A movement includes a first wheel which includes a wheel main body which is configured by a resin material and a metal layer which is configured by a metal material and is provided on an outer surface of the wheel main body, and a second wheel which is configured by a metal material, in which the movement transmits a drive force of an electric motor module which is driven using a battery as an electrical power source.

A movement includes a first wheel which includes a wheel main body which is configured by a resin material and a metal layer which is configured by a metal material and is provided on an outer surface of the wheel main body, and a second wheel which is configured by a metal material, in which the movement transmits a drive force of an electric motor module which is driven using a battery as an electrical power source.

The invention concerns a device for holding a wheel set of a timepiece movement comprising a lever, intended to be mounted to slide via guide means on the main plate of the timepiece movement between a first and a second position.

According to the invention, the lever comprises, at a first end, a locking beak intended to cooperate with means for holding the wheel set to hold and to guide the wheel set in rotation in the first position and to leave the wheel set free in the second position, the lever being arranged to be able to move in translation, between the first position, called the retracted position, and the second position, called the deployed position.

A method for producing a tube (1) for a friction system comprising the tube (1) and an arbor (2), in particular a tube provided to rub around a pinion arbor, the method comprising a first stage of plastic deformation of the tube, in particular a first stage of plastic deformation of the tube that is controlled in deformation, followed by a second stage of hardening of the tube, in particular hardening by heat treatment.

A method for producing a tube (1) for a friction system comprising the tube (1) and an arbor (2), in particular a tube provided to rub around a pinion arbor, the method comprising a first stage of plastic deformation of the tube, in particular a first stage of plastic deformation of the tube that is controlled in deformation, followed by a second stage of hardening of the tube, in particular hardening by heat treatment.

This invention teaches a new class of materials that can be used to manufacture hairsprings and/or other components of mechanical watches, and methods for manufacturing these components. The new class of materials is crystalline compounds, including, but not limited to, gallium arsenide, extrinsically doped gallium arsenide, extrinsically doped silicon, gallium nitride, extrinsically doped gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, extrinsically doped gallium phosphide, and quartz. This invention also teaches laminated/coated crystalline compounds. The lamination/coating may be applied by one of the following methods, including but not limited to: plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, sputtering, electron beam evaporation, and thermal evaporation. Using crystalline compounds, in particular extrinsically doping the crystalline compounds, affords the possibility to controllably alter the mechanical, electrical, thermal, magnetic, and/or other properties of the watch components. These properties can be further altered by applying single or multiple laminates/coatings of varying thicknesses and/or geometries.

A timepiece mechanism including a magnetic gear formed of a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being provided with first alternating magnetic poles forming a magnetic toothing and the second wheel being provided with a toothing made of ferromagnetic material which has a magnetic coupling with the magnetic toothing, such that, when one of the first or second wheels is driven in rotation, this wheel rolls, via the magnetic coupling, over a geometric circle centred on the other wheel and linked to this other wheel. The magnetic gear further includes a ferromagnetic element arranged relative to the first wheel so as to offset at least most of a magnetic disturbance torque to which the first wheel is subjected, resulting from the magnetic coupling, this magnetic disturbance torque having a periodic variation in intensity according to the angular position of the first wheel.

A timepiece mechanism including a magnetic gear formed of a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being provided with first alternating magnetic poles forming a magnetic toothing and the second wheel being provided with a toothing made of ferromagnetic material which has a magnetic coupling with the magnetic toothing, such that, when one of the first or second wheels is driven in rotation, this wheel rolls, via the magnetic coupling, over a geometric circle centred on the other wheel and linked to this other wheel. The magnetic gear further includes a ferromagnetic element arranged relative to the first wheel so as to offset at least most of a magnetic disturbance torque to which the first wheel is subjected, resulting from the magnetic coupling, this magnetic disturbance torque having a periodic variation in intensity according to the angular position of the first wheel.

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).

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).