Skeleton watch

Abstract

The present invention relates to a skeleton watch designed to be placed on a stand. The watch comprises a case with a transparent back and a crystal, and a set of components forming a movement of the skeleton watch. These components are arranged within the case between the back and the crystal and are wholly or partially visible through the crystal. According to the invention, the back comprises a semi-transparent coating arranged to conceal the stand when the watch is on it and to make the movement visible through the back when the watch is not on the stand.

Description

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of watchmaking. More particularly, it relates to a skeleton watch with a transparent case back. A skeleton watch is defined as a watch with a movement in which certain parts, typically the dial, mainplate, and / or bridges, are skeletonized to allow the wearer to see the movement's components. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Such watches have been known for a very long time. In its most basic form, simply removing the dial reveals the inner workings of the watch. However, only a portion of this mechanism will be visible, as some components are hidden by the mainplate and bridges that hold the gear train together. The idea was then to open up this mainplate and these bridges as much as possible, thus revealing components hidden beneath them. This results in the so-called skeleton watch, which reveals most of its internal components. This type of watch primarily aims to showcase the large number of its constituent parts and the intricate way in which they are intertwined. This is particularly true for chronographs and watches with grand complications.

[0003] In such a timepiece, the back of the watch can be made of a transparent material so that the movement is also visible from the back.

[0004] In this configuration, the wearer's skin is visible through the case back, which detracts from the watch's aesthetics.

[0005] Document CH 702 419 A2 discloses a timepiece comprising a luminous device arranged to project shadows of at least one element disposed between the luminous device and said background or dial onto the dial or case back when the luminous device is in use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention relates to a skeleton watch avoiding the aforementioned disadvantages and allowing in particular not to be seen the wearer's wrist when the watch is worn while leaving the movement visible from the back when the watch is not worn.

[0007] To this end, the invention proposes a skeleton watch arranged to be placed on a support, the watch comprising a case with a transparent back and a glass, and a set of organs forming a movement of the skeleton watch, said organs being arranged within the case between the back and the glass and being wholly or partly visible through the glass.

[0008] According to the invention, the case back comprises a semi-transparent coating arranged to conceal the support when the watch is on it and to make the movement visible through the case back when the watch is not on the support.

[0009] In accordance with other advantageous variants of the invention: The coating is a metallic layer selected from chromium, titanium, chromium nitride and aluminum, said layer having a thickness of between 1nm and 100nm; the coating is deposited on the outer face of the case back; the coating is deposited on the inner face of the case back; the coating is deposited on both the inner and outer faces of the case back; the case back is made of sapphire glass, mineral glass, or any other transparent material; the coating is a transparent liquid crystal display; the coating is an electrochromic material coating; the case back may include a transparent protective layer superimposed on said metallic layer; the watch includes a quartz movement or a mechanical movement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, which refers to the following figures. THE figures 1 and 2 represent respectively a top view and a cross-sectional view of the skeleton watch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. figure 3 is a schematic view of the back of the watch according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention relates to a skeleton-type watch equipped with at least one photovoltaic cell, which will also be called a solar cell or simply a cell in the context of this document.

[0012] THE figures 1 and 2The figures represent a skeleton watch 1 which, in a classic manner, comprises a case formed by the case middle 2, the crystal 3, and the case back 4. The crystal is fixed to the case middle 2 in a conventional manner using a bezel L. In the illustrated example, the case houses all the components of a classic mechanical movement. The figures show, in particular, a watch movement with a load-bearing structure formed by a mainplate 5 with a rim that rests against a mounting ring machined into the case middle 2 and held in place against this mounting ring by the bezel.

[0013] The movement support structure includes, in addition to the plate 5, a first bridge 6, a second bridge 7, and a third bridge 8, all three fixed to the plate 5.

[0014] The watch movement mechanism includes, among other things, the barrel, the winding mechanism, the main gear train, and the regulating organ, which is mounted between the plate 5 and one of the three bridges 6, 7, 8. A winding stem passes through the case 2 of the watch case and is driven by a winding crown 10. According to a variant not shown, the movement may be a quartz movement.

[0015] The originality of the skeleton watch lies in the bottom 4 of the watch case.

[0016] According to the invention, the case back 4 of the watch is made of sapphire crystal and includes a semi-transparent coating 40 arranged to conceal the support on which the watch rests and to make the movement 5 visible through the case back 4 when the watch is not on a support. Obviously, the case back can be made of any other type of glass, such as mineral glass, or a transparent material, such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0017] The support can be the wearer's wrist or a support intended for displaying the watch in a shop window, for example.

[0018] The coating can be deposited by PVD onto the outer face of the base 4, i.e., the face in contact with the substrate, and comprises a layer of a non-allergenic metal or metal alloy. The coating 40 has a thickness that varies between 1 nm and 100 nm depending on the metal or alloy used. The coating can also be deposited on the inner face of the base 4, or on both faces.

[0019] The metallic or metal alloy layer can be chosen from chromium, titanium, chromium nitride and aluminum.

[0020] For example, in the case of an aluminum layer, the layer thickness is between 1nm and 40nm, the layer thickness being adapted according to that of the transparent background 4. The layer thickness must also be chosen according to the desired reflectivity and transmission.

[0021] According to a first variant of the invention, the coating is a transparent liquid crystal display that can be activated by movement and thus obscure the glass.

[0022] According to a second variant, the coating is made of electrochromic material. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the base 4 includes a transparent protective layer 41 superimposed on the coating 40 so as to protect it from scratches, for example.

[0023] According to another embodiment not shown in the figures, the coating 40 is deposited on the inner face of the transparent base 4. Such an embodiment makes it possible to do without the protective layer 41.

[0024] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example and is susceptible to various variants and modifications which will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A skeleton watch (1) designed to be placed on a support, the watch (1) comprising a case fitted with a transparent back (4) and a glass (3), and a set of organs forming a movement (5) of the skeleton watch (1), said organs being arranged within the case between the back (4) and the glass (3) and being fully or partially visible through the glass (3), said back comprising a semi-transparent plating, said watch being characterised in that the semi-transparent plating is arranged to conceal said support when the watch is on the latter and to make the movement (5) visible from the back when the watch is not on said support.

2. The skeleton watch (1) according to claim 1, in which said plating is a metallic layer chosen among chromium, titanium, chromium nitride and aluminium, said layer having a thickness comprised between 1 nm and 100 nm.

3. The skeleton watch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which said plating (40) is deposited on the outer face of the back (4).

4. The skeleton watch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which said plating (40) is deposited on the inner face of the back (4).

5. The skeleton watch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which said plating (40) is deposited on the outer face and the inner face of the back (4).

6. The skeleton watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the back (4) is made of sapphire glass, mineral glass, or any other transparent material.

7. The skeleton watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which the back comprises a transparent protective layer (41) superimposed on the plating (40).

8. The skeleton watch (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a quartz movement or a mechanical movement.

Images