Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
  • A44C17/00—Gems or the like
  • A44C17/04—Setting gems in jewellery; Setting-tools

Definitions

• the present invention relates to jewelry and a method for setting gemstones in a piece of jewelry. More particularly, the present invention relates to so-called invisible setting methods for setting gemstones m a piece of -jewelry such that at least one gemstone is held in place by an adjacent gemstone with no metal visible between the gemstones or at least one gemstone is set without metal visible above the girdle of the gemstone.
• BACKGROUND INFORMATION Gemstones can be set in a piece of jewelry m a number of ways.
• prior art jewelry setting methods include prong setting, channel setting and invisible setting.
• a prong setting comprises at least two thin metal supports that extend from a common base to wrap around and grip opposing upper edges of the girdle of a gemstone.
• the base of the prong setting is typically attached to a piece of jewelry, such as a ring, to secure the gemstone to the piece of jewelry.
• prong setting is an easy and economical method of securing a gemstone to a piece of jewelry
• the metal supports are clearly visible and detract from the beauty of the gemstone. Since the supports are exposed, they are also subject to breakage and loss of the gemstones .
• Channel setting is another method of setting gemstones m a piece of jewelry.
• a c.iannel setting comprises a U- shaped channel for holding a row of gemstcnes m place in the piece of jewelry.
• the gemstones are placed in the channel and grooves m the opposing walls of the channel engage the girdle of the gemstones.
• the gemstones are held m the channel by the two opposing walls ar. ⁇ grooves in the walls.
• Channel settings share the same problems as prong settings, namely, that the opposing walls of the setting are visible and detract from the beauty of the gemstones.
• Another type of gemstone setting method is the so- called invisible setting method. As the name suggests, the gemstone-securing structure of an invisible setting method is not visible when the gemstone is installed.
• the conventional invisible setting method requires a groove to be cut in the lower surfaces or pavilion of the gemstone.
• Two parallel rails are included in the setting and are configured to engage the grooves in the gemstone to secure the gemstone onto the jewelry piece. Using this method, rails are concealed from view by the girdle and crown of the gemstones. Also, multiple gemstones can be set with their adjacent edges juxtaposed so that the rails are not visible between the gemstones.
• a jewelry apparatus comprises an anchor gemstone, a touch gemstone, and setting means for setting the anchor and touch gemstones in the jewelry apparatus.
• the anchor gemstcne is set adjacent to the touch gemstone.
• the touch gemstone is positioned slightly below the anchor gemstone and is held in place by the anchor gemstone, thereby keeping it in place and concealing the setting means. In this manner, the touch gemstone is set in the jewelry apparatus using an invisible setting method without having to cut a groove in the touch gemstone or use side rails to hold it m place.
• the jewelry apparatus includes at least two anchor gemstones.
• the anchor gemstones are held in the jewelry apparatus by any conventional setting means and the touch gemstone is held m the jewelry apparatus by the anchor gemstones.
• Each of the anchor gemstones and the touch gemstone comprise a crown and a pavilion.
• the crown of the touch gemstone contacts the pavilions of the anchor gemstones, just below their respective girdles, holding the touch gemstone in place in the jewelry apparatus.
• the setting means include a base having three cavities, each substantially the same size as the pavilion of a corresponding one of the anchor gemstones or the touch gemstone.
• the pavilions of the anchor gemstones and touch gemstone rest in the cavities with the girdle and crown of the gemstones sitting above the base.
• the setting means also includes channel walls configured to contact the anchor gemstones for holding the anchor gemstones m place m the jewelry apparatus. However, the channel walls do not run between the anchor gemstones and the touch gemstone.
• the channel walls may further comprise a wedge between the anchor gemstones for tightening the anchor gemstones in place in the jewelry apparatus.
• the wedge width is tapered so that is it thinner near the bottom end than the top end.
• the anchor gemstones are tightened m place by driving the wedge down so that the thicker top end fills any space between the anchor gemstones.
• the gemstones can be set in the jewelry apparatus in rows in a so-called channel setting, with a row of touch gemstones held in place between two rows of anchor gemstones.
• the channel setting means is not visible between the anchor gemstones and the touch gemstones .
• a method for setting a plurality of gemstones in a jewelry apparatus includes the steps of placing a touch gemstone in a cavity in a setting means and placing anchor gemstones in cavities in the setting means adjacent to the toucn gemstone and a channel wall of the setting means.
• the anchor gemstones pavilions contact the touch gemstone crown, holding the touch gemstone in place without the setting means being visible between the anchor gemstones and the touch gemstone, and with the anchor gemstone overlapping the girdle of the touch gemstone.
• the method can also include the step of tightening the setting means around the anchor gemstones by driving a wedge on the channel wall between the ancr.or gemstones and toward the base.
• the method can be used for setting a plurality of rows of gemstones in a so-called cnannel setting by first placing a row of touch gemstones n a row of cavities m the setting means base and then placing rows of anchor gemstones in rows of cavities in the setting means base adjacent to the row of touch gemstones. Overlapping and contact between the row of touch gemstones with the rows of anchor gemstones holds the row of touch gemstones m place ithout the setting means oeing visible between the rows of anchor gemstones and the row of touch gemstones.
• FIG. 1 is side view of the shape of a conventional gemstone
• FIG. 2 is perspective view of a jewelry apparatus according to the present invention
• FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the jewelry apparatus of FIG. 2 taken alone 3-3;
• FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a jewelry apparatus according to the present invention.
• FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the jewelry apparatus of FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5.
• DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with the present invention, a jewelry apparatus and method of setting gemstones ⁇ therein is described that provides distinct advantages when compared to those of the prior art. The invention can best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawing figures .
• FIG.l shows the shape of a conventional gemstone 10.
• the gemstone 10 includes a crown 12, a pavilion 14 and a girdle 16.
• the jewelry apparatus 18 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is an earring for use in a pierced ear.
• the jewelry apparatus 18 comprises two anchor gemstones 20, a touch gemstone 22 and setting means 24.
• the setting means 24 includes a base 26, channel walls 28 and a connecting post 30.
• the connecting post 30 is configured for insertion through a hole pierced in the user's earlobe.
• An earring nut (not shown) is inserted onto the connecting post 30 on the back side of the earlobe for r.olding the earring m place on the pierced ear.
• the setting means 24 is typically made of a precious metal material such as gold or platinum.
• the base 26 includes several cavities 32, each configured for accepting the pavilion 14 of the anchor gemstones 20 and the touch gemstone 22. The cavities 32 are sized so that the gemstone pavilions 14 can be held in the cavities 32 with the gemstone crowns 12 and girdles 16 sitting above the base 26.
• the cavities 32 can also include angled countersunk side walls 34, generally corresponding to the angle of the gemstone pavilion 14, for further accommodating an angled gemstone pavilion 14.
• the channel walls 28 are configured for holding the anchor gemstones 20 in place in the jewelry apparatus 18.
• the channel walls 28 include grooves 36 located above the base 26 that mate with girdle 16 of the anchor gemstones 20, as well as the girdle 16 of the touch gemstone 22.
• the channel walls 28 contact the anchor gemstones 20 in at least two places (between the anchor gemstones 20 and on opposing ends of the anchor gemstones 20) but do not run between the anchor gemstones 20 and the touch gemstone 22.
• the channel walls 28 may also include a wedge 38 positioned between the anchor gemstones 20 for securing the anchor gemstones 20 in place in the jewelry apparatus 18.
• the width of wedge 38 is thinner near the bottom end 35 than the top end 37. Thus, as the wedge 38 is driven downward, toward the base 26, space between the anchor gemstones 20 is taken up by the width of wedge 38 locking the anchor gemstones 20 m place m the setting means 24.
• the toucr. gemstone 22 is configured to be set slightly below the anchor gemstones 20. As described above, one side 39 of the girdle 16 of the touch gemstone 22 is held in place by the groove 36 in the channel wall 28 of the setting means 24. An opposite end 41 of the touch gemstone 22 is held in place by the anchor gemstones 20.
• the cavities 32 in the base 26 of the setting means 24 are sized to hold the touch gemstone 22 slightly lower than the anchor gemstones 20. The cavities 32 are positioned such that the girdles of anchor gemstones 20 overlap the girdle of touch gemstone 22. As is illustrated in the drawings, the upper pavilions 14, just .nder the girdles
• a method for setting gemstones comprises forming a base including cavities in a setting means of a piece of jewelry, placing the touch gemstone 22 in the appropriate cavity 32 m the base 26 of the setting means 24, and placing the ancnor gemstones 20 m the appropriate cavities 32 m the base 26.
• the gemstones 20 and 22 are positioned such that the anchor gemstones 20 overlap the touch gemstcne 22 with the pavilion 14 of the anchor gemstones 20 contacting the crown 12 of the touch gemstone 22.
• the girdles 16 of the anchor gemstones 20 are located aoove the girdle 16 of the touch gemstone 22 and preferably m grooves 35 formed in the cnannel walls 28. In this manner the gemstones are locked m place and the setting means 24 is not visible between the touch gemstone 22 and the anchor gemstones 20.
• the method can also include driving the wedge 38 in the channel wall 28 between the anchor stones 20 downward toward the base 26 to further lock, tighten and secure the anchor gemstones 20 m place.
• any conventional method of setting the anchor gemstones 20 can be used without ⁇ epartmg from the invention disclosed and claimed herein.
• the setting means 24 shown in FIGS. 2 ana 3 is heart-shaped, other shapes and forms of setting means 24 can be used.
• a four leaf clover- shaped setting means can be use ⁇ with four anchor gemstones, one in each leaf of the four leaf clover, holding one touch stone in the center of the shape.
• Various other shapes and forms are contemplated.
• FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention m which three rows of gemstones are set _n a ring using a so-called channel setting method in combination with the inventive setting method.
• the jewelry apparatus 118 comprises two rows of anchor gemstones 120, a row of toucr. gemstones 122 and a setting means 124.
• the setting means 124 includes a oase 126 and channel walls 128.
• the setting reans 124 is made of a precious metal material such as gold or platinum.
• the base 126 includes three rows of cavities 132, each cavity 132 configured for accepting pavilions 14 of the anchor gemstones 120 and the touch gemstones 122.
• the cavities are sized so that the gemstone pavilions 14 can be held m the cavities 132 with the gemstone crowns 12 and girdles 16 sitting above the top of the base 126, with contoured wedges half way around each anchor gemstone 120.
• the cavities 132 can also include angled side walls 134 for further accommodating an angled gemstone pavilions 14.
• the channel walls 126 are configured for holding the rows of anchor gemstones 120 in place in the jewelry apparatus 118.
• the channel walls 126 include grooves 136 that mate with the girdle 16 of each of the anchor gemstones 120.
• the girdles 16 of the touch gemstones 122 are set slightly below the girdles of the anchor gemstones 120.
• the row of touch gemstones 122 is placed in the center row of cavities 132, with the rows of anchor gemstones 120 placed on opposite sides of the row of touch gemstones 122. In this manner, two anchor gemstones 120 contact each touch gemstone 122, holding the touch gemstone 122 m place in the jewelry apparatus 118.
• the center row of cavities 132 m the base 126 is sized to hold the girdles of touch gemstones 122 slightly lower than the girdles of anchor gemstones 120, and the rows of cavities 132 are positioned so that the girdles of anchor gemstones 120 overlap the girdles of touch gemstones 122.
• the upper pavilion 14 of each anchor gemstone 120 contacts the crown 12 of each adjacent touch gemstone 122 to lock the row of touch gemstones 122 in place.
• the row of touch gemstones 122 is held in place with no metal from the setting means 124 visible between the rows of anchor gemstones 120 and the row of touch gemstones 122.
• a method for setting rows of gemstones comprises forming a base 126 including rows of cavities 132 in a setting means 124 of a piece of jewelry, placing the row of touch gemstones 122 in the center row of cavities in the base 126 of the setting means 124, and placing the rows of anchor gemstones 120 in the outer rows of cavities 132 in the oase 126 of the setting means 124 with the girdle 16 of each anchor gemstone 120 m the groove 136 in the side wall 128 of the setting means 124.
• the girdles of anchor gemstones 120 are positioned overlapping the girdles of touch gemstones 122 such that the pavilions 14 of the rows of anchor gemstones 120 contact the crowns 12 of the row cf touch gemstones 122.

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• 1999
  • 1999-08-13 US US09/374,190 patent/US6318121B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2000
  • 2000-08-11 EP EP00953991A patent/EP1217912A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-08-11 CA CA002379399A patent/CA2379399C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-08-11 WO PCT/US2000/022064 patent/WO2001012008A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-08-11 GB GB0203338A patent/GB2368774B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-08-11 JP JP2001516363A patent/JP2003506177A/ja active Pending
• 2001
  • 2001-08-07 US US09/923,827 patent/US6591633B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2002
  • 2002-11-14 HK HK02108265A patent/HK10484422A1/xx unknown

Patent Citations (7)

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