Montres Breguet S.a.

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Polychronis Nakis Karapatis

Marc Stranczl

Gregory Kissling

Pierre Cusin

Alain Zaugg

Davide Sarchi

Marco Verardo

Benoit Junod

Jerome Favre

Jérôme Favre

Younes Kadmiri

Gaetan Villard

Benoit Legeret

Sylvain Marechal

Lucien Germond

Alban Dubach

Stephane Lauper

Denis Vincent

Rene Piguet

Stephane Beugin

Jean-Philippe Rochat

Stéphane Lauper

Jean-François Pesenti

Fabio Sciascia

Benoît Légeret

Sylvain Maréchal

Adrien Chappuis

Stéphane Beugin

Benoît Junod

Gaëtan Villard

Sylvain MARÉCHAL

An external part element or component for a timepiece or piece of jewellery made with a fibre-reinforced polymer matrix composite material, this external part element including on at least one of the faces thereof at least one cavity wherein an insert made of metallic glass is housed. A method for manufacturing such an external part element is also described.

External part element for timepiece or piece of jewellery and method for manufacturing such an external part element

A micromechanical mechanism (), in particular for an horological movement (), the mechanism including a micromechanical device including a mobile element () needing to be moved mechanically to trigger its operation. Included is a system for actuating the device, the actuation system including a mobile striker () configured to go from a release position () to a percussion position () in which it transmits to the mobile element () a momentum necessary for the release of the device, the actuation system further including a magnet () configured to attract the mobile striker () in a percussion position (). Also a horological movement () including such a mechanism ().

Micromechanical mechanism provided with a percussion actuation system, in particular for horology

An impact striking mechanism (), in particular for a horological movement (), the mechanism () including at least one resonant element () enabling a sound to be emitted when it is struck, and a hammer () capable of moving between a rest position () and a strike position () in which it strikes the resonant element () in order to cause it to vibrate, characterised in that it comprises a system for actuating the hammer () including a movable impactor () configured to move from a release position () to an impact position (), in which it at least partially transmits the momentum thereof to the hammer () to move it from the rest position () thereof to the strike position () thereof in order to cause the resonant element () to vibrate.

Impact striking mechanism, in particular for timepieces

A method for tuning a gong of a striking watch. The gong is fastened at one end to a gong holder, which can be mounted in a watch case. The gong is struck by a hammer to be vibrated on a support of the measuring instrument to determine by a fast Fourier transform frequency peaks in a band of audible frequencies. A comparison in a first natural mode of a vibration frequency in the plane XY with a vibration frequency outside the plane Z is performed and a ratio calculation r=|f−f|/f, where fis the vibration frequency in the plane XY, and fis the vibration frequency outside the plane Z. If the ratio r is less than or equal to a desired value of 0.006, the gong is tuned. If it is greater, the method is repeated until the ratio value is achieved.

Method of harmonic tuning of at least one gong of a watch striking mechanism

A method for frequency tuning a set of plates of a watch. The plates are disposed one above the other forming a watch dial with a space defined between the plates. A mechanical shock to the set of plates is generated, and the vibration frequency of each plate is checked. The vibration frequency of at least one of the plates is matched if different from the other plate so as to obtain an identical vibration frequency for each plate in order to tune the plates at least according to the first vibration eigenmode so as to avoid any contact between the plates as a result of any mechanical shock.

Method for frequency tuning a set of plates of a watch, and watch comprising the set of tuned plates

The timepiece includes a tourbillon including a carriage that bears a sprung balance and a magnetic escapement device, the latter including an escape wheel set, formed of an annular magnetic structure, and a magnetic element coupled with the magnetic structure and having an oscillating movement that is synchronous with the oscillation of the mechanical resonator. The mechanical escapement is arranged so as to have alternately energy accumulation phases, from a conversion of mechanical energy supplied by the barrel into magnetic potential energy in the magnetic escapement, and transfer phases of energy accumulated in the magnetic escapement to the magnetic resonator. During the energy transfer phases, the magnetic element is subjected to a magnetic force such that the magnetic escapement then converts into mechanical energy magnetic potential energy accumulated in the preceding energy accumulation phase to be able to maintain the oscillation of the mechanical resonator.

Timepiece comprising a tourbillon

A grey gold alloy which is nickel-free, cobalt-free, iron-free, silver-free, copper-free, zirconium-free, niobium-free, chromium-free and manganese-free, including, expressed in weight percent, from 75.0 to 76.5% of Au, from 15 to 23% of Pd, from 0.5 to 5% of Rh, from 0 to 7% of Pt, and from 0 to 5% of at least one of the alloying elements Ir, Ru, Ti, In, Ga, B and Re, the respective percentages of all the alloying elements adding up to 100%.

Grey gold alloy

An adjustment member for a watch including a fixed structure extending substantially perpendicularly to an axial direction, the adjustment member including a regulating member with a balance arranged to pivot about a balance axis, this balance is pivoted by magnetic pivots in a carriage, arranged to pivot about a carriage axis, and comprised in a device for annulling variations in rate in the vertical positions, formed by a tourbillon or a carrousel, comprised in the adjustment member, and the carriage carrying magnets defining the balance axis which is perpendicular or oblique to the carriage axis.

Adjustment member for watches

A musical comb for a striking mechanism of a timepiece includes several tines connected to a heel for securing the comb inside the timepiece. The musical comb further includes grooves in the heel each extending into the extension of each space between the adjacent tines in order to eliminate any dissonance during actuation of the tines.

Musical comb for a timepiece striking mechanism

A vertical clutch device for a timepiece includes along a vertical axis a first wheel rotatably mounted about the vertical axis, a clutch disc, a spring, and a second wheel rotatably mounted about the vertical axis. The vertical clutch device is able to assume a clutched position where the second wheel is rotated by the first wheel under the action of the spring exerting a vertical force Fe to press the clutch disc against the first wheel and a disengaged position where the clutch disc is subjected against the action of the spring to a vertical force Fd separating it from the first wheel so that the second wheel is not rotated by the first wheel. The spring of the vertical clutch device is made of a shape memory alloy.

Vertical clutch device for a timepiece

Sub-assembly for watches, including an arbor including a magnetized or electrically charged surface pivoting inside a housing, and a pole piece subjecting this surface to a magnetic or electrostatic field about an axis, one pole piece cooperating axially with this surface to absorb a shock and then return the arbor to an operating position, and creating, in proximity to this surface, a magnetic or electrostatic field, which radially attracts the arbor towards a wall of the housing.

Magnetic anti-shock system for a timepiece arbor

A grey gold alloy which is nickel-free, cobalt-free, iron-free, silver-free, zirconium-free, niobium-free, chromium-free, indium-free, gallium-free and manganese-free and includes, expressed in weight percent, from 75.0 to 76.5% of Au, from 15 to 23% of Pd, from 1 to 7% of Cu, and from 0 to 5% of at least one of the alloying elements Ir, Ru, B and Re, the respective percentages of all the elements of the alloy adding up to 100%.

The mechanical timepiece movement includes an escapement having a pallet-lever arranged to move alternately into abutment with two banking elements in locking periods. The pallet-lever carries at least a first permanent magnet and the timepiece movement further includes a first element and a second element of high magnetic permeability and a second magnet and a third magnet respectively integral with first and second elements of high magnetic permeability and each arranged on an opposite side to a first magnet relative to the respective elements of high magnetic permeability. This magnetic system generates, in a first part of a first half vibration of any vibration of the pallet-lever, an overall force of magnetic attraction, defining a magnetic draw additional to the mechanical draw generated by the escape wheel, and, in a second part of this first half vibration, an overall force of magnetic repulsion.

Mechanical timepiece movement with a lever escapement

A striking mechanism is for a watch or music box that includes a vibration plate with optimized actuation energy. The striking mechanism includes a plurality of cantilevered strips. These strips are each made of a material of Young's modulus E and of density &#x3c1; satisfying the inequality: All of the strips () each satisfy the relation: where b is the width, L the length, &#x3b4; the travel, f the frequency and U the actuation energy of the strip, U being greater than or equal to 20 microwatts, and the strips () are arranged to vibrate between 800 Hz and 4000 Hz.

Striking mechanism for a watch or music box with a vibration plate having optimised actuation energy

The acoustic radiating membrane is provided to equip a musical watch or a striking watch. The dome-shaped membrane comprises an active central portion, a lateral wall and a peripheral edge portion for holding the membrane in a watch case. The central part is configured in a convex shape or a conical shape and with dimensions devised to amplify a first vibration mode of one or more notes within a frequency range of between 500 Hz and 3.5 kHz.

Growing community of inventors

Premier, Switzerland

Polychronis Nakis Karapatis