A method for manufacturing a timepiece component includes: forming a first processed surface having a predetermined pattern by irradiating a surface of a receiving plate with a femtosecond laser; and forming a second processed surface having a surface roughness smaller than that of the first processed surface by irradiating at least a part of the first processed surface with a nanosecond laser.

Provided is a watch component made of silicon and including a front surface, a back surface, and a side surface intersecting with the front surface and the back surface, the watch component including a first recessed portion formed at the front surface side, a second recessed portion formed at the back surface side, and a communicating groove causing one of the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion to communicate with the side surface.

A component of external parts for a timepiece, the component including a first silicon-based part and a second metal-based part, where one surface of the first part is welded using laser-type electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the second part in order to secure the parts to each other. A method for fabrication of a component of external parts for a timepiece, by forming a first silicon-based part and a second metal-based part, mounting a surface of the first part on a surface of the second part, and welding, using laser-type electromagnetic radiation, the surface of the first part mounted on the surface of the second part, in order to secure the parts to each other.

A component of external parts for a timepiece, the component including a first silicon-based part and a second metal-based part, where one surface of the first part is welded using laser-type electromagnetic radiation onto a surface of the second part in order to secure the parts to each other. A method for fabrication of a component of external parts for a timepiece, by forming a first silicon-based part and a second metal-based part, mounting a surface of the first part on a surface of the second part, and welding, using laser-type electromagnetic radiation, the surface of the first part mounted on the surface of the second part, in order to secure the parts to each other.

A machining centre includes a base supporting several superposed stages. At least one stage is movable and can be position indexed relative to the base. Each stage includes distinct stations at a constant angular pitch including machining units or grippers. The combination of stations from adjacent stages defines a plurality of machining locations each combining a unit and a gripper. Each relative movement between two indexing positions of two stages changes the composition of the locations. Each gripper has at least one rotational degree of freedom relative to the stage that carries it. At least one station includes both at least one machining unit and at least one gripper.

The method of manufacturing a timepiece shaft (1) includes grinding a ceramic piece, especially to form a balance shaft (1), having a functional portion (2a; 2b) including at least one part (221a; 221b) of a pivot-shank (22a; 22b) and/or at least one part (211a; 211b) of a pivot (21a; 21b), the first functional portion being made of ceramic and a first outer diameter (D1) of the first functional portion being less than 0.5 mm, or less than 0.4 mm, or less than 0.2 mm, or less than 0.1 mm.

A method and device for manufacturing a bevelled stone, particularly for a timepiece are disclosed. A precursor is produced from a mixture of at least one material in powder form with a binder. The method includes pressing the precursor so as to form a green body, using a top die and a bottom die comprising a protruding rib, sintering the green body so as to form a body of the future stone in at least one material, the body including a peripheral face and a bottom face provided with a groove, and machining the body including a substep of planning the peripheral face up to the groove, such that an inner wall of the groove forms at least a flared part of the peripheral face of the stone.

A component intended to be in friction contact with another component, the component being coated with an electrically conductive layer in one piece, at least partially covering every surface of the component, the friction occurring on at least one of these surfaces, called the functional surface, the functional surface being surrounded by a plurality of side surfaces, the component having on its functional surface a texture formed of a succession of troughs coated with the electrically conductive layer, the troughs each extending between two side surfaces such that the electrically conductive layer remains in one piece over the component despite the wear caused by friction on the functional surface. The invention also relates to the method for manufacturing the component by the DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process, wherein surface defects on the sides machined by the DRIE process are used to form the troughs.

A timepiece component for a timepiece movement and notably a pivot arbor of a regulating member of a mechanical timepiece movement, made of an alloy containing by weight: between 25% and 55% of palladium, between 25% and 55% of silver, between 10% and 30% of copper, between 0.5% and 5% of zinc, gold and platinum with a total percentage of these two elements comprised between 15% and 25%, between 0% and 1% of one or more elements chosen from among boron and nickel, between 0% and 3% of one or more elements chosen from among rhenium and ruthenium, no more than 0.1% of one or more elements chosen from among iridium, osmium and rhodium, and no more than 0.2% of other impurities, the respective quantities of the components being such that, added together, they do not exceed 100%.

A method may produce a ceramic part with a mother-of-pearl effect, in particular for watchmaking. Such methods may include: forming a ceramic body; depositing a layer of an oxy-nitride component of the OxNy type on at least a portion of the ceramic body; and oxidizing at least a portion of the oxy-nitride layer, preferably by heating.