Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a horological component according to which a silicon-based piece having the desired shape of the horological component is produced and the piece is subjected to a thermal oxidation and deoxidation treatment to remove a predetermined thickness of silicon in order to increase the mechanical strength of the piece. This method is characterized in that the thermal oxidation and deoxidation treatment is carried out in several steps, each step including a thermal oxidation phase followed by a deoxidation phase.

Disclosed is a method of making a timepiece spring from monocrystalline material including the following steps: drawing the spring; identifying one or more zones of weakness of the spring in which or in at least one of which the spring will break in the event of excessive deformation; manufacturing the spring from a wafer of monocrystalline material extending in a determined plane, while orienting the spring in the wafer such that the direction of the macroscopic stresses in the or each zone of weakness when the spring is deformed is substantially parallel to a plane of cleavage of the material intersecting the determined plane. Also disclosed is a timepiece spring obtained by such a method.

An external watch control device (100) including a crown (1) carrying a first barrel (2) screwed onto a tube (4), coaxially guiding a second barrel (3) includes a driver (7), the first barrel (2) and the second barrel (3) including opposing unidirectional toothing (8; 9), the tube (4) containing a spring (11) tending to move the first barrel (2) away from the driver (7), the unidirectional toothing (8; 9) are at maximum distance when the crown (1) is completely screwed onto the tube (4), and in meshing position when the crown (1) is completely unscrewed, the cooperation between the unidirectional toothing (8; 9) allowing the rotation of the first barrel (3) in a first single direction of rotation of the crown (1), and preventing it in the opposite direction against the spring (11) in the manner of a pawl.

A zeroing device (200), including a first zeroing unit (71), which consists of a zeroing lever (12) having a zeroing lever arm (12a) and a zeroing lever latch (12b), wherein the zeroing lever latch (12b) has a first end (13) and a second end (14). The zeroing device is characterized by a second zeroing unit (72) that is arranged at an offset to the first zeroing unit (71) in a Z coordinate direction (Z) and is in operative connection with the first zeroing unit (71). The second zeroing unit (72) may also include a pendulum rod (31), a hinge support (34), and a joint rod (35), wherein the pendulum rod (31) is rotatably attached to a cam (33) and to the joint rod (35) and wherein the joint rod (35) is rotatably attached to the hinge support (34) and rests against an eccentric (36) of the zeroing lever (12).

A device (100) to temporarily stop the operation of a mechanical watch, in particular when time resetting the watch. The device includes at least three levers (4) assembled and disposed in a circle on a plate of the mechanical horological movement. At least one action member (2) of the levers (4) is provided to switch them together from a rest mode to an active mode to act on a stop lever (17) of the device. The stop lever is arranged to temporarily stop a balance spring (14) of the mechanical movement. The activation of the stop lever (17) is performed by at least one of the levers (4) regardless of the position of the stop lever (17).

A system (100) for displaying time or time derivative information, in particular a measured time, the system including a limb (10) comprising at least one modifiable graphic element (20a-f) forming time or time derivative reference information, a member (1) for indicating the time or time derivative information in cooperation with the limb, a device (2, 8, 22, 71) for modifying the graphic element, and a device (3, 4, 34) for resetting, by action of a user, to a predetermined configuration, in particular for resetting to zero, the time or time derivative information displayed by cooperation of the indication member and of the limb.

A coupling system for a chronograph mechanism is presented. The system can include an input wheel intended to be driven by a drive member; an output wheel intended to drive at least one display member; an intermediate wheel continuously kinematically connected to the input wheel or the output wheel, where the intermediate wheel changes between a coupled state where the input wheel is kinematically connected to the output wheel and an uncoupled state where the kinematic connection is broken. The system also includes a first friction wheel constrained to rotate with the intermediate wheel and a second friction wheel constrained to rotate with either the input wheel and the output wheel; a first safety wheel constrained to rotate with said intermediate wheel that includes a first set of safety teeth; and a second safety wheel constrained to rotate with the second wheel that includes a second set of safety teeth.

A timepiece mechanism for returning the seconds hand to zero, which includes a seconds arbor; a seconds hand; a cam forming a snail cam path which extends in a spiral around the seconds arbor from an inner end to an outer end connected to each other by a radial stop surface; a hammer carrying a cam follower, rotatably mounted about a hammer axis between a disengaged position wherein the cam follower is removed from the cam path and an engaged position wherein the cam follower presses on the cam path; a retaining ratchet system including a toothed wheel and a click which engages with the toothed wheel.

A method for operating a counting device (90), such as a countdown device, or a timepiece movement (100) or a timepiece (200), the method including performing a first action on a first control member (C1) causing a first timepiece function to be returned to an initial state, and then performing a second action on the first control member (C1) causing an action of adjusting or winding a second timepiece function.

An “all or nothing” actuating mechanism for a timepiece movement is described, which includes: an actuating lever that is able to move between an inactive position and an active position; a movable control lever for moving the actuating lever between its inactive and active positions; a return member for returning the control lever to its initial position; and a control member capable of pivoting between a first state in which it locks the actuating lever in its inactive position, and a second state, in which it releases the actuating lever to allow it to move to its active position. The control lever is arranged to be able to act on the control member, and move it from its first state to its second state, the actuating mechanism including a jumper tending to return the control member to its first state.