Machining centre for timepiece components

A machining center for timepiece components in medium-sized production runs, comprising:

• a fixed base on which are coaxially superposed several stages, at least one of which is movable relative to said fixed base, and wherein each said stage movable relative to said fixed base can be position indexed with respect to said fixed base, each said stage including, on the periphery thereof, a plurality of distinct stations arranged at a constant angular pitch, said stations including machining units and/or grippers whose movements are controlled by control means, said machining center including a plurality of machining locations each formed by a combination of said stations from two adjacent said stages, each said machining location combining at least one said machining unit of a said station of one of said adjacent stages and at least one gripper of another said station of the other of said adjacent stages, and wherein each relative movement between two indexing positions of two said stages is able to change the composition of each of said machining locations, said machining center including, among said stages, at least a first stage and a second stage which are superposed and adjacent,
• wherein at least one of said first stage and second stage is movable relative to said fixed base, said first stage and said second stage being arranged such that, in any relative indexing position of said first stage with respect to said second stage, each said machining location formed in the indexing operation includes at least one said machining unit belonging to one of said adjacent first stage and second stage, and at least one said gripper belonging to the other of said adjacent first stage and second stage, and
• wherein each said gripper has at least one rotational degree of freedom relative to the stage that carries said gripper, and at least one said station includes both at least one said machining unit and at least one said gripper.