AU2013101183B4

AU2013101183B4 - An article of adornment

Info

Publication number: AU2013101183B4
Application number: AU2013101183A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Catherine Büman
Original assignee: PASPALEY PEARLS PROPERTIES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: PASPALEY PEARLS PROPERTIES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-09-05
Filing date: 2013-09-05
Publication date: 2019-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-05
Also published as: AU2013101183A4

Abstract

An article of adornment 10 includes a basket 12 in which a gem 18 is received in a rotationally unconstrained manner, the basket 12 defining a closable mouth 16. A closure member 20 is displaceably arranged relative to the mouth 16 of the basket 12 for opening and closing the mouth 16 of the basket 12 to enable insertion of the gem 18 into, or removal of the gem 18 from, the basket 12.

Description

Technical Field [0001] This disclosure relates, generally, to an article of adornment and, more particularly, to an item of jewellery.

Summary [0002] In one aspect, there is provided an article of adornment which includes a basket in which a gem is received in a rotationally unconstrained manner, the basket defining a closable mouth;

a hanger element from which the basket is suspended, the hanger element being formed as an extension of opposed strands of the basket; and a closure member slidably arranged on the hanger element towards and away from the mouth of the basket for opening and closing the mouth of the basket to enable insertion of the gem into, or removal of the gem from, the basket.

[0003] In this specification, the term “gem” is to be understood, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, to include items such as pearls, gemstones, combinations of the foregoing, or the like.

[0004] The basket may be a flexible, chain basket. The protective covering may be of a natural or synthetic elastomeric material or of a suitable plastics material. Further, the protective covering may be in the form of a coating, cushioning, padding, or the like, which is applied to the interior of the basket for inhibiting damage to the gem by the basket bearing against the gem, in use.

[0005] The article may include a stabiliser member carried by the basket in a position spaced from the mouth of the basket for stabilising the basket and the element within the basket.

[0006] At least one of the basket, the closure member and the stabiliser member may carry decorative elements. In an embodiment, each of the basket, the closure member and the stabiliser member carries decorative elements.

[0007] The closure member may be slid towards the basket

2013101183 05 Sep 2013 to close the mouth of the basket and, conversely, may be slid away from the basket to open the mouth to enable the element within the basket to be accessed.

[0008] the basket may include a protective covering at least on its interior for inhibiting damage to the gem. Further, at least that part of the closure member through which the hanger element extends may be treated to enhance retention the closure member in position relative to the hanger element. The closure member may define a passage through which the hanger element extends. The passage may be coated with an anti-slip material which, while facilitating retention of the closure member in position, also facilitates displacement of the closure member relative to the hanger element.

Brief Description of Drawings [0009] An embodiment of the disclosure is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:[0010] Fig.l shows a front view of an embodiment of an article of adornment with a basket of the article in a closed configuration;

[0011] Fig.2 shows a front view of the article of adornment with the basket of the article in an open configuration;

[0012] Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the article of adornment; and [0013] Fig. 4 shows a bottom view of the article of adornment.

Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments [0014] In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates an embodiment of an article of adornment. The article of adornment is in the nature of a lavalier and will be described with reference to that application below. It will, however, be appreciated that the article of adornment could adopt other forms such as, for example, a bracelet.

[0015] The article 10 includes a flexible basket 12 made of chain links and is formed integrally with a hanger element, or hanger, 14. The basket 12 defines a mouth 16 (Fig.2) through which a gem 18 is insertable into, or removable from, the basket 12. The basket 12 retains the gem 18 in

2013101183 05 Sep 2013 a rotationally unconstrained manner. As defined, a “gem” is to be understood, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, to include items such as pearls, gemstones, combinations of the foregoing, or the like. The article 10 has been designed for use with a gem in the form of a pearl but it will be appreciated that it could be used with any other type of gem.

[0016] To inhibit damage being caused to the gem 18 contained within the basket 12, an interior surface of the basket 12 has a protective covering which may be a coating, cushioning, padding, or the like. The protective covering is of any suitable synthetic or naturally occurring elastomeric material, a synthetic plastics material, or the like. Typically, the protective covering may be selected from the group consisting of silicone, nitrile, naturally occurring or synthetic rubber, and other suitable synthetic plastic materials. The protective covering is applied at least to those points of the basket 12 which come into contact with the gem 18 so as to inhibit damage of the gem 18 where the basket 12 makes contact with the gem 18.

[0017] The basket 12 is designed to evoke a nautical theme which is appropriate for the gem 18 being in the form of a pearl. Thus, the design of the basket 12 is intended to evoke an association with the pearling industry specifically the nautical ropes that are used in the fishing and grow out of pearl oysters from the wild and is also associated with traditional glass buoys which are encased in a net-like rope structure.

[0018] The article 10 includes a closure member, or crown, 20 which is slidably displaceably arranged on the hanger 14 to facilitate opening and closing of the mouth 16 of the basket 12. In Fig 1 of the drawings, the crown 20 is shown in a position in which it closes the mouth 16 of the basket 12 while, in Fig 2 of the drawing, the crown 20 is shown spaced from the basket 12. In this latter position of the crown 20, the mouth 16 of the basket 12 is in an open configuration to allow insertion of the gem 18 into the basket 12 or the removal of the gem 18 from the basket 12.

[0019] The crown 20 defines a passage, illustrated schematically at 22 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, through which the hanger 14 passes to enable the crown 20 to be displaced along the hanger 14 towards and away from the basket 12.

[0020] The passage 22 of the crown 20 is treated to enhance retention of the crown 20 in position relative to the hanger 14. More particularly, the passage 22 is coated or contains a suitable material to enable the crown 20 to grip the hanger 14 but also to allow the crown 20 to be slidably displaced relative to the hanger 14. The material contained within the passage 22 of the

2013101183 05 Sep 2013 crown 20 is selected from the same group of materials as the materials selected for the protective coating of the interior surface of the basket 12.

[0021] The article 10 includes a stabiliser member 24 suspended from the basket 12. The stabiliser member 24 serves to assist the basket 12 in maintaining its correct orientation when worn by a user and also to maintain the structural integrity of the basket 12.

[0022] As illustrated most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the basket 12 is made up of intersecting strands 26 of chain. At the points where the strands 26 intersect, the article 10 includes decorative elements 28 which can either be in the form of gemstones, precious metals, or combinations of gemstones and precious metals depending on the degree of decoration required. In addition, the crown 20 and the stabiliser member 24 can also carry decorative elements or be decorated with gemstones and/or precious metals.

[0023] As indicated above, one of the uses of the article 10 is for retaining a gem 18 in the form of a pearl. Hence, in use, the crown 20 is slid along the hanger 14 into the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the pearl 18 is inserted into the basket 12. The pearl 18 is an undrilled pearl and, as indicated above, once received in the basket 12, is rotationally unconstrained. As a result, the pearl 18 can rotate within the basket 12 bringing different parts of the pearl into view while the article 10 is being worn by the user.

[0024] The article 10 can be provided in various price categories depending on the type or category of decorative elements 28 applied to the article 10. In addition, a purchaser of the article 10 is able to select an individual, undrilled pearl to suit particular tastes, characteristics or budget and the pearl 18 is held and showcased in the basket 12 of the article 10. Hence, an article 10 is provided which is able to cater for various budgets and tastes.

[0025] It is an advantage of the disclosure that an article of adornment is provided which, as described, caters for various budgets, tastes and desired characteristics. In addition, the basket 12 is treated so that it inhibits damage being caused to a gem 18 contained within the basket 12. The gem 18 contained within the basket 12 is rotationally unconstrained and is able to rotate to bring different faces or facets of the gem 18 into view during wearing of the article 10 by the user.

2013101183 05 Sep 2013 [0026] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. An article of adornment which includes a basket in which a gem is received in a rotationally unconstrained manner, the basket defining a closable mouth;

a hanger element from which the basket is suspended, the hanger element being formed as an extension of opposed strands of the basket; and a closure member slidably arranged on the hanger element towards and away from the mouth of the basket for opening and closing the mouth of the basket to enable insertion of the gem into, or removal of the gem from, the basket.
2. The article of claim 1 which includes a stabiliser member carried by the basket in a position spaced from the mouth of the basket for stabilising the basket and the element within the basket.
3. The article of claim 1 or claim 2 in which at least one of the basket, the closure member and the stabiliser member carries decorative elements.
4. The article of any one of the preceding claims in which the basket includes a protective covering at least on its interior for inhibiting damage to the gem.