WO2017092760A1 - A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery - Google Patents

A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017092760A1
WO2017092760A1 PCT/DK2016/050382 DK2016050382W WO2017092760A1 WO 2017092760 A1 WO2017092760 A1 WO 2017092760A1 DK 2016050382 W DK2016050382 W DK 2016050382W WO 2017092760 A1 WO2017092760 A1 WO 2017092760A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
jewellery
ornamental member
base portion
drop
spacing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/DK2016/050382
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Lars Rensch NIELSEN
Original Assignee
Pandora A/S
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pandora A/S filed Critical Pandora A/S
Publication of WO2017092760A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017092760A1/en

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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
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
    • A44C27/00—Making jewellery or other personal adornments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22C—FOUNDRY MOULDING
    • B22C7/00—Patterns; Manufacture thereof so far as not provided for in other classes
    • B22C7/02—Lost patterns
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22C—FOUNDRY MOULDING
    • B22C9/00—Moulds or cores; Moulding processes
    • B22C9/02—Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings
    • B22C9/04—Use of lost patterns
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D25/00—Special casting characterised by the nature of the product
    • B22D25/02—Special casting characterised by the nature of the product by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art
    • B22D25/026—Casting jewelry articles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery involving attaching an ornamental member, specifically a gem- stone, to a base portion.
  • the invention also relates to a piece of jewellery, which may be manufactured by the method according to the invention.
  • Pieces of jewellery include bracelets, necklaces, charms and beads for bracelets, rings, ear rings and the like.
  • gemstones are typically attached to a metal base portion by mechanically or physically deforming metal attachment prongs or like fastening elements to hold the gemstone.
  • the prongs typically have been cast or otherwise created integrally with the metal base portion to which the gemstone is to be attached.
  • this method of mechanical stone setting is carried out using a mechani- cal tool, such as pincers, pliers, pincers or the like, and without heating the prongs or the gemstone.
  • So-called hot stone setting is a well-known prior art method for setting of gemstones in jewellery. It involves first heating a gemstone and then positioning the gemstone in a spacing or socket of a base portion of a melta- ble material, e.g. wax in case of lost wax casting (see below). When the meltable material subsequently is cooled and hardens again, the gemstone will be set in the meltable material.
  • a melta- ble material e.g. wax in case of lost wax casting
  • a master model of a base portion is moulded, e.g. of metal such as steel, with integral mushroom-shaped or bolt-shaped attachment protrusions or prongs, each with a cylindrical part with one end attached to the remaining parts of a master model base portion and the other end comprising a head, the heads of the prongs extending to partially cover spacings or sockets of the master model base portion, each socket being surrounded by for example four prongs.
  • a reusable rubber mould of the master model base portion is created from the master model.
  • Liquid wax is injected into the rubber mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form a wax copy of the master model, resulting in a wax base portion 1 , which is a copy of the master model base portion, including a set of wax prongs 2, each with a head 3 and a cylindrical shaft 4.
  • the wax base portion 1 is shown in Fig. 1 a.
  • a (non-heated) gemstone 6 is inserted into the gem spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , which is surrounded by four wax prongs 2 (of which only two are shown in Figs 1 a to 1 c), by manually working, often including rotating or turning, the gemstone 6 past the wax prongs 2 to be seated in the gem spacing 5, see Fig. 1 b.
  • a number (typically 14 to 400) of wax copies including attached gemstones are positioned in continuation of each other, resulting in a so-called tree of wax copies.
  • Each wax copy typically comprises a larger number of gemstones attached to the base portion in the manner described above.
  • Gypsum is moulded around the tree and burned to form a gypsum shell surrounding the tree.
  • the gypsum shell and tree are heated to harden the gypsum and to burn out the wax (i.e. melt the wax to run out of the gypsum shell) to produce a gypsum mould.
  • Melted metal or like jewellery material is injected into the gypsum mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form the piece of jewellery including attached gemstones.
  • the gypsum is quenched, i.e. the hot gypsum mould is descended into water, whereby it breaks open to free the pieces of jewellery.
  • the inventor of the present invention has realized that the above method results in a relatively large error rate in the resultant pieces of jewellery, specifically related to so-called "falling stone", which means that at some point during the lifetime of the piece of jewellery the gemstone is disengaged from the gem spacing and falls off. Since a larger number of gemstones, for example a hundred or more, are often attached to one piece of jewellery in the above method, even a rather small error rate in the attachment of the gemstones results in a relatively large error rate of the pieces of jewellery. As much as 20-40 percent of a batch of pieces of jewellery can be defective in this manner.
  • the inventor has realized that in the working step 4 above sometimes typically one or two of the four heads 3 of the prongs 2 are deformed or destroyed, typically in an area 7 which is meant to extend to cover part of a top surface of the gemstone 6 to hold the gemstone 6 in place, see Fig. 1 c.
  • This tendency is of course undesired and is referred to in the art as so-called falling stone. Shrinkage of the metal during harden- ing to some degree may tighten the metal contact surfaces towards the gemstones so that the gemstones will be additionally attached.
  • JP 2010269003 A discloses in one embodiment mechanically or physically working metal prongs to attach a gem to a wax model of a piece of jewellery.
  • tips of metal prongs that are provided separately from a base portion are heated by means of a tool to attach the prongs to a wax base portion through conductive heating and, subsequently, lost wax casting is performed.
  • US 4,392,289 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a gem is snapped into position in a wax model, which has side walls with undercut grooves.
  • US 6,516,864 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a wax model is mechanically cut to form seating grooves for a gem.
  • US 5,881 ,795 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a gem- stone is inserted into a mould.
  • the gemstone may be fixed using an adhesive, and wax is introduced into the mould to produce a wax model with the gemstone set therein.
  • Another object is to provide a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery, in which the error rate of the manufactured pieces of jewellery is reduced.
  • a base portion including one or more attachment protrusions and comprising a thermally deformable material
  • a method is provided with which it is easier, more convenient and time-saving to attach an ornamental member to a base portion.
  • the method may conveniently be carried out automatically or by a machine or robot, or it may be carried out manually or by hand, potentially using one or more said tools.
  • the method may also hold the ornamental member better than in the prior art, especially since the attachment protrusion may contact the ornamental component by a snug fit.
  • the attachment protrusions When the attachment protrusions are deformed after positioning of the ornamental member, the attachment protrusions will not be deformed as in the prior art since the ornamental member need not be worked past or in between holding members of the attachment protrusions.
  • the improved hold of the deformed attachment protrusion may thus significantly reduce or completely avoid the explained tendency in the prior art of "falling stone".
  • the attachment protrusion will pro- vide an improved hold on the ornamental member.
  • the ornamental member may be held by the deformed attachment protrusion on several non-parallel surfaces of the ornamental member and thus be held in several different dimensions.
  • shrinkage of the heat deformable material of the attachment protrusion during cooling may also further serve to provide a strain on the ornamental member in a grip provided by the attachment protrusion between its different contact surfaces with the ornamental member.
  • the resultant piece of jewellery can be manufactured to include uniform prongs attaching the ornamental member, the prongs having smooth, rounded, potentially circular or semi-spherical upper surfaces and no deformations resulting from mechanical deformation of the attachment protrusions during manufacture.
  • the ornamental member may also abut a surface part of the base portion in the spacing, this surface part not being part of the one or more attachment protrusions.
  • the ornamental member may be held in one or more further directions/dimensions.
  • the grip of the attachment protrusion on the ornamental member may be enough to hold the ornamental member in position, especially if two or more attachment protrusions are provided, each holding the ornamental member at a different position of the ornamental member.
  • the ornamental member may be a precious, semi-precious or imitated gemstone, including gemstone imitations such as cubic zirconia stones.
  • the ornamental member or gemstone is preferably not separately heated before or after being set in the spacing. However, in some embodiments the ornamental member may be heated before or after being posi- tioned in the spacing.
  • the thermally deformable material is a meltable material
  • the step of thermally deforming the material involves melting at least part of the meltable material
  • Melting the deformable material improves the fit in the contact areas with the ornamental member and further improves or strengthens the attachment of the ornamental member. Melting the material and allowing it to there- by reshape or deform to fit an outer surface of the ornamental member may also be more conveniently done since there is no need to work or mechanically deform the attachment protrusion according to an outer surface of the ornamental member.
  • the method further com- prises the step of heating a pointed tip of the tool to above the melting point of the meltable material, and the step of bringing the heated portion of a tool into contact with the thermally deformable material may involve bringing the pointed tip of the tool into contact with or inserting the pointed tip into a top end surface of or into a head of the attachment protrusion comprising the meltable material or penetrating the top end of the attachment protrusion with the pointed tip of the tool.
  • the method may in- volve calculations or tests to determine the proper size of the contact surface between the tool and the attachment protrusion, including for example how deep into the attachment protrusion the pointed end of the tool should be inserted, the proper contact time and the proper starting temperature of the tip end and attachment protrusion to allow for a suitably shaped drop-shaped portion to propagate in a desired manner to reach contact with the ornamental member.
  • the drop-shaped portion hardens, a proper or desired hold on the ornamental member can be achieved.
  • the heating of the attachment member in this manner may be done extremely quickly and convenient- ly and it may take only a short amount of time before the material of the attachment protrusion is cooled enough to attach the ornamental member so that any subsequent steps in the method may carried out quickly thereafter.
  • the melted and/or the hardened drop-shaped portion may have a substantially spherical shape and/or a substantially ellipsoidal shape, the spherical shape potentially being interrupted at surfaces of the drop-shaped portion in contact with the ornamental member and/or remaining parts of the base portion.
  • the resultant deformed attachment protrusion may comprise a shaft portion attached to the remaining parts of the base portion, the shaft portion extending to the drop-shaped portion positioned at the opposite, top end of the attachment protrusion.
  • the pointed tip of the tool is retracted from contact with the attachment protrusion before the drop-shaped portion extends to cover at least part of the ornamental member, the drop-shaped portion continuing to evolve after retraction of the pointed tip.
  • the tool may need only to contact the attachment protrusion for a very short amount of time, which may be 0.1 to 60 seconds, 1 to 30 seconds or 2 to 10 seconds.
  • the spacing comprises a depression in a surface of the base portion, the depression having a shape and size correspond- ing to a shape and size of a lower part of the ornamental member so that the ornamental member fits into and abuts the depression when being positioned in the spacing.
  • this may hold the ornamental member in one or more further dimensions and may improve the attachment of the ornamental member to the base portion.
  • the attachment protrusion before deformation has a substantially cylindrical shape or a circular cylindrical shape and com- prises a shaft portion and a head portion at a top end thereof, the shaft portion being secured to remaining parts of the base portion.
  • the attachment protrusion may have rounded edges between side surfaces and a top surface at the top end.
  • the shape of the attachment protrusion may be especially suitable for forming a propagating drop-shaped portion as described above.
  • the shaft portion may be cylindrical and the head portion at a top end may be wider in a transverse direction of the attachment protrusion if it is desired to provide more heat deformable material at the top end, e.g. if a larger drop- shaped portion and a larger contact area between drop-shaped portion and ornamental member are desired.
  • the base portion is of a meltable material, the attachment protrusion being an integral part of the base portion.
  • the base portion may be manufactured in one piece in a convenient manner, e.g. be moulded in a master mould as explained above in the description of the prior art.
  • the base portion comprises two or more said attachment protrusions, each after having been thermally deformed extending to cover different parts of the surface of the ornamental member.
  • the grip and/or hold on the ornamental member may be sig- nificantly improved.
  • moulding a mouldable material to substantially cover the base portion and the ornamental member attached thereto,
  • a moulded piece of jewellery having a jewellery material base portion and an ornamental member attached thereto by means of a jewellery material attachment protrusion of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material attachment protrusion corresponding in shape to the deformed meltable material attachment protrusion.
  • the method may involve burning out the meltable material, which may be wax in case of lost wax casting.
  • the mouldable material is preferably gypsum
  • the jewellery material is preferably a metal, preferably a precious metal, or a metal alloy or the like, such as consisting of or compris- ing silver, gold, nickel, steel, stainless steel, copper, tin, bronze or a combination thereof. It may also be other materials or combinations of materials, such as a plastic material.
  • the jewellery material may also be plated or coated after casting, e.g. with a precious metal.
  • the method may similarly involve one or more of the steps 1 -9 in the above explained prior art method, including positioning several base portions with ornamental members attached thereto in a tree, creating a gypsum mould and removing the gypsum mould by quenching.
  • the base portion of the thermally deformable material may be manufactured by moulding it in a master mould, the master mould having an internal mould space shaped like the base portion.
  • the method involves lost wax casting, the heat deformable material comprising wax.
  • the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, a drop-shaped portion of the attachment protrusion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least part of each of the two facets.
  • the ornamental member may be held in different directions/dimensions by the attachment protrusion.
  • a piece of jewellery comprising
  • a base portion of a meltable jewellery material such as metal, with one or more attachment protrusions of said jewellery material
  • the one or more attachment protrusions having a drop-shaped portion that extends to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member to hold the ornamental member in the spacing.
  • the piece of jewellery according to the invention may conveniently be manufactured by the method according to the invention.
  • the ornamental member may also abut a surface part of the jewellery material base portion in the spacing, this surface part not being part of the one or more jewellery material attachment protrusions.
  • the spacing may comprise a depression in a surface of the base portion, the depression having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part of the ornamental member so that the ornamental member fits into the depression when being positioned in the spacing.
  • the drop-shaped portion may have a substantially spherical shape and/or a substantially ellipsoidal shape, the spherical shape potentially being interrupted at surfaces of the drop-shaped portion in contact with the orna- mental member and the remaining parts of the base portion.
  • the resultant jewellery material attachment protrusion may comprise a jewellery material shaft portion attached to the remaining parts of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material shaft portion extending to the drop-shaped portion positioned at the opposite top end of the jewellery material attachment protrusion.
  • the ornamental member may be a precious, semi- precious or imitated gemstone, imitated gemstones including cubic zirconia stones.
  • the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, the drop-shaped portion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least part of each of the two facets.
  • the piece of jewellery comprises two or more attachment protrusions, each with a drop-shaped portion, each drop-shaped portion covering a different surface of the ornamental member so as to hold the ornamental member in position in the spacing at different locations of the ornamental member.
  • Figs 1 a to 1 c show schematic sectional side views of a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in the prior art method explained above for manufacture of a piece of jewellery.
  • Figs 2a to 2f show schematic sectional side views similar to those in Figs 1 a to 1 c of a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in an embodiment of a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery according to the present invention, Fig. 2f showing a view taken along the line ll-ll in Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 3 shows a top down view of a detail of the base portion of Fig. 2f.
  • Figs 4a to 4d show perspective views of different embodiments of an attachment protrusion for use in the method according to the invention.
  • Fig. 5 shows a view similar to that in Fig. 2e with an alternative deformed attachment protrusion.
  • Figs 6a and 6b show views similar to those of Figs 2b and 2e, re- spectively, showing an alternative embodiment of the base portion.
  • Figs 7a to 7d show perspective views of different steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention using the base portion according to Figs 6a and 6b.
  • Fig. 8 shows a photo in perspective view of a base portion and a tool used to attach gemstones to the base portion using an embodiment of the method according to the invention.
  • Fig. 9 shows a photo in an elevated view of the detail IX of Fig. 8.
  • Fig. 10 shows a photo in perspective view of an embodiment of the piece of jewellery according to the invention in the form of a bracelet manufactured using the base portion according to Fig. 8.
  • Fig. 1 1 shows a photo of charm in a side view.
  • Fig. 12a shows a photo in an elevated view of a detail of a bracelet such as the one shown in Fig. 10 manufactured according to the prior art method illustrated in Figs 1 a to 1 c.
  • Fig. 12b shows a photo in an elevated view of a detail corresponding to that of Fig. 12a of the bracelet shown in Fig. 10.
  • Figs 13a and 13b show views corresponding to those of Figs 2a and 2b of an alternative embodiment of the base portion.
  • Figs. 1 a to 1 c illustrate a prior art method and are explained in the above.
  • Figs 2a to 2f show a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in an embodiment of a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery according to the present invention.
  • the illustrated method makes use of lost wax casting for setting of an ornamental member in the form of a gemstone in a base portion and comprises a number of steps, some of which steps are similar to the prior art method described above in steps 1 to 9, the numbering I to IX used for the following steps respectively corresponding to the steps 1 to 9 in the prior art method.
  • the method involves the following steps: A metal master model of a master model base portion is moulded or otherwise created.
  • a reusable rubber mould of the master model base portion is created from the metal master model.
  • the wax is a thermally deformable, specifically meltable, material.
  • the base portion 1 includes a set of attachment protrusions in the form of circular cylindrical wax prongs, i.a. the prongs denoted 2, 2a, 2b, each with a head portion 3 and a cylindrical shaft portion 4 as shown for the prong 2. All prongs are integral with the base portion 1 so that the base portion 1 is moulded in one wax piece.
  • Each shaft portion 4 has an inner end attached to the remaining parts of the base portion 1 and an outer end comprising the head 3.
  • Figs 2a to 2f surround and partially define a spacing 5 for an ornamental member in the form of a gemstone 6.
  • the spacing 5 is also defined by a bottom spacing surface 5a provided by another part of the base portion 1 , and the spacing 5 is open at the top so that the gemstone 6 will be visible from above in the resultant piece of jewellery.
  • the gemstone may be a precious, semi-precious or imitated gemstone, including gemstone imitations such as cubic zirconia stones.
  • the ornamental member or gemstone is preferably not separately heated before or after being set in the spacing. However, in some embodiments the ornamental member may be heated before or after being positioned in the spacing.
  • the non-heated gemstone 6 is fitted into the gem spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , which is surrounded by the four wax prongs (of which only two 2, 2a are shown), by simply guiding the gemstone 6 in between the wax prongs 2, 2a. It is not necessary to work the gemstone 6 past the prongs 2, 2a since the entrance to the spacing allows simply arranging the gemstone 6 in the spacing in the linear direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2a. No rotation of the gemstone 6 is necessary. In Fig. 2b the gemstone 6 is shown seated in the position in which it is to be held in the gem spacing 5.
  • a hand tool 8 comprises a pointed, needle-shaped tip 8a, and the tool 8 is guided by hand so that the tip 8a is inserted to penetrate an end surface of the head portion 3 of the prong 2.
  • the tip 8a has beforehand been heated to a temperature above the melting point of the wax so that it easily penetrates the surface of the head portion 3 since the areas of the head portion 3 close to the tip 8a will melt.
  • the head portion 3 will then begin to melt as the heat disperses from the tip 8a through the wax, and a drop-shaped portion 9 of melted wax begins to form at the outer end of the prong 2.
  • the drop-shaped portion 9 grows in size as the heat disperses further through and melts further parts of the prong 2.
  • the tip 8a is removed from the prong 2 as is shown by the arrow in Fig. 2e.
  • the prong 2 continues to evolve and propagate downwards due to gravity to eventually deform to cover a part of a surface of the gemstone 6.
  • a good fit in the contact areas with gemstone 6 is achieved, which provides a strong attachment of the gemstone 6.
  • the melted parts of the wax base portion 1 are allowed to cool to below the hardening temperature of the wax so that they harden again.
  • a hardened drop-shaped portion 9 of the deformed prong 2 is in contact with and holds the gemstone 6 in the desired position in the spacing 5, see Fig. 2e.
  • the drop-shaped portion 9 is substantially shaped as a sphere or an ellipsoid.
  • the tip 8a is inserted into the prong 2a, and a similar process as described in the above is carried out.
  • the prong 2a which is positioned substantially at an opposite lateral edge of the gemstone 6 from the prong 2, holds the gemstone 6 in a similar manner but at a substantially opposite position, see Fig. 2f.
  • Fig. 2f As can be seen from Fig.
  • calculations or tests may be made to determine the proper size of the contact surface between the tip 8a and prong 2, including for example how deep into the prong 2 the tip 8a should be inserted, the proper contact time and the proper starting temperature of the tip 8a to allow for a suitably shaped drop-shaped portion 9 to propagate in a desired manner to reach contact with the ornamental member.
  • the tip 8a may contact the prong 2 in a time interval from 0.1 to 60 seconds, 1 to 30 seconds or 2 to 10 seconds.
  • the gemstone 6 comprises a number of facets, including two facets 10a, 10b separated by an edge 10c, the drop- shaped portion 9 extending to cover part of the edge 10c and part of each of the two facets 10a, 10b, see Fig. 2e.
  • the gemstone 6 is held in different directions/dimensions by the prong 2.
  • Fig. 3 shows a top down view of a detail of the resultant base portion 1 holding the gemstone 6, in which all four prongs holding the gemstone 6 are visible.
  • a further gemstone 6a held by the prong 2a and a further prong 2b as well as two further prongs (with no reference numerals) are also shown in Fig. 3. Further gemstones may be held in a similar manner in continuation of the gemstones 6, 6a.
  • a number (typically 14 to 400) of base portions with gemstones 6 are positioned in continuation of each other, resulting in a tree of base portions 1 .
  • Each base portion 1 comprises a number of gemstones attached to the base portion 1 in the manner described above.
  • Gypsum is moulded around the tree and burned to form a gyp- sum shell surrounding the tree.
  • the gypsum shell and tree are heated to harden the gypsum and to burn out the wax base portion (i.e. melt the wax to run out of the gypsum shell) to produce a gypsum mould.
  • the jewellery material in this embodiment is metal or a metal alloy.
  • the gypsum is quenched, i.e. the hot gypsum mould is descended into water, whereby it breaks open to free the moulded pieces of jewellery.
  • Each piece of piece of jewellery thus has a meltable jewellery material base portion corresponding to the wax base portion 1 and a number of gems 6 attached thereto by means of a number of jewellery material prongs of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material prongs corresponding in shape to the deformed wax prongs, i.a.
  • Each jewellery material prong similarly comprises a drop-shaped jewellery material portion that corresponds in shape and size to the drop-shaped wax portion 9 in Figs 2e and 2f.
  • the drop-shaped jewellery material portions similar to as shown in Fig. 2f extend to cover part of the surfaces of the respective gemstones to hold the gemstones in the spacings. Similar to in the wax model, the gemstone 6 at a bottom tip also abuts a surface part of the jewellery material base portion in the spacing.
  • the jewellery material base portion is identical in size and shape to the wax base portion 1 shown in Figs 2f and 3, and the gemstone 6 is positioned in the same manner.
  • shrinkage of the metal during hardening to some degree may somewhat lessen the size and to some degree change the shape of the jewellery material base portion. This shrinkage may also tighten the metal contact surfaces towards the gemstones 6 so that the attachment of the gemstones 6 is further improved.
  • the piece of jewellery is finished, usually involving polishing and cleaning.
  • the jewellery material may also be plated or coated after casting, e.g. with a precious metal. It may also be oxidized or treated with other conventional finishing processes known to a person skilled in the art.
  • Figs 4a to 4d show different embodiments of the attachment protrusion in the form of prongs or pins 2 for use in the method according to the invention. These can be used in the method according to Figs 2a to 2f or other embodiments. They may be integral or non-integral (see also Figs 13a and 13b) with the remaining parts of the base portion 1 .
  • the prongs are generally preferably oblong cylindrical pins, but may in principle have any suitable shape. The optimum shape and size depends on the shape and size of the gemstone to be attached and a person skilled in the art of jewellery making may accordingly devise optimum shape and size of the prongs.
  • Fig. 4a shows the prong 2 used in the method illustrated in Figs 2a to 2e.
  • the remaining prongs in said method are identical.
  • the prong 2 comprises a marking in the form of a cross 10 showing where to insert the tip 8a.
  • the marking may comprise a depression or an indentation, which may allow easier insertion of the tip 8a in the proper spot, which may be decisive as to how the drop-shaped wax por- tion 9 evolves.
  • the needle insertion point marking may be eccentrically positioned if one desires a drop-shaped portion 9 that is not symmetrically positioned, but for example is positioned so that a larger or smaller part of the drop-shaped portion 9 is in contact with the surface of the gemstone 6.
  • Fig. 4c shows another alternative version, which is similar to that of Fig. 4a, but comprises a head portion 3 shaped like the frustum of a cone. This provides more wax at the outer end of the prong 2 and may thus result in a larger drop-shaped portion 9.
  • Fig. 4d shows another alternative version, which is similar to that of Fig. 4a, but comprises a foot portion 1 1 shaped like the frustum of a cone. This may provide a stronger attachment to the remaining parts of the base portion 1 .
  • the foot portion 1 1 may also be shaped so that a bevelled lateral surface thereof 1 1 a lies in parallel with and abuts the facet 10b of the gemstone 6 when the gemstone is positioned in the spacing 5 to provide further support of the gemstone 6.
  • Fig. 5 shows a view similar to that of Fig. 2e with an alternatively de- formed prong 2.
  • the shaft portion 4 will also be slightly deformed and thus expand somewhat in a transverse direction as shown. This may be desirable as it may provide further support of the gemstone 6. How the prong 2 deforms depends on the circumstances in which it is melted.
  • Figs 6a and 6b show views similar to those of Figs 2b and 2e, re- spectively, showing an alternative embodiment of the base portion 1 .
  • the gem spacing 5 thus comprises a depression 5b in the bottom surface 5a of the spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , the depression 5b having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part (tip) of the gemstone 6 so that this part of the gemstone 6 fits into the depression 5a when being positioned in the spacing 5.
  • This provides further support at a lower part of the gemstone 6.
  • the prongs 2, 2a are somewhat shorter both before and after having been deformed.
  • Figs 7 a to 7d show perspective views of different steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention using the base portion 1 according to Figs 6a and 6b, i.e. comprising a depression 5b, which is substan- tially cone-shaped in order to correspond to the lower end of the gemstone 6.
  • the method is similar to that shown in Figs 2a to 2f; however, the prong 2 (as well as the remaining prongs) is modified from the one shown in Fig. 4a in that it comprises bevelled or rounded edges at its top end. This may generally improve the formation of a spherical drop-shaped portion 9 as shown in Figs 7c and 7d.
  • the gemstone 6 comprises a number of facets and is generally circular when seen from above.
  • Figs 7a to 7c are perspective views seen from a first, slightly elevated position, whereas Fig. 7d is a perspective view seen from a more elevated position.
  • Fig. 7a corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2a
  • Fig. 7b corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2b (where the tip 8a is inserted into the prong 2; however, the drop-shaped portion 9 has not yet begun to be formed)
  • Fig. 7c corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2d
  • Fig. 7d corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2e. Note that in Figs 7a to 7d only a single prong 2 is shown, but in practice 4 prongs are distributed around the gemstone 6 similar to in the previous embodiments.
  • the shaft portion 4 is slightly expanded in a transverse direction to be shaped substantially like the frustum of a cone similar to Fig. 5.
  • the drop-shaped portion 9 is substantially spherical in its final position shown in Fig. 7d (and also in Fig. 7c during its formation).
  • Fig. 8 shows a photo of a larger part of the base portion 1 of Figs 5 to
  • Fig. 9 shows a detail IX of the base portion 1 of Fig. 8 seen from above with a number of gemstones 6 attached in continuation of each other using prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, 2b.
  • the bracelet comprises a jewellery material base portion 1 1 corresponding to the wax base portion 1 , a number of jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 12, corresponding to the wax prongs, i.a. prong 2, and the gemstones 6 in positions corresponding to the positions in which they were attached to the wax base portion 1 during carrying out of the method.
  • Fig. 1 1 shows a different embodiment of a piece of jewellery in the form of a charm for a bracelet that is produced using the method according to steps I to IX above. Similar to the bracelet shown in Fig. 10, the charm com- prises a jewellery material base portion 1 1 corresponding to the wax base portion 1 , a number of jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 12, corresponding to the wax prongs, i.a. prong 2, and the gemstones 6 in positions corresponding to the positions in which they were attached to the wax base portion 1 during carrying out of the method.
  • the charm com- prises a jewellery material base portion 1 1 corresponding to the wax base portion 1 , a number of jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 12, corresponding to the wax prongs, i.a. prong 2, and the gemstones 6 in positions corresponding to the positions in which they were attached to the wax base portion 1 during carrying out of the method.
  • the gemstones are positioned in a pattern where the gemstones are also positioned side-by-side, next to each other, to form 5 rows or lines of gemstones extending in a circumferential direction of the charm.
  • Fig. 12a shows a detail of a bracelet such as the one shown in Fig. 10, but manufactured according to the prior art method illustrated in Figs 1 a to 1 c and explained above in method steps 1 to 9.
  • undesired deformations 17 corresponding to the mechanically created deformations 7 shown in Fig. 1 c are created in the jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 2.
  • Fig. 12b shows a detail corresponding to that of Fig. 12a of the bracelet shown in Fig. 10.
  • the undesired deformations 17 are not present; instead the areas 17a of the jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 2, extend to cover parts of the upper surface of the gemstones, i.a. gemstone 6.
  • the problems related to fall- ing stone in the prior art have been alleviated in this embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figs 13a and 13b show views corresponding to those of Figs 2a and 2b of an alternative embodiment of the base portion 1 .
  • the base portion 1 comprises a depression 5b similar to the embodiment shown in Figs 6a and 6b.
  • the base portion 1 is modified in that all prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, are provided as dowels, i.e. separately or non- integrally with the remaining parts of the base portion 1.
  • the remaining parts of the base portion 1 thus comprise sockets or depressions 20, 20a for receiv- ing and holding the prongs 2, 2a, respectively. Similar sockets are provided for the remaining prongs of the base portion 1 . This may make it simpler to produce the base portion 1.

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Abstract

A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery, comprising providing a base portion (1) including one or more attachment protrusions (2) and comprising a thermally deformable material, fitting a separate ornamental member (6) in a spacing (5) of the base portion in proximity of the attachment protrusion, bringing a heated portion of a tool (8) into contact with the thermally deformable material so as to thermally deform at least part of the thermally deformable material so that it deforms to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member, and cooling the thermally deformable material so as to harden, whereby the ornamental member is attached to the base portion by means of the deformed attachment protrusion. A piece of jewellery, comprising a base portion of a meltable jewellery material with one or more attachment protrusions of said jewellery material, a separate ornamental member positioned in a spacing of the base portion and attached to and held in place in the spacing by the one or more attachment protrusion, the attachment protrusion having a drop-shaped portion (9) that extends to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member to hold the ornamental member in the spacing.

Description

A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery
The present invention relates to a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery involving attaching an ornamental member, specifically a gem- stone, to a base portion. The invention also relates to a piece of jewellery, which may be manufactured by the method according to the invention. Pieces of jewellery include bracelets, necklaces, charms and beads for bracelets, rings, ear rings and the like.
In the traditional art of manufacture of pieces of jewellery, gemstones are typically attached to a metal base portion by mechanically or physically deforming metal attachment prongs or like fastening elements to hold the gemstone. The prongs typically have been cast or otherwise created integrally with the metal base portion to which the gemstone is to be attached. Typically, this method of mechanical stone setting is carried out using a mechani- cal tool, such as pincers, pliers, pincers or the like, and without heating the prongs or the gemstone.
So-called hot stone setting is a well-known prior art method for setting of gemstones in jewellery. It involves first heating a gemstone and then positioning the gemstone in a spacing or socket of a base portion of a melta- ble material, e.g. wax in case of lost wax casting (see below). When the meltable material subsequently is cooled and hardens again, the gemstone will be set in the meltable material.
WO 2015/010142 A1 discloses an example of hot stone setting in which a gemstone is first positioned in meltable material and then heated. The meltable material melts in contact with the hot stone and thus the shape of the socket is shaped to correspond to a surface of the gemstone. When the meltable material subsequently is cooled and hardens again, the gemstone will be set in the meltable material.
So-called lost wax casting is a well-known prior art method for cast- ing of pieces of jewellery. Manufacture of a piece of jewellery may be achieved using prior art lost wax casting by a method involving the following steps, see Figs 1 a to 1 c of the enclosed drawings: A master model of a base portion is moulded, e.g. of metal such as steel, with integral mushroom-shaped or bolt-shaped attachment protrusions or prongs, each with a cylindrical part with one end attached to the remaining parts of a master model base portion and the other end comprising a head, the heads of the prongs extending to partially cover spacings or sockets of the master model base portion, each socket being surrounded by for example four prongs.
A reusable rubber mould of the master model base portion is created from the master model.
Liquid wax is injected into the rubber mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form a wax copy of the master model, resulting in a wax base portion 1 , which is a copy of the master model base portion, including a set of wax prongs 2, each with a head 3 and a cylindrical shaft 4. The wax base portion 1 is shown in Fig. 1 a. A (non-heated) gemstone 6 is inserted into the gem spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , which is surrounded by four wax prongs 2 (of which only two are shown in Figs 1 a to 1 c), by manually working, often including rotating or turning, the gemstone 6 past the wax prongs 2 to be seated in the gem spacing 5, see Fig. 1 b. The gem spacing 5 may comprise a depression 5a in a surface of the base portion 1 , the depression 5a having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part of the gemstone 6 so that the gemstone 6 fits into the depression 5a when being positioned in the spacing 5, see Fig. 1 c.
A number (typically 14 to 400) of wax copies including attached gemstones are positioned in continuation of each other, resulting in a so-called tree of wax copies. Each wax copy typically comprises a larger number of gemstones attached to the base portion in the manner described above.
Gypsum is moulded around the tree and burned to form a gypsum shell surrounding the tree. The gypsum shell and tree are heated to harden the gypsum and to burn out the wax (i.e. melt the wax to run out of the gypsum shell) to produce a gypsum mould.
Melted metal or like jewellery material is injected into the gypsum mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form the piece of jewellery including attached gemstones. The gypsum is quenched, i.e. the hot gypsum mould is descended into water, whereby it breaks open to free the pieces of jewellery.
The piece of jewellery is finished, usually involving polishing and cleaning.
The inventor of the present invention has realized that the above method results in a relatively large error rate in the resultant pieces of jewellery, specifically related to so-called "falling stone", which means that at some point during the lifetime of the piece of jewellery the gemstone is disengaged from the gem spacing and falls off. Since a larger number of gemstones, for example a hundred or more, are often attached to one piece of jewellery in the above method, even a rather small error rate in the attachment of the gemstones results in a relatively large error rate of the pieces of jewellery. As much as 20-40 percent of a batch of pieces of jewellery can be defective in this manner.
Furthermore, the inventor has realized that in the working step 4 above sometimes typically one or two of the four heads 3 of the prongs 2 are deformed or destroyed, typically in an area 7 which is meant to extend to cover part of a top surface of the gemstone 6 to hold the gemstone 6 in place, see Fig. 1 c. This sometimes has the consequence that the gemstone 6 will tend to be worked loose during use of the piece of jewellery and may fall out from the gem spacing 5. This tendency is of course undesired and is referred to in the art as so-called falling stone. Shrinkage of the metal during harden- ing to some degree may tighten the metal contact surfaces towards the gemstones so that the gemstones will be additionally attached. However, in some of the resultant products, the metal prongs' coverage (some of which are de- formed) and shrinkage of the metal are not enough to hold all gemstones in place, and some will fall out at some point, typically when a user wears the piece of jewellery.
JP 2010269003 A discloses in one embodiment mechanically or physically working metal prongs to attach a gem to a wax model of a piece of jewellery. In another embodiment tips of metal prongs that are provided separately from a base portion are heated by means of a tool to attach the prongs to a wax base portion through conductive heating and, subsequently, lost wax casting is performed.
US 4,392,289 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a gem is snapped into position in a wax model, which has side walls with undercut grooves.
US 6,516,864 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a wax model is mechanically cut to form seating grooves for a gem.
US 5,881 ,795 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a gem- stone is inserted into a mould. The gemstone may be fixed using an adhesive, and wax is introduced into the mould to produce a wax model with the gemstone set therein.
US 4, 154,282 discloses a lost wax casting method in which a gem- stone is inserted into a mould, and a wax model with the gemstone set therein is formed by introducing wax into the mould.
Summary of the invention On this background it is an object of the present invention to alleviate, reduce or solve the above problems and issues in the prior art.
Another object is to provide a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery, in which the error rate of the manufactured pieces of jewellery is reduced.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery, in which ornamental members are securely attached in the piece of jewellery. Another object of the invention is to provide a simpler and/or lower cost method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery.
These objects and further objects may be met by a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery, comprising the steps of:
providing a base portion including one or more attachment protrusions and comprising a thermally deformable material,
fitting a separate ornamental member in a spacing of the base portion in proximity of the attachment protrusion,
bringing a heated portion of a tool into contact with the thermally de- formable material so as to thermally deform at least part of the thermally deformable material so that it deforms to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member, and
cooling the thermally deformable material so as to harden, whereby the ornamental member is attached to or set in the base portion by means of the deformed attachment protrusion.
Hereby, a method is provided with which it is easier, more convenient and time-saving to attach an ornamental member to a base portion. The method may conveniently be carried out automatically or by a machine or robot, or it may be carried out manually or by hand, potentially using one or more said tools.
The method may also hold the ornamental member better than in the prior art, especially since the attachment protrusion may contact the ornamental component by a snug fit.
When the attachment protrusions are deformed after positioning of the ornamental member, the attachment protrusions will not be deformed as in the prior art since the ornamental member need not be worked past or in between holding members of the attachment protrusions.
The improved hold of the deformed attachment protrusion may thus significantly reduce or completely avoid the explained tendency in the prior art of "falling stone".
The method may be used in lost wax casting in which the thermally deformable material is wax or a wax-like material with a relatively low melting point above room temperature, such as 30 to 100 degrees Celsius, typically 35 to 70 degrees Celsius, whereby it is very convenient to attach the ornamental member, which may be a gemstone, to the base portion.
In the resultant piece of jewellery the attachment protrusion will pro- vide an improved hold on the ornamental member. The ornamental member may be held by the deformed attachment protrusion on several non-parallel surfaces of the ornamental member and thus be held in several different dimensions. In this case shrinkage of the heat deformable material of the attachment protrusion during cooling may also further serve to provide a strain on the ornamental member in a grip provided by the attachment protrusion between its different contact surfaces with the ornamental member.
With the method according to the invention the resultant piece of jewellery can be manufactured to include uniform prongs attaching the ornamental member, the prongs having smooth, rounded, potentially circular or semi-spherical upper surfaces and no deformations resulting from mechanical deformation of the attachment protrusions during manufacture.
The ornamental member may also abut a surface part of the base portion in the spacing, this surface part not being part of the one or more attachment protrusions. Hereby, the ornamental member may be held in one or more further directions/dimensions. However, the grip of the attachment protrusion on the ornamental member may be enough to hold the ornamental member in position, especially if two or more attachment protrusions are provided, each holding the ornamental member at a different position of the ornamental member.
The ornamental member may be a precious, semi-precious or imitated gemstone, including gemstone imitations such as cubic zirconia stones.
The ornamental member or gemstone is preferably not separately heated before or after being set in the spacing. However, in some embodiments the ornamental member may be heated before or after being posi- tioned in the spacing.
In an embodiment of the method according to the invention the thermally deformable material is a meltable material, and the step of thermally deforming the material involves melting at least part of the meltable material.
Melting the deformable material improves the fit in the contact areas with the ornamental member and further improves or strengthens the attachment of the ornamental member. Melting the material and allowing it to there- by reshape or deform to fit an outer surface of the ornamental member may also be more conveniently done since there is no need to work or mechanically deform the attachment protrusion according to an outer surface of the ornamental member.
In a development of the latter embodiment the method further com- prises the step of heating a pointed tip of the tool to above the melting point of the meltable material, and the step of bringing the heated portion of a tool into contact with the thermally deformable material may involve bringing the pointed tip of the tool into contact with or inserting the pointed tip into a top end surface of or into a head of the attachment protrusion comprising the meltable material or penetrating the top end of the attachment protrusion with the pointed tip of the tool.
Heating the top end of the attachment protrusion in this manner is convenient and easy to perform. The pointed tip of the tool may be a needle or may be needle-shaped.
In a further development of the latter embodiment, when the pointed tip contacts the top end of the attachment protrusion, a drop-shaped portion of melted material is formed at said top end, the drop-shaped portion subsequently due to dispersion of heat from the pointed tip evolving and growing when the heat spreads from the top end to lower parts of the attachment pro- trusion, so that the drop-shaped portion approaches and eventually reaches and comes into contact with the ornamental member and deforms according to a surface of the ornamental member and consequently extends to cover part of the surface of the ornamental member, after which the step of cooling the thermally deformable material so as to harden is performed so that a drop-shaped portion of the deformed, hardened attachment protrusion holds the ornamental member in position in the spacing.
In this development and in other embodiments the method may in- volve calculations or tests to determine the proper size of the contact surface between the tool and the attachment protrusion, including for example how deep into the attachment protrusion the pointed end of the tool should be inserted, the proper contact time and the proper starting temperature of the tip end and attachment protrusion to allow for a suitably shaped drop-shaped portion to propagate in a desired manner to reach contact with the ornamental member. Hereby, when the drop-shaped portion hardens, a proper or desired hold on the ornamental member can be achieved. The heating of the attachment member in this manner may be done extremely quickly and convenient- ly and it may take only a short amount of time before the material of the attachment protrusion is cooled enough to attach the ornamental member so that any subsequent steps in the method may carried out quickly thereafter. The melted and/or the hardened drop-shaped portion may have a substantially spherical shape and/or a substantially ellipsoidal shape, the spherical shape potentially being interrupted at surfaces of the drop-shaped portion in contact with the ornamental member and/or remaining parts of the base portion. The resultant deformed attachment protrusion may comprise a shaft portion attached to the remaining parts of the base portion, the shaft portion extending to the drop-shaped portion positioned at the opposite, top end of the attachment protrusion.
In a further development of the latter embodiment the pointed tip of the tool is retracted from contact with the attachment protrusion before the drop-shaped portion extends to cover at least part of the ornamental member, the drop-shaped portion continuing to evolve after retraction of the pointed tip.
In the latter development and in other embodiments the tool may need only to contact the attachment protrusion for a very short amount of time, which may be 0.1 to 60 seconds, 1 to 30 seconds or 2 to 10 seconds.
In another embodiment the spacing comprises a depression in a surface of the base portion, the depression having a shape and size correspond- ing to a shape and size of a lower part of the ornamental member so that the ornamental member fits into and abuts the depression when being positioned in the spacing. As mentioned above this may hold the ornamental member in one or more further dimensions and may improve the attachment of the ornamental member to the base portion.
In another embodiment the attachment protrusion before deformation has a substantially cylindrical shape or a circular cylindrical shape and com- prises a shaft portion and a head portion at a top end thereof, the shaft portion being secured to remaining parts of the base portion. The attachment protrusion may have rounded edges between side surfaces and a top surface at the top end.
Hereby, the shape of the attachment protrusion may be especially suitable for forming a propagating drop-shaped portion as described above. The shaft portion may be cylindrical and the head portion at a top end may be wider in a transverse direction of the attachment protrusion if it is desired to provide more heat deformable material at the top end, e.g. if a larger drop- shaped portion and a larger contact area between drop-shaped portion and ornamental member are desired.
In another embodiment the base portion is of a meltable material, the attachment protrusion being an integral part of the base portion.
Hereby, the base portion may be manufactured in one piece in a convenient manner, e.g. be moulded in a master mould as explained above in the description of the prior art.
In another embodiment the base portion comprises two or more said attachment protrusions, each after having been thermally deformed extending to cover different parts of the surface of the ornamental member.
Hereby, the grip and/or hold on the ornamental member may be sig- nificantly improved.
In another embodiment the method further comprises the subsequent steps of:
moulding a mouldable material to substantially cover the base portion and the ornamental member attached thereto,
allowing the mouldable material to harden to form a mould of said mouldable material,
burning out the meltable material from the mould to create an empty mould,
injecting a melted jewellery material into the empty mould,
allowing the jewellery material to cool inside said mould so as to harden,
removing the mould,
to thereby manufacture a moulded piece of jewellery having a jewellery material base portion and an ornamental member attached thereto by means of a jewellery material attachment protrusion of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material attachment protrusion corresponding in shape to the deformed meltable material attachment protrusion.
Hereby, the method may involve burning out the meltable material, which may be wax in case of lost wax casting. The mouldable material is preferably gypsum, and the jewellery material is preferably a metal, preferably a precious metal, or a metal alloy or the like, such as consisting of or compris- ing silver, gold, nickel, steel, stainless steel, copper, tin, bronze or a combination thereof. It may also be other materials or combinations of materials, such as a plastic material. The jewellery material may also be plated or coated after casting, e.g. with a precious metal. The method may similarly involve one or more of the steps 1 -9 in the above explained prior art method, including positioning several base portions with ornamental members attached thereto in a tree, creating a gypsum mould and removing the gypsum mould by quenching. The base portion of the thermally deformable material may be manufactured by moulding it in a master mould, the master mould having an internal mould space shaped like the base portion.
In another embodiment the method involves lost wax casting, the heat deformable material comprising wax.
In another embodiment the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, a drop-shaped portion of the attachment protrusion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least part of each of the two facets.
Hereby, the ornamental member may be held in different directions/dimensions by the attachment protrusion. The above objects and further objects may be also be met according to the invention by a piece of jewellery, comprising
a base portion of a meltable jewellery material, such as metal, with one or more attachment protrusions of said jewellery material,
a separate ornamental member positioned in a spacing of the base portion and attached to and held in place in the spacing by the one or more attachment protrusions,
the one or more attachment protrusions having a drop-shaped portion that extends to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member to hold the ornamental member in the spacing.
As will be realized by a person skilled in the art, the piece of jewellery according to the invention may conveniently be manufactured by the method according to the invention.
The above advantages explained in connection with the method ac- cording to the invention thus also apply to the piece of jewellery according to the invention. These advantages especially include that the issue of falling stone may be significantly reduced in the piece of jewellery according to the invention.
Similarly to the above explanation of the embodiments of the method according to the invention, the ornamental member may also abut a surface part of the jewellery material base portion in the spacing, this surface part not being part of the one or more jewellery material attachment protrusions. The spacing may comprise a depression in a surface of the base portion, the depression having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part of the ornamental member so that the ornamental member fits into the depression when being positioned in the spacing.
The drop-shaped portion may have a substantially spherical shape and/or a substantially ellipsoidal shape, the spherical shape potentially being interrupted at surfaces of the drop-shaped portion in contact with the orna- mental member and the remaining parts of the base portion. The resultant jewellery material attachment protrusion may comprise a jewellery material shaft portion attached to the remaining parts of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material shaft portion extending to the drop-shaped portion positioned at the opposite top end of the jewellery material attachment protrusion.
Also similarly, the ornamental member may be a precious, semi- precious or imitated gemstone, imitated gemstones including cubic zirconia stones.
Also similarly, in an embodiment of the piece of jewellery according to the invention the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, the drop-shaped portion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least part of each of the two facets.
Also similarly, in another embodiment the piece of jewellery comprises two or more attachment protrusions, each with a drop-shaped portion, each drop-shaped portion covering a different surface of the ornamental member so as to hold the ornamental member in position in the spacing at different locations of the ornamental member.
The drawings
In the enclosed drawings:
Figs 1 a to 1 c show schematic sectional side views of a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in the prior art method explained above for manufacture of a piece of jewellery.
Figs 2a to 2f show schematic sectional side views similar to those in Figs 1 a to 1 c of a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in an embodiment of a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery according to the present invention, Fig. 2f showing a view taken along the line ll-ll in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 shows a top down view of a detail of the base portion of Fig. 2f. Figs 4a to 4d show perspective views of different embodiments of an attachment protrusion for use in the method according to the invention.
Fig. 5 shows a view similar to that in Fig. 2e with an alternative deformed attachment protrusion.
Figs 6a and 6b show views similar to those of Figs 2b and 2e, re- spectively, showing an alternative embodiment of the base portion.
Figs 7a to 7d show perspective views of different steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention using the base portion according to Figs 6a and 6b.
Fig. 8 shows a photo in perspective view of a base portion and a tool used to attach gemstones to the base portion using an embodiment of the method according to the invention.
Fig. 9 shows a photo in an elevated view of the detail IX of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 shows a photo in perspective view of an embodiment of the piece of jewellery according to the invention in the form of a bracelet manufactured using the base portion according to Fig. 8.
Fig. 1 1 shows a photo of charm in a side view.
Fig. 12a shows a photo in an elevated view of a detail of a bracelet such as the one shown in Fig. 10 manufactured according to the prior art method illustrated in Figs 1 a to 1 c.
Fig. 12b shows a photo in an elevated view of a detail corresponding to that of Fig. 12a of the bracelet shown in Fig. 10.
Figs 13a and 13b show views corresponding to those of Figs 2a and 2b of an alternative embodiment of the base portion.
Detailed description of embodiments of the invention
Figs. 1 a to 1 c illustrate a prior art method and are explained in the above.
Figs 2a to 2f show a detail of a base portion in different subsequent steps in an embodiment of a method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery according to the present invention. The illustrated method makes use of lost wax casting for setting of an ornamental member in the form of a gemstone in a base portion and comprises a number of steps, some of which steps are similar to the prior art method described above in steps 1 to 9, the numbering I to IX used for the following steps respectively corresponding to the steps 1 to 9 in the prior art method. The method involves the following steps: A metal master model of a master model base portion is moulded or otherwise created.
A reusable rubber mould of the master model base portion is created from the metal master model.
Liquid wax is injected into the rubber mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form a meltable wax copy of the metal master model, resulting in a wax base portion 1 shown in Fig. 2a. The wax is a thermally deformable, specifically meltable, material. The base portion 1 includes a set of attachment protrusions in the form of circular cylindrical wax prongs, i.a. the prongs denoted 2, 2a, 2b, each with a head portion 3 and a cylindrical shaft portion 4 as shown for the prong 2. All prongs are integral with the base portion 1 so that the base portion 1 is moulded in one wax piece. Each shaft portion 4 has an inner end attached to the remaining parts of the base portion 1 and an outer end comprising the head 3. Four prongs of which only two 2, 2a are shown in Figs 2a to 2f surround and partially define a spacing 5 for an ornamental member in the form of a gemstone 6. The spacing 5 is also defined by a bottom spacing surface 5a provided by another part of the base portion 1 , and the spacing 5 is open at the top so that the gemstone 6 will be visible from above in the resultant piece of jewellery. The gemstone may be a precious, semi-precious or imitated gemstone, including gemstone imitations such as cubic zirconia stones. The ornamental member or gemstone is preferably not separately heated before or after being set in the spacing. However, in some embodiments the ornamental member may be heated before or after being positioned in the spacing.
The non-heated gemstone 6 is fitted into the gem spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , which is surrounded by the four wax prongs (of which only two 2, 2a are shown), by simply guiding the gemstone 6 in between the wax prongs 2, 2a. It is not necessary to work the gemstone 6 past the prongs 2, 2a since the entrance to the spacing allows simply arranging the gemstone 6 in the spacing in the linear direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2a. No rotation of the gemstone 6 is necessary. In Fig. 2b the gemstone 6 is shown seated in the position in which it is to be held in the gem spacing 5. As shown in Figs 2a and 2b a hand tool 8 comprises a pointed, needle-shaped tip 8a, and the tool 8 is guided by hand so that the tip 8a is inserted to penetrate an end surface of the head portion 3 of the prong 2. The tip 8a has beforehand been heated to a temperature above the melting point of the wax so that it easily penetrates the surface of the head portion 3 since the areas of the head portion 3 close to the tip 8a will melt. As is shown in Fig. 2c the head portion 3 will then begin to melt as the heat disperses from the tip 8a through the wax, and a drop-shaped portion 9 of melted wax begins to form at the outer end of the prong 2. As is shown in Fig. 2d the drop-shaped portion 9 grows in size as the heat disperses further through and melts further parts of the prong 2. Immediately after the point in time shown in Fig. 2d, the tip 8a is removed from the prong 2 as is shown by the arrow in Fig. 2e. As is shown in Fig. 2e, the prong 2 continues to evolve and propagate downwards due to gravity to eventually deform to cover a part of a surface of the gemstone 6. A good fit in the contact areas with gemstone 6 is achieved, which provides a strong attachment of the gemstone 6. There is no need to work or mechanically deform the prong 2 according to an outer surface of the gemstone 6. Then the melted parts of the wax base portion 1 are allowed to cool to below the hardening temperature of the wax so that they harden again. Hereby, a hardened drop-shaped portion 9 of the deformed prong 2 is in contact with and holds the gemstone 6 in the desired position in the spacing 5, see Fig. 2e. The drop-shaped portion 9 is substantially shaped as a sphere or an ellipsoid. Subsequent from removing the tip 8a from the prong 2, the tip 8a is inserted into the prong 2a, and a similar process as described in the above is carried out. As a result, the prong 2a, which is positioned substantially at an opposite lateral edge of the gemstone 6 from the prong 2, holds the gemstone 6 in a similar manner but at a substantially opposite position, see Fig. 2f. As can be seen from Fig. 2, in none of the areas 7a where the prongs 2, 2a hold the gemstone 6 is there any mechanical deformation corresponding to the mechanical deformation 7 shown in Fig. 1 c. Then the remaining not shown two prongs that are distributed around the spacing 5 undergo a similar process to also hold the gemstone 6 in position so that the gemstone 6 is held at four positions along its lateral edges and also where a lower pointed end abuts the surface 5a of the base portion 1 . Before carrying out the melting step, calculations or tests may be made to determine the proper size of the contact surface between the tip 8a and prong 2, including for example how deep into the prong 2 the tip 8a should be inserted, the proper contact time and the proper starting temperature of the tip 8a to allow for a suitably shaped drop-shaped portion 9 to propagate in a desired manner to reach contact with the ornamental member. Hereby, when the drop-shaped portion 9 hardens, a proper or desired hold on the gemstone 6 may be achieved. The tip 8a may contact the prong 2 in a time interval from 0.1 to 60 seconds, 1 to 30 seconds or 2 to 10 seconds. The gemstone 6 comprises a number of facets, including two facets 10a, 10b separated by an edge 10c, the drop- shaped portion 9 extending to cover part of the edge 10c and part of each of the two facets 10a, 10b, see Fig. 2e. Hereby, the gemstone 6 is held in different directions/dimensions by the prong 2. Fig. 3 shows a top down view of a detail of the resultant base portion 1 holding the gemstone 6, in which all four prongs holding the gemstone 6 are visible. A further gemstone 6a held by the prong 2a and a further prong 2b as well as two further prongs (with no reference numerals) are also shown in Fig. 3. Further gemstones may be held in a similar manner in continuation of the gemstones 6, 6a.
V. A number (typically 14 to 400) of base portions with gemstones 6 are positioned in continuation of each other, resulting in a tree of base portions 1 . Each base portion 1 comprises a number of gemstones attached to the base portion 1 in the manner described above.
VI. Gypsum is moulded around the tree and burned to form a gyp- sum shell surrounding the tree.
VII. The gypsum shell and tree are heated to harden the gypsum and to burn out the wax base portion (i.e. melt the wax to run out of the gypsum shell) to produce a gypsum mould.
VIII. Melted metal or like jewellery material is injected into the gypsum mould and is allowed to cool and harden to form a piece of jewellery according to an embodiment of the invention, including attached gemstones. The jewellery material in this embodiment is metal or a metal alloy. The gypsum is quenched, i.e. the hot gypsum mould is descended into water, whereby it breaks open to free the moulded pieces of jewellery. Each piece of piece of jewellery thus has a meltable jewellery material base portion corresponding to the wax base portion 1 and a number of gems 6 attached thereto by means of a number of jewellery material prongs of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material prongs corresponding in shape to the deformed wax prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, 2b shown in Fig 2f, and holding a number of gemstones 6 set in spacings, i.a. spacing 5. Each jewellery material prong similarly comprises a drop-shaped jewellery material portion that corresponds in shape and size to the drop-shaped wax portion 9 in Figs 2e and 2f. The drop-shaped jewellery material portions similar to as shown in Fig. 2f extend to cover part of the surfaces of the respective gemstones to hold the gemstones in the spacings. Similar to in the wax model, the gemstone 6 at a bottom tip also abuts a surface part of the jewellery material base portion in the spacing. Generally, in the resultant piece of jewellery, the jewellery material base portion is identical in size and shape to the wax base portion 1 shown in Figs 2f and 3, and the gemstone 6 is positioned in the same manner. However, shrinkage of the metal during hardening to some degree may somewhat lessen the size and to some degree change the shape of the jewellery material base portion. This shrinkage may also tighten the metal contact surfaces towards the gemstones 6 so that the attachment of the gemstones 6 is further improved.
The piece of jewellery is finished, usually involving polishing and cleaning. The jewellery material may also be plated or coated after casting, e.g. with a precious metal. It may also be oxidized or treated with other conventional finishing processes known to a person skilled in the art.
Figs 4a to 4d show different embodiments of the attachment protrusion in the form of prongs or pins 2 for use in the method according to the invention. These can be used in the method according to Figs 2a to 2f or other embodiments. They may be integral or non-integral (see also Figs 13a and 13b) with the remaining parts of the base portion 1 . The prongs are generally preferably oblong cylindrical pins, but may in principle have any suitable shape. The optimum shape and size depends on the shape and size of the gemstone to be attached and a person skilled in the art of jewellery making may accordingly devise optimum shape and size of the prongs.
Fig. 4a shows the prong 2 used in the method illustrated in Figs 2a to 2e. The remaining prongs in said method are identical. As may be seen in the figure, at a top end surface the prong 2 comprises a marking in the form of a cross 10 showing where to insert the tip 8a. The marking may comprise a depression or an indentation, which may allow easier insertion of the tip 8a in the proper spot, which may be decisive as to how the drop-shaped wax por- tion 9 evolves. The needle insertion point marking may be eccentrically positioned if one desires a drop-shaped portion 9 that is not symmetrically positioned, but for example is positioned so that a larger or smaller part of the drop-shaped portion 9 is in contact with the surface of the gemstone 6.
Fig. 4b shows an alternative, parallelepipedal version of the prong 2 of Fig. 4a. It is noted that the drop-shaped portion 9 will still tend to form a spherical shape during melting.
Fig. 4c shows another alternative version, which is similar to that of Fig. 4a, but comprises a head portion 3 shaped like the frustum of a cone. This provides more wax at the outer end of the prong 2 and may thus result in a larger drop-shaped portion 9.
Fig. 4d shows another alternative version, which is similar to that of Fig. 4a, but comprises a foot portion 1 1 shaped like the frustum of a cone. This may provide a stronger attachment to the remaining parts of the base portion 1 . The foot portion 1 1 may also be shaped so that a bevelled lateral surface thereof 1 1 a lies in parallel with and abuts the facet 10b of the gemstone 6 when the gemstone is positioned in the spacing 5 to provide further support of the gemstone 6.
Fig. 5 shows a view similar to that of Fig. 2e with an alternatively de- formed prong 2. In some instances the shaft portion 4 will also be slightly deformed and thus expand somewhat in a transverse direction as shown. This may be desirable as it may provide further support of the gemstone 6. How the prong 2 deforms depends on the circumstances in which it is melted.
Figs 6a and 6b show views similar to those of Figs 2b and 2e, re- spectively, showing an alternative embodiment of the base portion 1 . In this embodiment the gem spacing 5 thus comprises a depression 5b in the bottom surface 5a of the spacing 5 of the base portion 1 , the depression 5b having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part (tip) of the gemstone 6 so that this part of the gemstone 6 fits into the depression 5a when being positioned in the spacing 5. This provides further support at a lower part of the gemstone 6. In this embodiment, as is visible in the figures, the prongs 2, 2a are somewhat shorter both before and after having been deformed.
Figs 7 a to 7d show perspective views of different steps of an embodiment of the method according to the invention using the base portion 1 according to Figs 6a and 6b, i.e. comprising a depression 5b, which is substan- tially cone-shaped in order to correspond to the lower end of the gemstone 6. The method is similar to that shown in Figs 2a to 2f; however, the prong 2 (as well as the remaining prongs) is modified from the one shown in Fig. 4a in that it comprises bevelled or rounded edges at its top end. This may generally improve the formation of a spherical drop-shaped portion 9 as shown in Figs 7c and 7d. As can be seen from Figs 7a to 7d the gemstone 6 comprises a number of facets and is generally circular when seen from above.
Figs 7a to 7c are perspective views seen from a first, slightly elevated position, whereas Fig. 7d is a perspective view seen from a more elevated position. Fig. 7a corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2a, Fig. 7b corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2b (where the tip 8a is inserted into the prong 2; however, the drop-shaped portion 9 has not yet begun to be formed), Fig. 7c corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2d, and Fig. 7d corresponds to the method step illustrated in Fig. 2e. Note that in Figs 7a to 7d only a single prong 2 is shown, but in practice 4 prongs are distributed around the gemstone 6 similar to in the previous embodiments. As may be seen in Fig. 7c, the shaft portion 4 is slightly expanded in a transverse direction to be shaped substantially like the frustum of a cone similar to Fig. 5. The drop-shaped portion 9 is substantially spherical in its final position shown in Fig. 7d (and also in Fig. 7c during its formation).
Fig. 8 shows a photo of a larger part of the base portion 1 of Figs 5 to
7d and the tool 8 used to attach gemstones 6 by melting the prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, 2b, one by one in the manner explained above. As can be seen the process is carried out manually by hand, one prong at a time being treated. In the photo the prong denoted 2 is being treated with the heated tip 8a of the tool 8. The tip 8a is electrically heated by a heating element forming part of the tool 8, the tool 8 at a not shown position being connected to a source of electricity to power the heating element. Fig. 9 shows a detail IX of the base portion 1 of Fig. 8 seen from above with a number of gemstones 6 attached in continuation of each other using prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, 2b.
After the base portion 1 of Figs 8 and 9 has gone through the method steps I to IX explained above, a piece of jewellery in the form of a bracelet as shown in Fig. 10 is the result. The bracelet comprises a jewellery material base portion 1 1 corresponding to the wax base portion 1 , a number of jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 12, corresponding to the wax prongs, i.a. prong 2, and the gemstones 6 in positions corresponding to the positions in which they were attached to the wax base portion 1 during carrying out of the method.
Fig. 1 1 shows a different embodiment of a piece of jewellery in the form of a charm for a bracelet that is produced using the method according to steps I to IX above. Similar to the bracelet shown in Fig. 10, the charm com- prises a jewellery material base portion 1 1 corresponding to the wax base portion 1 , a number of jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 12, corresponding to the wax prongs, i.a. prong 2, and the gemstones 6 in positions corresponding to the positions in which they were attached to the wax base portion 1 during carrying out of the method. In the charm, instead of being positioned in a single line, the gemstones are positioned in a pattern where the gemstones are also positioned side-by-side, next to each other, to form 5 rows or lines of gemstones extending in a circumferential direction of the charm.
Fig. 12a shows a detail of a bracelet such as the one shown in Fig. 10, but manufactured according to the prior art method illustrated in Figs 1 a to 1 c and explained above in method steps 1 to 9. As can be seen, undesired deformations 17 corresponding to the mechanically created deformations 7 shown in Fig. 1 c are created in the jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 2.
Fig. 12b shows a detail corresponding to that of Fig. 12a of the bracelet shown in Fig. 10. As can be seen, the undesired deformations 17 are not present; instead the areas 17a of the jewellery material prongs, i.a. prong 2, extend to cover parts of the upper surface of the gemstones, i.a. gemstone 6. A person skilled in the art will thus realize that the problems related to fall- ing stone in the prior art have been alleviated in this embodiment of the present invention.
Figs 13a and 13b show views corresponding to those of Figs 2a and 2b of an alternative embodiment of the base portion 1 . The base portion 1 comprises a depression 5b similar to the embodiment shown in Figs 6a and 6b. In the present embodiment the base portion 1 is modified in that all prongs, i.a. prongs 2, 2a, are provided as dowels, i.e. separately or non- integrally with the remaining parts of the base portion 1. The remaining parts of the base portion 1 thus comprise sockets or depressions 20, 20a for receiv- ing and holding the prongs 2, 2a, respectively. Similar sockets are provided for the remaining prongs of the base portion 1 . This may make it simpler to produce the base portion 1. During the melting step, it is an advantage in this embodiment if the lower parts of the prongs 2, 2a inserted into the sockets 20, 20a slightly expand in a transverse direction, which will attach the prongs in the sockets 20, 20a. The remaining parts of the method for manufacture of the resultant piece of jewellery are identical to those described in the previous embodiments.

Claims

C L A I M S
1 . A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery, comprising the steps of:
providing a base portion including one or more attachment protru- sions and comprising a thermally deformable material,
fitting a separate ornamental member in a spacing of the base portion in proximity of the attachment protrusion,
bringing a heated portion of a tool into contact with the thermally deformable material so as to thermally deform at least part of the thermally de- formable material so that it deforms to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member, and
cooling the thermally deformable material so as to harden, whereby the ornamental member is attached to or set in the base portion by means of the deformed attachment protrusion.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the thermally deformable material is a meltable material, and the step of thermally deforming the material involves melting at least part of the meltable material.
3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of heating a pointed tip of the tool to above the melting point of the meltable material, and wherein the step of bringing the heated portion of a tool into contact with the thermally deformable material involves bringing the pointed tip of the tool into contact with or inserting the pointed tip into a top end of the attachment protrusion comprising the meltable material or penetrating the top end of the attachment protrusion with the pointed tip of the tool.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein, when the pointed tip contacts the top end of the attachment protrusion, a drop-shaped portion of melted material is formed at said top end, the drop-shaped portion subsequently due to dispersion of heat from the pointed tip evolving and growing when the heat spreads from the top end to lower parts of the attachment protrusion, so that the drop-shaped portion approaches and eventually reaches and comes into contact with the ornamental member and deforms according to a surface of the ornamental member and consequently extends to cover part of the sur- face of the ornamental member, after which the step of cooling the thermally deformable material so as to harden is performed so that a drop-shaped portion of the deformed, hardened attachment protrusion holds the ornamental member in position in the spacing.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the pointed tip of the tool is retracted from contact with the attachment protrusion before the drop- shaped portion extends to cover at least part of the ornamental member, the drop-shaped portion continuing to evolve after retraction of the pointed tip.
6. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the spacing comprises a depression in a surface of the base portion, the depression having a shape and size corresponding to a shape and size of a lower part of the ornamental member so that the ornamental member fits into and abuts the depression when being positioned in the spacing.
7. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the attachment protrusion before deformation has a substantially cylindrical shape or a circular cylindrical shape and comprises a shaft portion and a head portion at a top end thereof, the shaft portion being secured to remaining parts of the base portion.
8. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the base portion is of a meltable material, the attachment protrusion being an integral part of the base portion.
9. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the base portion comprises two or more said attachment protrusions, each after having been thermally deformed extending to cover different parts of the sur- face of the ornamental member.
10. A method according to any one of the previous claims, further comprising the subsequent steps of:
moulding a mouldable material to substantially cover the base portion and the ornamental member attached thereto,
allowing the mouldable material to harden to form a mould of said mouldable material,
burning out the meltable material from the mould to create an empty mould,
injecting a melted jewellery material into the empty mould,
allowing the jewellery material to cool inside said mould so as to harden,
removing the mould,
to thereby manufacture a moulded piece of jewellery having a jewellery material base portion and an ornamental member attached thereto by means of a jewellery material attachment protrusion of the jewellery material base portion, the jewellery material attachment protrusion corresponding in shape to the deformed meltable material attachment protrusion.
1 1 . A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the method involves lost wax casting, the heat deformable material comprising wax.
12. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, the drop-shaped portion of the attachment protrusion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least part of each of the two facets.
13. A piece of jewellery, comprising
a base portion of a meltable jewellery material with one or more at- tachment protrusions of said jewellery material,
a separate ornamental member positioned in a spacing of the base portion and attached to and held in place in the spacing by the one or more attachment protrusions,
the one or more attachment protrusions having a drop-shaped por- tion that extends to cover a part of a surface of the ornamental member to hold the ornamental member in the spacing.
14. A piece of jewellery according to claim 13, wherein the ornamental member is a gemstone comprising two facets separated by an edge, the drop-shaped portion extending to cover at least part of the edge and at least parts of the two facets.
15. A piece of jewellery according to claim 13 or 14, comprising two or more attachment protrusions, each with a drop-shaped portion, each drop- shaped portion covering a different surface of the ornamental member so as to hold the ornamental member in position in the spacing at different locations of the ornamental member.
PCT/DK2016/050382 2015-12-03 2016-11-22 A method for manufacture of a piece of jewellery and a piece of jewellery WO2017092760A1 (en)

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