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 mechanical watch or measurement instrument having metallic parts, wherein each part of the mechanical watch mechanism has a relative magnetic permeability of less than 1.01.

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.

Micromechanical component intended for clock mechanisms, wherein at least one portion of the component consists of a crystalline mineral material with a carbon or alumina basis and comprises at least one contact surface intended to be brought into sliding and/or pivoting contact; the contact surface locally comprising at least one microstructured area having a three-dimensional texture; the three-dimensional texture being formed of microcavities, making the microstructured area more oleophobic than the non-microstructured contact surface, and/or formed of micro pillars making the microstructured area more oleophilic than the non-microstructured contact surface; the microstructured area being configured to locally confine a lubricant substance to a lubricated portion of the contact surface.

Micromechanical component intended for clock mechanisms, wherein at least one portion of the component consists of a crystalline mineral material with a carbon or alumina basis and comprises at least one contact surface intended to be brought into sliding and/or pivoting contact; the contact surface locally comprising at least one microstructured area having a three-dimensional texture; the three-dimensional texture being formed of microcavities, making the microstructured area more oleophobic than the non-microstructured contact surface, and/or formed of micro pillars making the microstructured area more oleophilic than the non-microstructured contact surface; the microstructured area being configured to locally confine a lubricant substance to a lubricated portion of the contact surface.

A method is for manufacturing a stone, in particular for a timepiece, from a mineral body of monocrystalline or polycrystalline type. The method includes an ablation step in which the body is subjected to a material ablation by scanning on at least one face of the body using ultra-short pulse laser radiation whose duration is less than one hundred picoseconds, and whose beam is guided by a precession system having at least three axes to at least partially cancel the angle of the laser cone, which is due to the focusing of the laser. A mineral stone of monocrystalline or polycrystalline type, in particular for a horological movement, is likely to be obtained by the method. The stone includes in particular a face provided with a peripheral rim, in particular for laterally clamping an endstone in a bearing.

A method is for manufacturing a stone, in particular for a timepiece, from a mineral body of monocrystalline or polycrystalline type. The method includes an ablation step in which the body is subjected to a material ablation by scanning on at least one face of the body using ultra-short pulse laser radiation whose duration is less than one hundred picoseconds, and whose beam is guided by a precession system having at least three axes to at least partially cancel the angle of the laser cone, which is due to the focusing of the laser. A mineral stone of monocrystalline or polycrystalline type, in particular for a horological movement, is likely to be obtained by the method. The stone includes in particular a face provided with a peripheral rim, in particular for laterally clamping an endstone in a bearing.

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.

An assembly (10), in particular fora timepiece, including a rotary wheel and a bearing, like a jewel (20), the rotary wheel being provided with at least one pivot (17) including at least partly a non-magnetic material, preferably entirely, the bearing including a face (6) provided with a hole (8) formed in the body of the bearing and with a functional geometry at the entrance of the hole (8), wherein the functional geometry has the shape of a cone (12), and wherein the non-magnetic material of the pivot (17) includes an alloy to be chosen from materials containing copper, materials containing palladium or materials containing aluminium.

An assembly (10), in particular fora timepiece, including a rotary wheel and a bearing, like a jewel (20), the rotary wheel being provided with at least one pivot (17) including at least partly a non-magnetic material, preferably entirely, the bearing including a face (6) provided with a hole (8) formed in the body of the bearing and with a functional geometry at the entrance of the hole (8), wherein the functional geometry has the shape of a cone (12), and wherein the non-magnetic material of the pivot (17) includes an alloy to be chosen from materials containing copper, materials containing palladium or materials containing aluminium.