BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
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The present invention relates generally to jewelry and more specifically to an improved large jewel setting for retention in an ear lobe, which allows a large jewel to be retained in the ear lobe, while keeping the ear lobe vertical.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
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The cost of lab manufactured diamonds has been drastically reduced due to the oversupply of lab diamond manufacturing equipment. Consequently, the cost of lab manufactured diamonds is now within a price range of more consumers than ever before.
However, larger diamonds have greater weight and will bend or flex an ear lobe with the current designs of jewel settings. Since the introduction of the stud earring more than a thousand years ago, the jewelry industry has acknowledged the need for a solution to the issue of "droopy" or down-turned stud earrings, which do not remain vertical in an ear lobe, which provides an unsightly appearance.
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In response to this challenge, Martini stud mountings were developed as a possible remedy. While the Martini stud mounting is innovative, its effectiveness is limited to smaller stones. Larger stones, due to their weight, exceed the support capabilities of the cone-shaped mountings, resulting in issues that are as problematic as those associated with traditional basket-shaped mountings. The improved large jewel setting addresses this issue by leveraging the malleable nature of the earlobe, allowing it to contour and support larger stones while providing a stable and rigid base. The results are remarkable.
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Applicant's improved large jewel settings are designed to be lower-set, more comfortable, and offer enhanced brilliance compared to any other mountings available today. Furthermore, preliminary market research has revealed another significant need among individuals with loose or enlarged ear piercing holes. Martini mountings offer minimal support while mounted to the ear. In contrast, applicant's improved large jewel setting not only provides the necessary support but also naturally centers the studs within loose or enlarged piercings, effectively resolving previous concerns. Applicant, has received positive feedback from friends and family who have been informed of the improved large jewel setting. The invention has led to numerous requests for orders. With the lab-grown diamond market making luxury jewelry more accessible than ever, the impact of the improved large jewel setting on the diamond-stud market is clear. The improved large jewel setting is designed to be suitable for individuals of all ages and budgets, and it is believed the invention will soon become an essential staple in jewelry collections worldwide.
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Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for an improved large jewel setting for retention in an ear lobe, which allows a large jewel to be retained in the ear lobe, while keeping the ear lobe vertical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention provides a large jewel setting for retention in an ear lobe, which allows a large jewel to be retained in the ear lobe (of a human being), while keeping the ear lobe vertical. The improved large jewel setting for retention in an ear lobe (improved jewel setting) preferably includes a jewel basket and a retention post. The jewel basket preferably includes a divot, at least one peripheral retention member and at least one top retention member. A bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member includes a flat bottom surface. The divot includes a cone shape. The cone shape will fill an ear piercing that has become too large to prevent radially sliding of the improved jewel setting in the loose or enlarged ear piercing. An inner surface of the divot includes a cone shape, which is sized to receive a bottom of a jewel. A bottom of the divot is attached to a top of the retention post. The divot preferably includes at least two base rods, but other designs may also be used. One end of the at least two base rods are joined to each other at a bottom thereof. An opposite end of the at least two base rods extend outward and away from each other. A top of the at least two base rods (divot) are joined to the bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member. The at least one peripheral retention member preferably has a round shape, but other shapes may also be used. A top surface (bottom of the inner cone) of a junction between the bottoms of the at least two base rods is lower than the flat bottom surface of the peripheral retention member, such that a portion of the jewel is retained in a piercing of an ear lobe.
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A bottom of the at least one top retention member extends upward from the at least one peripheral retention member. The at least one peripheral retention member preferably includes at least one belt, but other designs may be used, including a double belt, an ultra-light die struck, hidden-halo, halo, stylized basket, stylized bezel, dangles and drops. The top retention member preferably includes at least two prongs, but could be a double prong, a half bezel or a full bezel. The at least two prongs are joined to the at least one belt. Preferably, a portion of the at least two prongs extend upward from the at least one belt at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis. The at least two prongs are preferably aligned with the at least two base rods.
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The at least one belt may include a lower belt and an upper belt. The upper belt is located about the lower belt and is also joined to the at least two prongs. An inside perimeter of the at least two prongs is sized to receive an outer perimeter of the jewel. A height of the at least two prongs extend above a height of the jewel. The jewel basket is preferably fabricated from a casting, but other manufacturing methods may also be used. A bottom of the at least two base rods are preferably attached to a top of the retention post with any suitable process, such as welding.
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In use, the jewel is inserted into the jewel basket and the at least two prongs are bent over the jewel and the excess length of the at least two prongs cutoff. The retention post is inserted through a hole in an ear lobe. The improved jewel setting is secured to the ear lobe by inserting the retention post through an earring clutch, or other suitable earring back, such as a clip-on earring back.
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Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide the improved jewel setting, which allows a large jewel to be retained in the ear lobe, while keeping the ear lobe vertical.
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It is a further object of the present invention to provide the improved jewel setting, which includes a lower profile, which is less vulnerable to catching and is ultimately less noticeable than other mountings.
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Finally, it is another object of the present invention to provide the improved jewel setting, which is more comfortable to wear, even when sleeping.
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These and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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- Figure 1
- is a cross-sectional view of a Martini jewel setting with a large jewel retained in an ear lobe.
- Figure 2
- is a cross-sectional view of a flat bottom jewel setting retained in an ear lobe.
- Figure 3
- is a cross-section view of an improved jewel setting retained in an ear lobe in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 4
- is a top view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 5
- is a front view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 6
- is a top perspective view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 7
- is a top view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 8
- is a front view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.
- Figure 9
- is a top perspective view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to figure 6, there is shown a perspective view of an improved jewel setting 1. With reference to figure 1, a Martini setting 102 retains a large jewel 104 in an ear lobe 100. An end of a post 106 of the Martini setting 102 is pushed upward by the weight of the large jewel 104 at an acute angle "A," because an earring hole 108 is much larger than a diameter of the post 106. With reference to figure 2, a flat bottom setting 110 retains the large jewel 104 in the ear lobe 100. A bottom of the large jewel 104 is not retained in the earring hole 108. Thus, all the weight of the large jewel 104 acts as a cantilever to cause the ear lobe 100 to flex or bend downward at an acute angle "B." The flexing or bending ear lobe 100 provides an unsightly appearance. A post clutch 112 is secured on the post 106 to retain the settings 102, 110 on the ear lobe 100. The post clutch 112 may be replaced with any type of earring back, such as butterfly, la pousette and press-back.
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With reference to figures 3 - 6, the improved jewel setting 1 preferably includes a jewel basket 10 and a retention post 12.
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The jewel basket 10 preferably includes a divot 14, at least one peripheral retention member 15 and at least one top retention member 17. A bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member 15 includes a flat bottom surface 21. The divot 14 includes a cone shape. The cone shape will fill an ear piercing 108, which has become too large to prevent radially movement of the improved jewel setting 1 in the ear piercing 108. An inner surface of the divot 14 includes a cone shape, which is sized to receive a bottom of the jewel 104. A bottom of the divot 14 is attached to a top of the retention post 12. The divot 14 preferably includes at least two base rods 22, but other divot designs may also be used. One end of the at least two base rods 22 are joined to each other at a bottom thereof. An opposite end of the at least two base rods 22 extend outward and away from each other. A top of the at least two base rods 22 are joined to a bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member 15. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably has a round shape, but other shapes may also be used. A bottom 25 of the inner surface of the divot 14 is lower than the flat bottom surface 21 of the at least one peripheral retention member 15, such that a portion of the jewel is retained in a piercing 108 of the ear lobe 100. A distance between the flat bottom surface 21 and a bottom of the divot 14 is defined by a dimension "C." The greater the value of dimension "C," the greater the vertical stability of the improved jewel setting 1.
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The bottom of the at least one top retention member 17 extends upward from the at least one peripheral retention member 15. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably includes at least one belt, but other designs may be used, including a double belt, an ultra-light die struck, hidden-halo, halo, stylized basket, stylized bezel, dangles and drops. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably includes at least two prongs 20, but could include a double prong, a half bezel or a full bezel. The at least two prongs 20 are joined to the at least one belt. Preferably, a portion of the at least two prongs 20 extend upward from the at least one belt at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis.
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The at least one belt may include a lower belt 16 and an upper belt 18. The upper belt 18 is located about the lower belt 16 and is also joined to the at least two prongs 20. However, the upper and lower belts 16, 18 may be replaced with a single belt, an ultra-light die struck, a hidden-halo, a halo, a stylized basket, a stylized bezel, dangles and drops. An inside perimeter of the at least two prongs 20 is sized to receive an outer perimeter of the jewel 104. A height of the at least two prongs 20 extend above a height of the jewel 104. Preferably, the number prongs 20 may range from 2 - 8 prongs. Further, each prong may be a double prong. The at least two prongs 20 may be replaced with half bezels and bezels. The jewel basket 10 is preferably fabricated from a casting, but other manufacturing methods may also be used. A bottom of the at least two base rods 22 are preferably attached to a top of the retention post 12 with any suitable process, such as welding.
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With reference to figures 7 - 9, an inside perimeter of the at least two prongs 20 is sized to receive an outer perimeter of the large jewel 104. A height of the at least two prongs 20 extends above a height of the large jewel 104. The large jewel 104 may have any suitable shape, such as cushion-cut, princess-cut and radiant.
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With reference to figure 3, the ear lobe 100 stays vertical and does not flex or bend, because a bottom of the large jewel 104 is retained in the earring hole 108 and the flat bottom surface 21 of lower belt 16 prevents the post from moving upward. In use, the large jewel 104 is inserted into the jewel basket 10 and the at least two prongs 20 bent over the large jewel 104. The excess length of the at least two prongs 20 is cutoff. The retention post 12 is inserted through the earring hole 108 in the ear lobe 100. The improved jewel setting 1 is secured to the ear lobe 100 by inserting the retention post 12 through the earring clutch 112. The improved jewel setting 1 should not be limited to retaining only large jewels 104, but should include retaining any size jewel, large or small.
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While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.