A dial for a timepiece, preferably a watch, the dial being provided with a relief portion which is made as an assembly of pieces on different levels, juxtaposed on a base, such that the relief portion is formed by the upper surfaces of the pieces. A method for manufacturing the dial with several separate pieces, the upper surfaces of the pieces being subjected to a polishing step and/or possibly an enamelling step. The pieces are then cut along a defined contour and then assembled edge-to-edge on a base, so as to create the relief portion.

A method for manufacturing a timepiece element, such as an applique, to be mounted on a timepiece component, such as a dial of a timepiece, includes producing a blank of the timepiece element from an injection overmoulding of injectable material into a cavity of a mould. The cavity is defined by the association of at least one impression of a first part of the mould with a second part of the mould including an inlet orifice of the cavity for injecting the material into the cavity. The method also includes finishing the timepiece element including applying a coating on the blank of the timepiece element overmoulded on the second part, and withdrawing the finished timepiece element from the second part, which includes breaking an injection point connecting the timepiece element to the second part in preparation for mounting thereof on the timepiece component.

The invention relates to a dial for a timepiece including a support and a mother-of-pearl sheet, the mother-of-pearl sheet having a front face and a rear face facing said support and on which a pattern has been printed. The mother-of-pearl sheet has a thickness between 50 m and 100 m so that the pattern printed on the rear face of the mother-of-pearl sheet appears transparently through the mother-of-pearl under normal conditions of illumination.

A method for fabricating a composite component for horology or jewellery including making a base from a first material, with a first visible apparent surface, and a first support surface; a structure from a second ceramic, or sapphire or at least partially amorphous material, with a second apparent surface and a second support surface, including a through bore machined over the entire thickness thereof; at least one insert made of a third material, for each through bore, and arranged to fit together in a complementary manner with this through bore; bonding this base and each structure to each other, with each first support surface and each second complementary support surface bearing against one another; securing each insert with its respective through bore.

A method for fabricating a timepiece or jewellery component with a structured decoration: a ceramic base is made; mirror polishing is performed; laser and/or mechanical machining of a surface relief is carried out; a relief is coated with a first layer of a first metal decorative treatment and/or coloured decorative treatment material; prior to or after the coating, deep etching is performed to produce a first hollow decoration having a depth greater than the thickness of the first layer, penetrating the base beneath its apparent surface and beneath the valleys of the relief; laser ablation is performed on the first layer in pockets at the bottom of which the ceramic is revealed; all the visible surfaces of the component are coated with a second layer of a second material.

A method for fabricating a composite timepiece or jewellery component: a base is made in a substrate with an apparent surface remaining visible; each visible apparent surface is mirror polished; each polished apparent surface is coated with a first transparent or coloured semi-transparent layer of a first material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process; a decorative element is affixed and bonded to an external surface of the first layer; the first layer and each decorative element is coated with a second layer of a transparent treatment material in a dry process, or PVD or CVD or ALD process, or lacquering or zapon varnish process.

A process for producing a part provided with an external element includes: providing an electrically conductive substrate having an upper surface and a raised pattern with a crest on the upper surface; depositing an electrically insulating layer onto the upper surface around the pattern to a thickness less than or equal to the distance between the crest and the upper surface; depositing a metal layer onto the crest by galvanic growth so that the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layer; dissolving the insulating layer; covering an assembly including the substrate and the metal layer with a mass of a base material of the part to form an imprint; separating the mass and the metal layer from the substrate, the mass then exhibiting an external element formed by a recess, the shape of which corresponds to the imprint and the base of which interfaces with the metal layer.

A dial assembly for a timepiece includes a base plate on which feet are fixed. The dial assembly supports a three-dimensional decoration which includes at least one offset element at a remove from the base plate and fixed to the base plate through at least one foot. The at least one offset element includes at least one bush provided to be pressed in on an upper support abutting on a shoulder of this foot. The dial assembly includes a removable fitting which is used for pressing in all the bushes of the dial assembly. The dial assembly includes, opposite a lower support of each foot, a support pin of this lower support.

A process for producing a part provided with an external element includes: providing an electrically conductive substrate having an upper surface and a raised pattern with a crest on the upper surface; depositing an electrically insulating layer onto the upper surface around the pattern to a thickness less than or equal to the distance between the crest and the upper surface; depositing a metal layer onto the crest by galvanic growth so that the metal layer partly rests on the insulating layer; dissolving the insulating layer; covering an assembly including the substrate and the metal layer with a mass of a base material of the part to form an imprint; separating the mass and the metal layer from the substrate, the mass then exhibiting an external element formed by a recess, the shape of which corresponds to the imprint and the base of which interfaces with the metal layer.

A dial for a timepiece, preferably a watch, the dial being provided with a relief portion which is made as an assembly of pieces on different levels, juxtaposed on a base, such that the relief portion is formed by the upper surfaces of the pieces. A method for manufacturing the dial with several separate pieces, the upper surfaces of the pieces being subjected to a polishing step and/or possibly an enamelling step. The pieces are then cut along a defined contour and then assembled edge-to-edge on a base, so as to create the relief portion.