abstract: The invention relates to a one-piece balance spring comprising a single strip wound on itself between an inner coil and an outer coil, the strip having a geometry such that when the angle of contraction of the balance spring has a value of 360 degrees, there is a constant distance between each coil from the inner coil to the penultimate coil.

Abstract: A resonator of the inertia/elasticity type includes a balance-spring coupled to an inertia flywheel and a system for adjusting the frequency of the resonator including an index-assembly arranged to cooperate with one coil of the balance-spring in order to selectively choose the active length of the balance-spring. The portion of the coil of the balance-spring cooperating with the index-assembly includes at least one area of larger cross-section than the other balance-spring coils for finer adjustment of the frequency of the resonator.

Abstract: The spiral includes turns of rectangular section, whose pitch p and/or thickness e can vary from the inside curve towards the outside curve, or whose winding can deviate from the line of a perfect spiral. The inside curve can also be extended by a self-locking washer for fixing the spiral on the balance arbour with no play. The spiral is manufactured by photolithography and galvanic growth, or by micro-machining an amorphous or crystalline material, such as a silicon wafer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a balance spring of a predetermined stiffness comprising the steps of fabricating a balance spring in dimensions of increased thickness, determining the stiffness of the balance spring formed in step a) in order to remove, locally, a volume of material, in order to obtain the balance spring having the dimensions necessary for said predetermined stiffness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a balance spring of a predetermined stiffness comprising the steps of fabricating a balance spring in dimensions of increased thickness, determining the stiffness of the balance spring formed in step a) in order to remove a volume of material to obtain the balance spring having the dimensions necessary for said predetermined stiffness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabrication of a balance spring of a predetermined stiffness comprising the steps of fabricating a balance spring in dimensions to obtain a deliberately lower stiffness, determining the stiffness of the balance spring formed in step a) in order to compensate for said missing thickness of material required to obtain the balance spring having the dimensions necessary for said predetermined stiffness.

Abstract: An assembly for holding or supporting a timepiece balance spring, including a balance spring stud and a stud-holder, wherein the stud-holder includes a base having at least one circular portion, the base including, on the circular portion, a first lug and a second lug each extending radially; one of the two lugs including an elastic arm extending from the lug, in a direction parallel to that of the base, towards the other lug, the elastic arm forming with the base a housing for housing the balance spring stud therein and in that the first and second lugs are able to cooperate with a tool to allow the balance spring stud to exert a stress on the elastic arm to deform the latter and permit the assembly or disassembly of the stud.

Abstract: A method to manufacture a hairspring of a timepiece movement, which includes: producing a malleable elongated element in a form of under a fiber or ribbon form, from a first heated material capable of guiding light; conforming the malleable elongated element in order to achieve into a spiral form; and handling processing the spiral form thus created in order to obtain a hairspring for providing both a mechanical oscillating function in a balance wheel and a light guiding guide lighting function arranged for in situ adjusting of a mechanical performance of said hairspring. The conforming includes coiling the malleable elongated element around a rotating mobile conformation tool, and receiving the malleable elongated element in a guiding channel within a guiding mechanism and guiding the received malleable elongated element via mobile equipment turning on an inner periphery of the guiding mechanism.

Abstract: A device for assembling and adjusting a balance spring, including a base joined to a balance bridge with an adjustable angular orientation, and having a bearing surface and a bearing plate adjacent to the bearing surface, both defining a service position of the end turn of the balance spring. A first arm extends from the base and bears a locking member for the end turn, the locking member being designed to keep the terminal coil in abutment against the bearing surface. A second arm of the device extends from the base and bears a shoe that is able to be arranged at a predefined distance from the bearing surface so as to cooperate with the end turn. A movable control member is able to act on the second arm in order to deform it elastically and move the shoe with respect to the base in order to free the end turn.

Abstract: A one-piece balance spring includes a single strip wound on itself between an inner coil and an outer coil. The strip has a geometry such that when the angle of contraction of the balance spring has a value of 360 degrees, there is a constant distance between each coil from the second coil to the penultimate coil.

Abstract: A one-piece balance spring including a single strip wound on itself between an inner coil and an outer coil, the strip having a geometry such that when the angle of contraction of the balance spring has a value of 360 degrees, there is a substantially constant distance between each coil from the inner coil to the penultimate coil.

Abstract: A method of increasing concentricity in use of a spiral hairspring mechanical timepiece; the hairspring having an inner terminal end portion for engagement with a collet, an outer terminal end portion for engagement with a stud, a first limb portion extending from the inner terminal end portion towards the outer terminal end portion, and a stiffening portion positioned at the outer turn of the hairspring and having a cross-sectional second moment of area different to that of the first limb portion such that bending stiffness of the stiffening portion has a greater bending stiffness than the single limb portion. The method includes modifying cross-sectional second moments of an area of the first limb portion and the stiffening portion by minimizing a cost function throughout the amplitude of the rotation of hairspring in use, the cost function being correlated to the net concentricity of the hairspring.

Abstract: A balance spring includes a strip of polygonal section wound on itself into several coils. At least one coil of the balance spring includes a coil spacer device including at least four stop members mounted on the same face and protruding from the thickness of the at least one coil of the strip. Each of the at least four stop members is arranged to enter into contact with the opposite face of another coil of the strip preventing the other coil from touching the at least one coil in the event of a shock.

Abstract: A method of producing unitary formed silicon balance spring having an overcoil portion for regulation of a mechanical timepiece, said method including the steps of providing a silicon balance spring having a main body portion, and an outer portion for formation as an overcoil portion, wherein the outer portion extends radially outward from an outermost turn of the main body portion, and wherein said main body portion and said outer portion are integrally formed from a silicon based material and are formed in a co-planar configuration; moving said outer portion in a direction relative to and out of the plane of said main body portion, and in a direction towards over said main body portion and towards the plane of the main body portion; and providing a stress relaxation process to the balance spring so as to relieve internal stresses induced within the balance spring from step (ii); wherein upon movement of said outer portion into the plane of said main body portion, the outer portion is located in an overcoil

Abstract: The timepiece movement includes a balance-and-hairspring oscillator and an escapement cooperating with the oscillator. The outer turn of the hairspring includes a stiffened portion (9?) arranged to at least partially compensate for the variation in the rate of the movement in dependence upon the oscillation amplitude of the balance caused by the escapement. The hairspring further includes at least one of the following features: a) a distance (R?) between the inner end of the hairspring and the centre of rotation of the hairspring lower than 400 ?m, b) a Grossmann curve (10) defined by the inner turn of the hairspring, c) a stiffened portion defined by the inner turn of the hairspring.

Abstract: The invention relates to a balance spring for a resonator of a timepiece including a strip coiled on itself into several coils. According to the invention, the strip is formed by a series of prismatic portions integral with each other wherein one of the two opposite faces is formed by a series of rectangular portions integral with each other so as to form a polygonal spring.

Abstract: Balance spring including, tangent to each other: a first inner coil at a first angle at the center and of decreasing section in a first ratio; a second coil at a second angle at the center and of constant section; a third coil at a third angle at the center and of increasing section in a third ratio; a fourth coil at a fourth angle at the center and of constant section; a fifth coil at a fifth angle at the center and of increasing section in a fifth ratio; a sixth outer coil at a sixth angle at the center and of increasing section in a sixth ratio. In a variant, a seventh more rigid segment deviates from this sixth coil. Movement including this balance spring. Watch including this movement.

Abstract: A timepiece movement includes a balance-and-hairspring regulator and an escapement co-operating with the regulator, the outer turn (5) of the hairspring including a stiffened portion (6?; 6?; 6??) arranged to make the development of the hairspring more concentric, is characterized in that the stiffened portion (6?; 6?; 6??) is also arranged to at least partially compensate for the variation in the rate of the movement in dependence upon the oscillation amplitude of the balance caused by the escapement.

Abstract: A regulating system (110) for a horology movement (12) comprising a first sub-system (11) including: a first oscillator (O111) which includes a first balance (B111) and a first balance spring (S111); a first element (M111) for displacement of the first balance spring (S111); and a first element (A111) for activation of the first displacement element (M111), at an instant, or substantially at an instant, when the speed of the first balance (B111) is zero.

Abstract: A regulating system (110) for a horology movement (12) comprising a first sub-system (11) including: a first oscillator (O111) which includes a first balance (B111) and a first balance spring (S111); a first element (M111) for displacement of the first balance spring (S111); and a first element (A111) for activation of the first displacement element (M111), at an instant, or substantially at an instant, when the speed of the first balance (B111) is zero.

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 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 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: The invention relates to an assembly system including a member made of at least a first material including a staff and a shoulder, the staff of the member being received in an aperture of a part made of a second material having little or no plastic domain. According to the invention, the assembly system includes a locking element made of a third material arranged to elastically attach the part between the shoulder of said member and the locking element and in that the locking element is a washer whose internal wall radially grips the staff of said member and whose peripheral portion exerts an elastic radial force vertical to the shoulder of said member in order to secure the assembly of the member-part-locking element.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly system including a member made of a first material including a staff and a shoulder, the staff of the member being received in an aperture of a part made of a second material having little or no plastic domain. According to the invention, the assembly system includes a locking element made of a third material arranged to elastically attach the part between the shoulder of the member and the locking element and the locking element is a conical washer including an internal wall which radially grips the staff of the member, and a peripheral portion of the locking element which exerts an elastic radial force vertical to the shoulder of the member in order to secure the assembly of the member—part—locking element.

Abstract: A balance spring including a first hairspring, the inner coil of which includes a collet arranged to be mounted on a staff, and a second hairspring connected to the outer coil of the first hairspring by a raised terminal curve device. The inner coil of the second hairspring includes a device for shifting the pinning point including a free end arranged to be pinned up to a stud in the plane of the second hairspring.

Abstract: A timepiece escape mechanism sub-assembly includes at least one bar and at least one balance spring. The outer end of the balance spring is secured to a balance spring stud. The balance spring and the balance spring stud associated therewith form a single-piece assembly with the bar.

Abstract: A method of producing unitary formed silicon balance spring having an overcoil portion for regulation of a mechanical timepiece, said method including the steps of providing a silicon balance spring having a main body portion, and an outer portion for formation as an overcoil portion, wherein the outer portion extends radially outward from an outermost turn of the main body portion, and wherein said main body portion and said outer portion are integrally formed from a silicon based material and are formed in a co-planar configuration; moving said outer portion in a direction relative to and out of the plane of said main body portion, and in a direction towards over said main body portion and towards the plane of the main body portion; and providing a stress relaxation process to the balance spring so as to relieve internal stresses induced within the balance spring from step (ii); wherein upon movement of said outer portion into the plane of said main body portion, the outer portion is located in an overcoil

Abstract: An oscillator spring material comprising a mixture of a host material with an additive in proportions which permit the thermal evolution of the material's elastic modulus to be tuned, e.g. to correct or compensate for other thermal changes in an oscillator system. The additive comprises a crystalline material having an abnormal thermal evolution of elastic modulus. The host material has a normal thermal evolution of elastic modulus. The additive is mixed with the host material before the host material undergoes a phase transformation into its final form. The additive has a phase transformation temperature higher than the host material, so that additive remains in the same state while the host material phase transformation takes place.

Abstract: A spiral spring (10) for the movement of a watch, includes a plurality of coplanar leaves (10a, 10b) wound into one another. Furthermore, the inner ends of each leaf are rigidly connected to a single collet (12). The leaves (10a, 10b) and the collar (12) are produced as a single part.

Abstract: A spiral spring (10) for the movement of a watch, includes a plurality of coplanar leaves (10a, 10b) wound into one another. Furthermore, the inner ends of each leaf are rigidly connected to a single collet (12). The leaves (10a, 10b) and the collar (12) are produced as a single part.

Abstract: A metal structure includes, by mass %, Fe: 10% to 30%; S: 0.005% to 0.2%; and the balance consisting of Ni and unavoidable impurities, in which a maximum grain size of the metal structure is 500 nm or less.

Abstract: An oscillator system (30) of a mechanical timepiece, comprising: at least one balance wheel (35) that is free to rotate about an axis; and at least one hairspring (31) connecting the at least one balance wheel (35) to a fixed point or to another balance wheel (36), the hairspring (31) including: a first coil (32) connected to the at least one balance wheel (35); and a second coil (33) connected to the fixed point or to the another balance wheel (36); and a transition section (34) connecting the first coil (32) to the second coil (33), wherein an approximately linear restoring torque for the at least one balance wheel (35) is primarily provided by elastic deformation of the transition section (34) and the coils (32, 33), in order to generate an oscillatory motion for the at least one balance wheel (35).

Abstract: A spiral spring (10) for the movement of a watch, includes a plurality of coplanar leaves (10a, 10b) wound into one another. Furthermore, the inner ends of each leaf are rigidly connected to a single collet (12). The leaves (10a, 10b) and the collar (12) are produced as a single part.

Abstract: The anti-trip balance-spring for a timepiece escapement which has no stop member is intended to oscillate between two extreme positions, passing through a position of equilibrium. It includes a plurality of coils and further includes means for locking at least two consecutive coils when the amplitude of rotation from the position of equilibrium to at least one of the end positions, reaches a determined angle ?.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a balance spring assembly (1) in silicon including a hairspring (2) made in a wafer of given crystalline orientation, in a plane (P). The volume of the assembly (1) is broken down into sub-components, inscribed in parallelepiped prisms, in secant pairs, at the junction areas, perpendicular to each other, each made in a wafer selected for the thickness or crystalline orientation thereof. An outer curve (4) is made in an orthogonal plane to that of the hairspring (2) joining it directly to a point in space, the projection of which into the plane (P) is located external to the hairspring (2). The sub-components are assembled at the junction areas.

Abstract: Controller for a clockwork mechanism, having the following components: a balance wheel; a piezoelectric helical spring (20); an electronic circuit for coordinating the stiffness of the piezoelectric helical spring (20); characterized in that the electronic circuit has a plurality of capacitors which can be switched individually (222, 224, 226, 228).

Abstract: Mechanical watch movement comprising a mechanical chronograph with a regulator organ for regulating the running of the chronograph, characterized in that the regulator organ of the chronograph is placed in an imaginary circle (A) coaxial to the movement and having a radius (r1) smaller than 50% of the maximum outer radius of the movement.

Abstract: A constant-modulus alloy, which has a low saturation magnetic flux density to provide weakly magnetic properties, a high Young's modulus, a low temperature coefficient of Young's modulus, and high hardness, is provided. A hairspring, a mechanical driving apparatus and a watch and clock, in which the alloy is used, are provided. The alloy consists of Co, Ni, Cr, Mo. and Fe. The alloy is healed and cooled before being subjected to repeated wiredrawing and intermediate annealing, forming a wire with a fiber structure having a <111> fiber axis. The wire is then cold rolled into a sheet and heated to obtain optimal magnetic insensitivity and hardness.

Abstract: This spiral-spring and balance wheel regulating member includes a shaft mounted pivotably on the frame of a timepiece. The spiral spring includes at least one blade, whose inner end is designed to be fixed to the pivot shaft and whose outer end is made in one piece with a member (2) for connection to the frame, the rigidity of this connecting member being substantially greater than that of the spiral. The connecting member (2), on one hand, and the frame (9) or a member (6) for the angular positioning of the regulating member on the frame, on the other hand, both have respective bearing surfaces which are at least partially complementary, and these complementary bearing surfaces are joined.

Abstract: A timepiece includes: a movement (10) that has a balance wheel/spring assembly (12) having a system for adjusting the operative length of the spring, which is rotatable; a control member (14) that is accessible, by the user, outside the timepiece; a transmission wheel (22) that is rotatably mounted, on the periphery of the movement (10), onto a frame, the movement (10) being placed inside the transmission wheel, the transmission wheel (22) being kinematically connected or connectable to the control member (14) and moreover being kinematically connected to the adjustment system; and a display part (30) that is kinematically connected to the transmission wheel (22) and drives a display member, intended for displaying the adjustment value that is applied to the operative length of the spring. The display part (30) is formed of movable parts that are mounted onto a first separate module, assembled to the frame.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a spring for a timepiece, including the following steps: (a) forming a body using first and second metallic materials secured to each other; (b) decreasing the section of the body; and winding the body to form the spring. The invention also relates to the spring obtained via the method. The invention concerns the field of regulating members for timepieces.

Abstract: Balance spring (1) comprising two pairs (50) each formed of adjacent coils (51; 52) respectively comprising stopping means (11) and quincuncial staggered complementary stopping means (12) defining together, for each pair (50), a respective, relative, maximum angular travel (CA) of these coils during the local coupling thereof during accelerations of the balance spring (1) which are greater than desired values, in order to limit the number of active coils. The stopping means (11) and complementary stopping means (12) of these pairs (50) define different maximum angular travel values (CA), to gradually limit the amplitude of pivoting between the ends (3; 4) of the balance spring (1) during accelerations greater than these desired values, one of said pairs (50) cooperating in abutment before the other, to gradually modify the resulting rigidity of the balance spring (1) by the successive deactivation or reactivation of the coils (5) thereof.