EP1424916B1

EP1424916B1 - Double-face jewel

Info

Publication number: EP1424916B1
Application number: EP02772814A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Rancan
Original assignee: Rancangelo di Rancan Dario e Pietro SNC
Current assignee: Rancangelo di Rancan Dario e Pietro SNC
Priority date: 2001-09-11
Filing date: 2002-09-04
Publication date: 2006-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2022-09-04
Also published as: DE60213104T2; EP1424916A2; US20050016212A1; WO2003022089A2; ITRM20010170U1; DE60213104D1; WO2003022089A3; JP2005501633A; ITRM20010170V0; ATE332653T1; AU2002338196A1

Abstract

Annular jewel (1), such as a necklace, bracelet and the like, having a double-face construction, comprising an elongated main body (2) having a first (51) and a second (52) display face of substantially different appearance and a decorative element (3) rotatably connected to the elongated main body (2) in order to assume two display positions corresponding to the two display faces (51, 52).

Description

The present invention refers to an annular double-face jewel such as a necklace, bracelet and the like. In particular, it refers to a jewel at least partially made of precious metal.
The different activities and social events attended by a person require the availability of a wardrobe comprising clothing items of different style, design and colors. To each such clothing items, at wearing-on, and also occasionwise, there should be matched jewels toning in with the colors and the style thereof. However, as it is well known, jewels, above all when made of precious metal, are quite expensive. Therefore, it is quite unlikely that a person may acquire jewels suitable for any occasion and for each clothing item available.
Hence, there is a demand for more versatile jewels. This demand is particularly felt for the necklaces and the bracelets, typically the most visible and important jewels and often the sole ones worn-on for appreciable clothing complement aesthetics.
GB-A-2 258 134 discloses a wrist watch provided with a strap or bracelet the faces of which have a mutually different appearance. Such strap or bracelet is provided with pivot links and it is reversible relative to the wrist watch dial so that alternatively one face or the other may be displayed.
US-A-5,722,260 discloses a jewellery clasp having an inner pair of hooks for releasable attachment to the ends of a string of pearls or chain necklace. The clasp halves have different decorations.
US-A-4,878,364 discloses a jewellery piece having a first base section and a second base section in parallel, such that different gemstones can be retained and displayed on the first and second opposite sides of the base.
Object of the present invention is to provide an annular jewel such as a necklace, a bracelet and the like that meets the need hereto mentioned with reference to the known art.
This problem is solved by a double-face jewel according to claim 1.
The main advantage of the present invention lies in providing a versatile jewel, actually implementing, in a single structure, two different valuables, providing a double wearing option thereof.
Other advantages, features, and the modes of employ of the present invention will be made apparent in the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of a non-limiting example. Reference will be made to the figures of the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a necklace according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the necklace of Figure 1, taken along line A-A thereof,
Figure 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of a detail of the necklace of Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the necklace of Figure 1.

With initial reference to Figure 1, a double-face necklace according to the invention is generally indicated with 1. This necklace 1 comprises an elongated main body 2, making the choker portion thereof and being apt to follow just a user's neck contour, and a decorative element 3, rotatably connected to said choker portion 2, as it will be detailed hereinafter.
The choker portion 2 is in turn made of two main segments, and in particular of a first and a second segment, respectively indicated with 41 and 42, both having a curved contour and being symmetrical the one with respect to the other.
With additional reference to Figure 2, in the present embodiment each of the curved segments 41, 42 is made of two precious metal foils, 51 and 52, respectively, of identical dimensions, one made of yellow gold or gold-plated and the other one of white gold or white gold-plated. These foils 51 and 52 are welded the one to the other at respective longitudinal edges thereof, thereby making a tubular structure having a squashed cross section. This squashed configuration enables the entire choker portion 2 to stably abut onto the user's torso, thereby having each foil 51, 52 make one display face of the double-face necklace 1.
Preferably, the tubular structure formed by the two foils 51 and 52 is sectioned into a plurality of annular elements, arranged side by side the one to the other, in order to provide the choker 2 with the required and pleasant structural flexibility. Internally, said tubular structure further provides a helically wound elongated foil 53, also called strip, which constitutes the threading, guiding and supporting base of said annular elements.
In the present embodiment, said squashed cross section is substantially eye-shaped. Alternatively, said section may assume a rectangular, oval, ellipsoidal shape, or any squashed shape whatsoever.
In the present embodiment, in the longitudinal space defined within the tubular structure formed by the two foils 51 and 52 there is provided a thread-shaped precious metal core 6, e.g. made of gold, invisible from the outside and apt to provide stability to the longitudinal tractioning of the structure and, hence, mechanical resistance to elongation of the necklace 1.
As abovementioned, of course the curved segments 41 and 42 have a certain flexural elastic deformability. The entity of such deformability is determined, according to conventional modes, so as to attain an optimum compromise between said configuration stability of the worn-on necklace 1 and the need to ensure an easy wearing on thereof and a certain adaptability to the user's physionomy.
The thread 6 of each curved segment 41, 42 is fixed, at a first longitudinal end thereof, to a respective first or second connecting flange, 61 and 62 respectively, hence being thereby connected to the decorative element 3.
As it is shown in Figure 3, each flange 61, 62 in turn consists of a first and second half-shell, 71 and 72, respectively, welded the one to the other. The first and the second half-shell 71 e 72 have an identical shape and are made the first of yellow gold and the second of white gold. Always with reference to Figure 3, each first or second flange 61 or 62 has, at a first longitudinal end thereof, an elongated choker seat 8 in which it receives said end of the respective curved segment 41, 42. Through the thread 6, each curved segment 41, 42 is secured to the respective flange 61, 62 so that its foils 51 and 52 lie on the same side of the first half-shell 71 and of the second half-shell 72, respectively.
Adjacently to said choke seat 8, each flange 61, 62 further has restraining means 9 of the first and second half-shell 71 and 72, realized with a two-plug coupling or alike elements.
At the end opposite to the choker seat 8, each flange 61, 62 has a pin seat 10, externally ending in an abutment edge 11. Within said pin seat 10 there is inserted a substantially annular element 12 having a substantially rectangular contour, that is located substantially parallel to the opening of the respective pin seat 10 and whose function will hereinafter be made apparent.
In the present embodiment, the decorative element 3 consists of a setting, it also indicated with 3, having a traditional-type setting body 13 that receives a stone 14. Said body 13 may be made removable from the remainder of the element 3. Moreover, the stone 14 may be replaceable.
As it is apparent in Figure 4, in the present embodiment the decorative element 3 further has a pair of side pins, 151 and 152, respectively, each received in a respective pin seat 10 of a respective flange 61 or 62.
Each pin 151, 152 has a shaped head of greater cross section, received in a respective annular element 12. In particular, this cross section of the head of the pin 151, 152 is substantially circular and squashed at two diametrally-opposed portions thereof, so that the transversal dimension of the pin at said squashings is substantially equal to the smaller transversal dimension of the space defined by the respective rectangular annular element 12.
Hence, each rectangular annular element 12 stably holds the respective pin 151, 152 in the two positions in which the squashed portions thereof are aligned along said smaller transversal dimension of the ring itself, while it hinders the rotation of the pin 151, 152 towards different positions. In particular, the assembling of the pins 151, 152 with the body 13 of the setting 3 and with the rectangular annular elements 12 is such that in said two stable positions the visible part of the stone 14 is substantially parallel to the first or to the second annular element foil 51, 52.
It will be understood that the abutment edges 11 of the flanges 61 and 62 prevent the coming out of the respective pins 151 and 152.
With further reference to Figure 1, at the other longitudinal ends, the curved segments 41 and 42 of the choker portion 2 are connectible by a conventional-type spring catch fastening device 16.
By now, the modes of employ of the double-face necklace according to the invention will be apparent.
In particular, the necklace 1 has two display faces, i.e. two faces apt to be placed in view, of substantially different appearance, and in particular one made of yellow gold and the other one of white gold. The yellow gold face is made by the first foil 51 of the two curved segments 41 and 42, by the respective first half-shells 71 of the flanges 61 and 62 and by the visible part of the stone 14 when the decorative element 3 assumes one of said two stable positions. The white gold face, instead, is made by the second foil 52, by the respective second half-shells 72 and by the stone 14 in the other stable position of the decorative element 3.
Hence, upon wearing the necklace 1 on, the user merely needs to select the face thereof to be displayed, i.e., to be placed in view, and, needwise, to rotate the decorative element 3 in the corresponding stable position.
It will be appreciated that the spring catch fastening device 16 enables an easy closing of the necklace 1 regardless of the displayed face.
It will be understood that the double-face necklace of the present invention is susceptible of several variant embodiments, some of which will hereinafter be summarily illustrated with reference to the sole aspects differentiating them from the hereto-disclosed embodiment.
According to a first variant, the jewel of the invention has a decorative element that is it also double-face, having, alike the main body thereof, two opposite display faces. This can be attained, e.g., setting different precious stones on opposite sides of a same setting, or forming, at opposite faces of the decorative element, differently worked surfaces, e.g. with engraving, diamond engraving, laser design, etc.
The presence of a decorative element not merely rotatable but double-face as well further enhances the versatility of the jewel, increasing the viable wearing-on configurations thereof.
Moreover, the decorative element may also comprise a plurality of precious stones, set at a face or at opposite faces thereof.
Furthermore, the jewel of the invention may comprise a plurality of rotatable decorative elements.
According to another variant, the elongated main body, implementing the choker in the case of the necklace, may have an implementation different from the abovedescribed. E.g., said body may be obtained by means of a single elongated element, optionally of squashed shape, piece-formed and optionally plated at two opposite faces thereof made of different precious metals, e.g. of white gold and of yellow gold.
According to a further embodiment, said elongated main body of the jewel has two faces that, instead of being made of different precious metals, bear different decorative patterns or machinings.
The rotatable decorative element of the invention generally applies not merely to necklaces of the so-called omega type, having a hollow core as that abovedescribed with reference to the figures, but also to traditional necklaces having no core or a solid inner core made, e.g., with a metal fabric strip, a chain or one or more thread-shaped elements of precious or of non-precious material.
Moreover, the jewel of the invention could have means apt to hinder the rotation of the decorative element that be alternative to the abovedescribed shape interference means and based on the rectangular annular element - pin head coupling. These means may also be monolateral instead of bilateral as in the abovedescribed embodiment.
Lastly, the present invention refers to any necklace- or bracelet-type annular jewel made of any suitable precious or non-precious material.
The present invention was hereto described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is understood that there may be other embodiments afferent to the same inventive kernel, all falling within the protective scope of the appended claims.

Claims

An annular jewel (1) such as a necklace, bracelet and the like having a double-face construction, comprising an elongated main body (2) that has a first (51) and a second (52) display face of appearance substantially different therebetween and at least one decorative element (3) rotatably connected to said elongated main body (2) in order to assume two display positions corresponding to said two display faces (51, 52), characterized in that it further comprises means (12) apt to hinder the rotation of said at least one decorative element (3) when said element (3) is placed in one of said display positions, which means comprises at least one side pin (151, 152) of said decorative element (3) protruding laterally with respect thereto.
The jewel (1) according to claim 1, wherein said first (51) and second (52) display face of said elongated main body (2) are made of metals of different kinds.
The jewel (1) according to claim 2, wherein said first (51) and second (52) display faces are made the one of white gold and the other of yellow gold.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said elongated main body (2) comprises two precious metal foils (51, 52) each of which implements one of said display faces, said two foils being fixed the one to the other at respective longitudinal edges thereof so as to form a tubular structure.
The jewel (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said tubular structure is sectioned into a plurality of annular elements arranged side by side the one to the other.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said elongated main body (2) is substantially flat.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said rotation hindering means are shape-interference means (12).
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one decorative element comprises at least one setting (3) and one ornamental stone (14) housed therein.
The jewel (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said setting (3) has two side pins (151, 152), each one rotatable within a respective seat (10) obtained in said elongated main body (2).
The jewel (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one of said side pins (151, 152) has a cross section substantially circular and squashed at two diametrally opposite portions thereof, and wherein said rotation hindering means comprises at least one substantially annular element (12), having a substantially rectangular contour fixed to said elongated main body (2) and apt to receive one of said side pins.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one rotatable decorative element (3) is double-face, having two opposite display faces.
The jewel (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said at least one decorative element (3) comprises at least two stones (14), each one set at a respective display face of the decorative element itself.
The jewel (1) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein each of said two opposite display faces of said at least one decorative element (3) bears different surface machining.
The jewel (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said surface machinings are selected from a group comprising engraving, diamond engraving and laser design.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one decorative element (3) is replaceable.
The jewel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of decorative elements rotatably connected to said elongated main body (2) in order to assume two display positions.