CH714643A1 - Clock component incorporating at least one ornamental element. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of assembling at least one ornamental element (2) with a component (3) at least partially transparent or translucent of a timepiece or jewelery including precious or semi-precious stone, capable of rendering said at least one ornamental element (2) visible through an outer surface (4a) of said component (3), the method comprising the steps of: forming at least one cavity (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e 5f) from an inner surface (4b) of the component (3), said at least one cavity (5a-5f) being adapted to form a receiving housing for said at least one ornamental element (2), and mounting said at least one ornament member (2) in said at least one cavity (5a-5f), filling said cavity with a transparent or translucent resin so as to maintain the at least one ornamental member (2) in the thickness of the component (3) and thus form a decorated component (1).

Description

The invention relates to a method of assembling or crimping at least one ornamental element with a component of a timepiece or of jewelry. It also relates to the decorated component obtained by this process, as well as a timepiece or jewelry as such incorporating such a decorated component.

In the field of jewelry and watchmaking, it is known to use assembly methods, also called crimping methods, to fix one or more precious stones on a piece of jewelry or timepieces, such as a ring, necklace, watch or other, generally made of precious metal. There are different crimping techniques: grain or claw, closed or invisible, down or rail. The invisible setting is particularly interesting, from an aesthetic point of view, because it allows to pave a surface or create a pattern with precious stones, without anyone seeing the claws or the means of holding the stones. These pavements or patterns can use stones of different shapes and / or colors. We can thus achieve gradations of colors or mosaics by combining for example diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, etc.

The present invention provides a new approach for decoration in watchmaking and jewelry, allowing to design a component decorated with a timepiece and / or jewelry, with very varied designs.

To this end, the invention relates to a method of assembling at least one ornamental element with an at least partially transparent or translucent component of a timepiece or of jewelry, in particular of precious stone or semi-precious, capable of making said at least one ornamental element visible through an external surface of said component, the method comprising the following steps:

- formation of at least one cavity from an interior surface of the component, said at least one cavity being adapted to form a receiving housing for said at least one ornamental element, and

- mounting of said at least one ornamental element in said at least one cavity,

- filling of said cavity with a transparent or translucent resin so as to maintain the at least one ornamental element in the thickness of the component and thus form a decorated component.

The resin may include a color close to or identical to that of the material of the component at least near said cavity and / or a refractive index substantially identical to that of said material of the component at least near said cavity.

The training step may include ablation of material in the component by means of mechanical or laser machining.

The mounting step may include a substep for placing said at least one ornamental element in said at least one cavity and a substep for temporarily fixing said at least one ornamental element in said at least one component cavity.

A temporary fixing sub-step may include a step of arranging in the cavity a provisional immobilizing element of said at least one ornamental element in this cavity.

The provisional immobilization element can be an elastic element, in particular a spring.

The assembly method may include a step of partially filling said at least one cavity with a resin intended to ensure that said cavity is maintained in said cavity at least one ornamental element retained in the cavity, then removing the element of temporary immobilization.

The assembly process may include a step of performing an antireflection treatment on said component, especially when this component is made of sapphire.

The invention also relates to a decorated component for a timepiece or jewelry comprising an at least partially transparent or translucent component, in particular of precious or semi-precious stone, and at least one ornamental element positioned and maintained in its thickness within a cavity formed by an interior surface and filled with a transparent or translucent resin at least partially surrounding the ornamental element, so that the ornamental element is visible from an external surface of the component.

The component can be at least partially transparent or translucent at the level of said cavity so that the ornamental element is visible from an external surface of the component through the transparent or translucent thickness of said component.

The component may be made of precious or semi-precious stone, such as a sapphire or a diamond, and / or the resin may include a color close to or identical to that of the material of the component, at least near said cavity. , and / or a refractive index substantially identical to that of said component material, at least near said cavity.

The cavity can be a blind hole so that the component comprises a continuous and intact outer surface, at least at the level of a zone superimposed on the ornamental element.

The component may have a thickness less than or equal to 5 mm, or even less than or equal to 3 mm, at least at the level of the ornamental element.

CH 714 643 A1 [0017] The ornamental element can be made of a material from the group comprising a precious stone, a semi-precious stone, a precious metal, a metal alloy, a ceramic and metal crystals, or comprises a vegetable or animal organic matter, such as a flower, an insect, especially an ant, butterfly wings, a beetle, or a seashell.

The decorated component may include several ornamental elements arranged in contact with each other within the same cavity and / or different cavities so as to produce the effect of an invisible crimping within the component .

The decorated component can be a bezel, a crystal, a dial and / or a flange of a timepiece.

The invention also relates to a timepiece or a piece of jewelry, characterized in that it comprises at least one decorated component as described above.

These objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment made without limitation in relation to the attached figures among which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a decorated component for a timepiece, such as a bezel, comprising several ornamental elements, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of this decorated component according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view III-III of this component decorated according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view IV — IV of this decorated component according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of a timepiece or of jewelry comprising a decorated component according to the embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram relating to a method of assembling at least one ornamental element on a component for a timepiece or jewelry piece according to an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the invention will be illustrated in the context of the decoration of a sapphire bezel for a timepiece, in particular for a wristwatch, by way of example. Naturally, it remains suitable for an implementation for decorating other components of a timepiece or of jewelry, in particular other sapphire components.

By convention, we will use the adjective "interior" to designate a part or a surface of a component intended to be oriented towards the timepiece or jewelry, and which will be at least partly hidden, and vice versa the adjective "exterior" to designate a part or a surface intended to be oriented outside the timepiece or jewelry, and which will be at least partially visible to an observer.

The embodiment of the invention therefore illustrates a sapphire crystal decorated for a timepiece 10, comprising at least one ornamental element 2, preferably several ornamental elements 2, obtained by a method of 'assembly or crimping, illustrated in fig. 6. More specifically, this decorated bezel is therefore formed by the integration of at least one ornamental element 2 in a component 3 to form a decorated component 1, a decorated bezel according to the example chosen.

A method of assembling at least one ornamental element 2 with a component 3 will now be explained, with reference to FIG. 6, according to an embodiment of the invention. This process contributes to attaching at least one ornamental element 2 to component 3 of a timepiece or of fine jewelry 10, in order to achieve a result which is similar to an invisible setting.

To do this, the method comprises a step of forming 11 of one or more cavities 5a to 5f in an inner surface 4b of a component 3, here the telescope. Such a training step 11 is advantageously carried out by mechanical or laser machining, such machining being carried out so that each cavity 5a to 5f is adapted to form a housing for receiving at least one ornamental element 2.

More specifically, according to the embodiment, this step 11 comprises a substep of embodiment 12 of at least one cavity 5a to 5f by ablation of material in the inner surface 4b of the component 3 by means of machining mechanical or laser. This laser ablation allows the interior surface 4b of the component 3 to be hollowed out in order to extract a portion of material therefrom for the creation of several cavities 5a to 5f. Each cavity 5a to 5f thus created is in the form of a blind hole, which may have a shape complementary to the ornamental element (s) 2 which must be arranged there. Naturally, the invention does not relate specifically to the shape of the decoration, therefore not to the number of cavity (s) or ornamental element (s), which may be any. Note, this step has no impact on the outer surface 4a opposite the inner surface 4b, superimposed on a cavity thus formed.

Of course, one can consider using different types of laser to obtain such laser machining of a cavity 5a to 5f in a component 3 of the timepiece 10.

CH 714 643 A1 [0029] In addition, any combination of number of cavities and number of ornamental element 2 can be envisaged. Thus, such a cavity forming step 11 then makes it possible to obtain, from the internal surface 4b of the component 3:

- A single cavity 5a to 5f adapted to form a housing for receiving a single ornamental element 2 or a plurality of ornamental elements 2;

- A plurality of cavities 5a to 5f, each cavity 5a to 5f is adapted to form a housing for receiving a single ornamental element 2 or a plurality of ornamental elements 2;

- A plurality of cavities 5a to 5f of which at least first and second cavities 5a to 5f are adapted to form housings for receiving respectively a single ornamental element 2 and a plurality of ornamental elements 2.

The method then comprises an optional step 13 of producing an anti-reflective treatment on the component 3, in particular when this component 3 is a precious stone such as sapphire. Such a step 13 comprises a sub-step of applying a thin layer of material with a low refractive index to the exterior surface 4a, the interior surface 4b and / or said at least one cavity 5a to 5f of the component 3. During this sub-step 14, a physical vapor deposition, better known by the acronym "PVD", of such a thin layer is then produced, in particular under vacuum, from an evaporation or cathode sputtering. It will be noted that such an anti-reflective treatment, in addition to its anti-reflective function, contributes to improving the resistance of the resin used in contact with component 3, as will be detailed below.

Then, the method provides a step of mounting 15 of at least one ornamental element 2 in at least one cavity 5a to 5f of the component 3. This step 15 comprises a sub-step of positioning 16 of said at at least one ornamental element 2 in said at least one cavity 5a to 5f. During this substep 16, at least one ornamental element 2 is then inserted in each cavity 5a to 5f.

Then, the mounting step 15 comprises a sub-step of temporary fixing 17 of said at least one ornamental element 2 to component 3, more precisely in a cavity 5a to 5f of this component 3. This temporary fixing has the objective of maintaining an ornamental element 2 in the desired final position within a cavity of the component 3: this final position may meet aesthetic and technical criteria.

Finally, the method comprises a step of filling the cavity 20 with a resin. This resin makes it possible to close the cavities produced, while permanently maintaining each ornamental element within a cavity, in the chosen positioning. The resin therefore at least partially surrounds each ornamental element to ensure its maintenance.

This last filling step 20 can be carried out in several distinct steps, in combination with the temporary fixing sub-step 17. In fact, this temporary fixing sub-step 17 can comprise a step of arrangement 18 in a cavity 5a to 5f of a provisional immobilization element of an ornamental element 2. During this arrangement step 18 , a temporary immobilization element is preferably placed in each cavity 5a to 5f. According to one embodiment, such an immobilizing element may for example be a spring, of which a first end supports at least one ornamental element in the final chosen location, when the spring is at rest, and of which a second end is held on an external device.

The method then comprises a sub-step of partial filling 19 with at least one cavity 5a to 5f with resin, until the resin comes into contact with at least one ornamental element and comes to ensure its maintenance, and before the resin reaches the immobilizing element, the spring according to this embodiment.

Then, the temporary immobilization element can therefore be removed since the ornamental element remains maintained by the resin, then the step of filling the cavity 20 completely can be finalized.

In this embodiment, the spring used as a temporary immobilization element has the advantage of providing flexibility which promotes the passage of the resin around each ornamental element, so that the resin fills a cavity from its bottom, while allowing an elastic repositioning of the ornamental element 2 at the desired location in its cavity when the resin has been able to partially fill the bottom of the cavity. Note, it is possible to use one spring per ornamental element or for several ornamental elements, or even several springs for the same ornamental element. In addition, it is possible to use one spring per cavity 5a to 5f or several springs per cavity. As a variant, the spring can be replaced by any elastic element.

In an alternative embodiment, a temporary immobilizing element can be an adhesive material, such as glue, which then temporarily connects the ornamental element 2 to at least one wall of a cavity of the component.

Finally, after full filling 20 of each cavity, the method may include an optional finishing step 21, consisting of cleaning the interior surface of the decorated component 1 obtained, to avoid any overflow of resin and obtain a perfectly flat interior surface and / or continuous of the decorated component 1.

Note, we note that an anti-reflection treatment as mentioned above fulfills a second technical function of improving the adhesion between the resin and the component at their interface, especially when this component is made of sapphire.

CH 714 643 A1 Naturally, this process is particularly intended for a component 3 at least partially transparent or translucent at the level of a zone superimposed on an ornamental element to allow perfect or blurred visibility of such an element. ornament 2 by its outer surface.

On the other hand, the resin used is also transparent or translucent, so as not to hide the ornamental element or elements 2 which it surrounds and maintains.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the resin is chosen to have an appearance similar to, or even identical to, the material of component 3, at least at the level of a cavity. It can thus have the same color. Advantageously, it also has a refractive index identical to that of the material of component 3, to ensure optical continuity at the interface between component 3 and the resin, at the level of a cavity, which does not make it possible to detect at the naked eye the presence of the resin within the component 3. The result obtained is similar to an invisible crimping of at least one ornamental element 2 suspended in the thickness of a component 3. In addition, the outer surface 4a of component 3 remains unchanged and continuous, retains all of its properties intact. In particular, it has an optimal aesthetic appearance due to its continuity, appreciable to the eye as well as to the touch, while forming a protective surface for the timepiece or jewelry on which it is mounted, in particular against scratches, naturally complementing the protection of the ornamental elements it covers.

This assembly process offers the possibility of achieving a multitude of decorative effects, very simply, by varying the materials, shapes, colors, number, etc., of the ornamental elements, which can be any, depending on the decorative aspect chosen. Advantageously, it makes it possible to have ornamental elements made of precious material or of noble metal, or of any metallic alloy, within a transparent or translucent component, possibly very rigid, for example itself also from a stone. precious.

The resin used is preferably a transparent synthetic resin. For example, this resin can be a high quality optical silicone resin. Note, during the filling steps, the resin is preheated to make it sufficiently liquid to promote its introduction into a cavity 5a to 5f of the component. After hardening, it guarantees the maintenance of the ornamental elements, as well as the sealing of the decorated component.

The invention also relates to a decorated component 1 obtained by such an assembly process.

Figs. 1 to 4 thus illustrate an example in which the component 3 is a sapphire watch bezel, and the ornamental elements 2 are in the form of small gold rods.

The bezel is transparent, even translucent, and has opposite exterior surfaces 4a and interior 4b, flat and parallel, as well as mounting areas 6. The bezel also includes circular external edges 7a and internal 7b, connecting the surfaces inner and outer 4a, 4b therebetween, and delimiting the annular shape of the telescope.

In this bezel, the mounting areas 6 are defined between these two outer edges 7a and inner 7b and are provided to secure the bezel and therefore the decorated component 1 on a timepiece 10. Each area of mounting 6 is provided with a through hole 8 opening at each of its ends in the exterior 4a and interior 4b surfaces. This hole is intended to cooperate with a connecting element such as a screw, so as to participate in the fixing of this component 3 and therefore of the decorated component 1 on the timepiece 10.

The outer surface 4a of the components is visible to an observer of the timepiece 10, when this component 3 is fixed to the timepiece 10. As explained, this outer surface 4a is preferably flat, smooth and / or continue. It is also intact, that is to say that it is devoid of any type of alteration or damage which would in particular be likely to degrade the transparency or the appearance of component 3.

Cavities 5a to 5f extend from the inner surface 4b, adapted to form housings for the reception of ornamental elements 2. In the bezel, several cavities 5a to 5f are defined from this inner surface 4b, extending between the external and internal edges 7a, 7b on the one hand and the mounting zones 6 on the other hand. In this component 3, each cavity 5a to 5f is adapted to form a housing capable of receiving a plurality of ornamental elements 2, or even a single ornamental element 2.

In this embodiment, such an ornamental element 2 can be a precious or semi-precious stone, or else an element made of precious metal (gold, platinum), ceramic or even metal crystals (in particular gold crystals). As a variant, in all of the embodiments, an ornamental element 2 can be any stone, or come from an organic plant or animal material, such as a flower, an insect, in particular an ant, butterfly wings, a scarab , or a shell.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that in such a decorated component 1, the ornamental element or elements 2 arranged in the cavities 5a to 5f defined from the interior surface 4b, are visible through the exterior surface 4a.

The resulting decorated component 1 may comprise a plurality of ornamental elements, in particular several stones, which are housed in the same cavity 5a to 5f according to an arrangement configuration of these ornamental elements which may consist of several baguette-cut stones placed side by side, to obtain a visual impression of invisible continuous setting. As a variant, this decorated component 1 may also include a plurality of ornamental elements 2, which are each housed in a corresponding cavity 5a to 5f, the cavities 5a to 5f can be arranged by being

CH 714 643 A1 close to one another so that the ornamental elements 2, visible by the external surface 4a, appear glued to each other, without any apparent vision of a crimp.

In such a decorated component 1, the initial component 3 is for example a component of a timepiece 10, resulting from the cutting or the shaping of a precious or semi-precious stone, such as a transparent sapphire or a diamond, in order to give it the shape and / or the function expected in the timepiece 10. In a non-limiting and non-exhaustive manner, the component 3 of the timepiece 10 may be a crystal, a dial, a flange or even a bezel as in the present embodiment of the invention described above.

The invention is thus particularly suitable for the decoration of a thin component, for example a spectacle or a lens of thickness less than or equal to 5 mm, or even less than or equal to 3 mm. This component is therefore advantageously presented as a part of a flat plate of small thickness, comprising two outer and inner surfaces that are flat, even slightly curved, and opposite, preferably parallel. Each cavity has a depth less than this thickness of the component, so as not to alter its outer surface. This depth can for example represent at most 75% of the thickness of the component at the place where the cavity is made. In the extreme case of a watch crystal, its thickness may be very small, in particular between approximately 1 and 3 mm, preferably equal to 2 mm, and the depth P of a cavity is then preferably less than or equal to 1 mm.

In an alternative embodiment, the component 3 can simply be a precious or semi-precious stone having a decorative function in the timepiece or jewelry 10.

claims

Claims (17)

1. Method of assembling at least one ornamental element (2) with a component (3) at least partially transparent or translucent of a timepiece or of jewelry (10), in particular of precious or semi-precious stone -precious, capable of making said at least one ornamental element (2) visible through an external surface (4a) of said component (3), the method comprising the following steps: - Formation (11) of at least one cavity (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f) from an interior surface (4b) of the component (3), said at least one cavity (5a to 5f) being adapted to form a receiving housing for said at least one ornamental element (2), and - mounting (15) of said at least one ornamental element (2) in said at least one cavity (5a to 5f), - filling (20) of said cavity with a transparent or translucent resin so as to maintain the at least one ornamental element (2) in the thickness of the component (3) and thus form a decorated component (1). 2. An assembly method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the resin comprises a color close to or identical to that of the material of the component (3) at least near said cavity and / or a refractive index substantially identical to that of said material of the component (3) at least near said cavity. 3. Assembly method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the forming step (11) comprises ablation of material in the component (3) by means of mechanical or laser machining. 4. An assembly method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mounting step (15) comprises a sub-step of positioning (16) of said at least one ornamental element (2) in said at least one cavity (5a to 5f) and a sub-step for temporarily fixing (17) said at least one ornamental element (2) in said at least one cavity (5a to 5f) of the component (3). 5. Assembly method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that a temporary fixing sub-step (17) comprises an arrangement step (18) in the cavity (5a to 5f) of an immobilizing element temporary of said at least one ornamental element (2) in this cavity (5a to 5f). 6. The assembly method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the provisional immobilization element is an elastic element, in particular a spring. 7. Method of assembly according to one of claims 5 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a step of partial filling (19) of said at least one cavity (5a to 5f) with a resin intended to ensure maintenance in this cavity (5a to 5f) of said at least one ornamental element (2) retained in the cavity (5a to 5f), then the withdrawal of the provisional immobilizing element. 8. An assembly method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of producing (13) an anti-reflection treatment on said component (3), in particular when this component (3) is in sapphire. 9. Decorated component (1) for a timepiece or jewelry (10) comprising a component (3) at least partially transparent or translucent, in particular of precious or semi-precious stone, and at least one ornamental element ( 2) positioned and maintained in its thickness within a cavity produced by an interior surface (4b) and filled with a transparent or translucent resin at least partially surrounding the ornamental element (2), so that the element ornamental (2) is visible from an outer surface (4a) of the component (3). CH 714 643 A1 10. decorated component (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the component (3) is at least partially transparent or translucent at the level of said cavity so that the ornamental element (2) is visible from a surface exterior (4a) of the component (3) through the transparent or translucent thickness of said component (3). 11. decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the component (3) is of precious or semi-precious stone, such as a sapphire or a diamond, and / or in that the resin comprises a color close to or identical to that of the material of the component (3), at least near said cavity, and / or a refractive index substantially identical to that of said material of the component (3) at least near said cavity. 12. decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the cavity is a blind hole so that the component (3) comprises an outer surface (4a) continuous and intact, at least at the level a zone superimposed on the ornamental element (2). 13. decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the component (3) has a thickness less than or equal to 5 mm, or even less than or equal to 3 mm, at least at the level of the ornamental element (2). 14. decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the ornamental element (2) is made of a material of the group comprising a precious stone, a semi-precious stone, a precious metal , a metal alloy, a ceramic and metal crystals, or comprises an organic plant or animal material, such as a flower, an insect, in particular an ant, butterfly wings, a beetle, or a seashell. 15. Decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that it comprises several ornamental elements (2) arranged in contact with each other within the same cavity and / or of different cavities so as to produce the effect of an invisible crimping within the component (3). 16. Decorated component (1) according to one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that it is a bezel, a crystal, a dial and / or a flange of a timepiece (10). 17. Timepiece or jewelry (10), characterized in that it comprises at least one decorated component (1) according to any one of claims 9 to 16.