Suspension setting for gemstones
A novel setting for a gemstone comprises a plurality of supports projecting from a setting fixture and engaging the girdle of a gemstone and suspending the gemstone within the setting. Retention pressure is applied to a sufficient level to retain the gemstone within the setting fixture. In one embodiment, a setting of the present invention uses spring bias to generate the retention pressure for retention of the gemstone.
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to settings for gemstones in jewelry. More particularly, the present invention comprises a novel suspension setting that is unique in retaining gemstones, glass lenses, watch lenses and similar delicate items that are to be retained or held.
The setting of gemstones in jewelry items has been an age-old concern in the industry. The problem begins with the gemstone itself which is fragile and does not suffer unbalanced tension loading as would be the case for any crystalline structure. Thus the techniques that have developed over time tend to favor approaches that capture the gemstone rather than grip it in an affirmative fashion. A prong setting does capture the stone and allows it stone to be retained without imposing any tension on the stone itself Prong settings, or claw settings as they are sometimes known, are the most popular settings for diamonds and similar stones. They have the advantage of allowing more of the stone to be exposed than in some other types of setting techniques, but they do also possess some drawbacks. Prong settings can catch on fabrics and clothes, they also tend to loosen over time.
An example of a prong setting may be seen in
As will be seen, round gemstones present a different set of problems when it comes to settings, as opposed to stones that are cut in rectangular or square shapes. The circumference of the stone, taken at the girdle, is the only point where any leverage is obtained for mounting purposes. This is also the point where tension loads can affect the stone the most. Many times, jewelers apply too much tension when completing the mounting of a stone in a prong or claw setting and the stone fractures. Techniques have been developed to assist in gauging the tension or for adding more precision to the closing of the prongs about the stone, nonetheless there is still a great deal of variability in the size of stones and the types of cuts they present. Prongs tend to be a “one size fits all” type of mounting and other than through the use of brute force there is no adjustment available of the setting to the stone, at least not in a way that can easily accommodate the variations in size and in configuration.
Examples of square gemstone settings in the prior art include the Mino invention (U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,384) which uses multiple prongs arrayed around a gemstone to hold it in place. The Mino concept is shown, in part, in
Notwithstanding the Mino approach, the setting method taught is still very dependent on the consistency of the stone size and type of cut. Variations in stones can easily transcend the ability of the setting to perform thus reducing the utility of the Mino concept. As is the case for the prior art setting described above, both approaches are limited in terms of handling much variation in the size of the stones to be installed in a particular piece of jewelry. The architecture of the traditional settings necessarily precludes any ability to be able to adjust each setting for a wide variation of stone sizes, meaning that multiple sizes of settings are needed to adequately address the range of gemstones that may be desired in settings.
Other mechanical techniques are known for retaining gemstones in jewelry, including the use of channel constructions or parts with grooved faces that engage the stone and hold it in place. Examples of this include Muller (U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,159) and Vitau (U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,818) for instance. These approaches require substantial structure, as does the prong or claw setting, near the stone in order to retain the stone sufficiently. In some cases there have been attempts to mount stones using adhesives with the obvious problems associated with the development of a strong bond between the stone and the setting as well as the loss of exposure of the stone as a whole. One interesting approach was taught by Frelich (U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,517) where a gemstone is placed into a wax-like matrix for retention in a setting.
A so-called “invisible” setting is known and has been marketed by Van Cleef & Arpel. The setting accommodates a number of stones that are arrayed close together with no apparent hardware. In actuality, each stone is cut and select with precision so as to nest in between adjacent stones, and grooves are cut into the stone on the underside (pavilion) which then allows engagement by a wire netting. The desirability of this setting is in the fact that the stone are maximally exposed on the top and the bottom portion of the stone is largely exposed, which allows light through the stone showing off the quality and color to best advantage.
The goal in the trade has been to achieve maximum exposure of the gemstone while at the same time ensuring its retention in a setting. It is also desirable to have a setting that will not snag or catch on clothing and the like, which further reduces the security of the stone as well as causing untold aggravation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA new gemstone setting and method for setting a gemstone in accordance with the present invention comprises a novel suspension setting for suspending a gemstone. More particularly, a suspension setting includes a plurality of supports emanating from a setting fixture where each of said supports includes a contact portion and a body portion. The contact portion of the present invention engages and retains the girdle edge of a gemstone. The contact portion of each support is positioned to retain the gemstone in a fixed position with minimal obstruction of the top or bottom of the stone itself
The present invention also includes a version where the contact portions of the supports are biased by spring tension for engagement and retention of the gemstone. The spring tension applies a bias to at least one of such contact portions, or in the alternate, it may be applied to all contact portions of the supports. Where appropriate, one or more contact portions may engage and retain a gemstone in a setting acting in opposition to tension applied by contact portions that are under spring bias.
Another version of the present invention includes contact portions that are adjusted into engagement and retention of a gemstone by threaded advancement of the support. The contact portions remain in an orientation to engage and retain the girdle edge of a gemstone while the threaded engagement advances sufficiently to apply pressure competent to engage and retain the gemstone.
A suspension setting of the present invention includes supports that can be arranged to engage and retain gemstones of various shapes, not just round cut or square cut.
The suspension setting of the present invention allows for enhanced exposure of the top and bottom of a gemstone in a jewelry application. A novel aspect of gemstone presentation is thus achieved when the suspension setting is allowed to gather light in from both the top and bottom sides of a gemstone increasing it's brilliance and heightening it's appearance. In one embodiment, a gemstone may uniquely be set-off from the setting fixture generating the illusion that the stone is floating, or suspended, within the particular piece of jewelry.
One method for setting a gemstone in the present invention includes the steps of: mounting a sufficient number of supports in a setting fixture, positioning a gemstone in a position to be engaged by the contact portions of the supports, advancing the supports to preliminary contact with the gemstone, engaging with gemstone with sufficient retention pressure to ensure the stone will be retained, fixing the supports within the setting fixture for the stabilization of the retention pressure and lastly, cosmetically finishing the supports for a pleasing appearance.
These and other attributes and features of the present invention and all of its embodiments will be further discussed in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A new gemstone setting of the present invention represents an improvement on the prior art in many ways, especially though with respect to the ultimate goal of exposing as much of the gemstone in a setting as is possible while providing a secure means for retaining the stone in place. Other considerations include the need to provide a setting that will minimize the potential for snagging on articles of clothing or to provide a setting that will not easily allow the gemstone to work loose. It is also important to be able to use a method that is not too complex or that requires special tools when placing a gemstone in a setting.
Turning now to
Examples of suspension settings include a version shown in
Versions of the suspension supports 84 of the present invention are shown in
In the present embodiment of the suspension support described above, the spring provides a bias force that urges the suspension end outward from the suspension body. This bias is transmitted to the contact portion 88 of the suspension end which is the part that actually engages the gemstone at the girdle. Thus the bias acts directly on the gemstone at this connection and is the primary force responsible for retention of the gemstone within the setting fixture. As may be appreciated, the suspension support of the present embodiment projects a biasing effect on the gemstone for engagement and retention, although it may be used in combination with static suspension mounts as well. An example of a static mount could be akin to one of the prongs shown in FIGS. 1 or 2 as used in the prior art. When used in conjunction with a suspension support of the present invention, the static mount serves as an engagement point that is not adjusted or moved in relation to the setting of the stone in the jewelry item. Instead the suspension supports that may be arrayed around the stone are brought into contact with the girdle and the appropriate retention pressure is brought to bear on the stone and as against the opposing static mount.
Illustrations as to how the suspension supports work are shown in
The suspension system shown in
Turning now to
The example set forth in
The suspension setting may be used in many different types of jewelry settings, including some that are conventional mountings that need only minor modifications to accept the supports of the present invention. It is also understood that the suspension setting is very adaptable to different sized and differently shaped stones which increases it's utility greatly over other types of mountings known in the art.
The ability to control the retention pressure is a benefit of the suspension setting that eliminates some of the problems experienced in the prior art. Some settings require a measure of brute force to close the tops of prongs, for instance, over the edge of a faceted gemstone. Slight miscalculation can result in either the fracture of the stone or in the alternate, in the loss of a stone in a loose sitting fixture. The usage of the spring bias can be calibrated to generate a specific retention pressure, one that will not breach the yield strength of the gemstone, and which will at the same time provide for secure engagement and retention in the particular jewelry product. Given the spring biased embodiment of the suspension support, it is also known that this can greatly reduce the amount of time that would be needed to fabricate a particular piece. The jewelry need only have some fixtures prepared in advance knowing that virtually any gemstone that a customer may select could be installed easily and efficiently. The suspension setting would reduce the number of stock keeping units for mountings that might be usually held in inventory as well.
The method for installation is dependent upon the subject stone and the particular kind of setting architecture. It would be possible for a customer to have a peat shaped, or rectangular shaped, or virtually any other type of shaped stone mounted in a particular product so long as the girdle is available for engagement by the suspension setting. As described above, the supports are brought into position near the girdle with the contact portions actually touching and finally retaining the stone in the desired position. Depending on the type of support selected, the gemstone might be replaceable for purposes as pedestrian as matching colors in a ensemble. Such usage greatly enhances the utility of the suspension setting as a fashion accessory.
Other variations of the suspension setting may be understood. It would be possible, albeit less preferred, for the supports to be free of any threaded engagement but to be fitted into place with the appropriate amount of tension applied and then soldered or sealed in place by way of techniques known to those skilled in the art of jewelry manufacturing. In such a use, the contact portion of the support could be part of one integral support and not segmented as is the case with other embodiment of the invention.
The supports may themselves form up a decorative portion of the jewelry product. Reference is made to
Multiple settings of the present invention may also be deployed in a given article. There is nothing in the teachings that would prohibit or limit the usage of two or more gemstone mountings of the kind taught herein, the specific architecture for the fixture being a matter for one skilled in the art.
The features and attributes of the suspension setting of the present invention as taught within this application are meant to be illustrative of the varied uses to which the invention may be put without unnecessarily limiting the scope of the concept.
Claims
1. A setting for a gemstone comprising;
- A setting fixture; and,
- A plurality of supports emanating from said setting fixture where each of said supports includes a contact portion and a body portion, said contact portion capable of engaging and retaining the girdle edge of a gemstone, and where said body portion projects from said setting fixture.
2. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 1, where at least one of said supports includes a contact portion that is biased in favor of engagement and retention of a gemstone.
3. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 2, where the bias applied by said contact portion is generated by a spring.
4. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 1, where one or more of said supports are in threaded engagement with said setting fixture and can be reversibly advanced to the point where said contact portion engages and retains a gemstone.
5. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 1, where said supports compatibly engage and retain gemstones of different shapes.
6. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 1, where said setting fixture is a halo mounting.
7. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 1, where said setting fixture is a prong mounting.
8. A setting for a gemstone comprising:
- A setting fixture; and,
- A plurality of supports emanating from said setting fixture where each of said supports includes a contact portion and a body portion, said contact portion capable of engaging and retaining the girdle edge of differing shapes and sizes of gemstones, and where at least one of said contact portions is spring biased in favor of engagement and retention of the gemstone.
9. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 8, where said setting fixture is a halo mounting.
10. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 8, where said setting fixture is a prong mounting.
11. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 8, where a retention bias is also generated by threaded advancement of said support.
12. A setting for gemstones of differing shapes and sizes and with a girdle edge, comprising:
- A setting fixture with a plurality of supports emanating from said setting fixture and where each of said supports includes a contact portion and a body portion, said contact portion being capable of engaging and retaining the girdle edge of a gemstone, and where at least one of said contact portions is brought into engagement and retention of the girdle edge by reversible advancement of said support by threaded engagement between said support and said setting fixture.
13. A setting for gemstones as in claim Number 12, where said setting fixture is a halo mounting.
14. A setting for gemstones as in claim Number 12, where said setting fixture is a prong mounting.
15. A setting for gemstones as in claim Number 12, where said supports generate retention pressure by spring bias.
16. A setting for a gemstone comprising:
- A setting fixture employing at least one support comprised of a contact portion and a body portion, where said contact portion engages and retains a girdle edge of a gemstone with selectable retention pressure, and where said body portion projects from said setting fixture.
17. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 16, where said setting fixture includes at least three supports.
18. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 16, where said retention pressure is generated by a spring bias.
19. A setting for a gemstone as in claim Number 16, where said retention pressure is generated by threaded advancement of the support.
20. A setting for gemstones of differing sizes and shapes, comprising:
- A setting fixture employing a plurality of supports, where said supports include contact portions and body portions, and where said contact portions engage and retain a girdle edge of a gemstone with selectable retention pressure, and where said body portions project from said setting fixture, and where said setting fixture is comprised of a halo mounting.
21. A setting for gemstones of differing sizes and shapes, comprising:
- A setting fixture employing a plurality of supports, where said supports include contact portions and body portions, and where said contact portions engage and retain a girdle edge of a gemstone with selectable retention pressure, and where said body portions project from said setting fixture, and where said setting fixture is comprised of a prong mounting.
22. A method for setting a gemstone in a suspension setting, the steps of which comprise:
- Selecting a setting fixture for a gemstone;
- Installing one or more supports in said setting fixture;
- Positioning a gemstone to be engaged by said support(s);
- Advancing said support(s) to engagement with the girdle edge of the gemstone;
- Adjusting said support(s) with sufficient retention pressure to retain the gemstone;
- Fixing said support(s) within the setting fixture; and,
- Finishing said support(s) and setting fixture for a cosmetic appearance.
23. The method for setting a gemstone in a suspension setting as in claim Number 22, where the steps may be reversed for the disengagement of the gemstone from the suspension setting.
24. The method for setting a gemstone in a suspension setting as in claim Number 22, where the retention pressure is generated by a spring bias.
25. The method for setting a gemstone in a suspension setting as in claim Number 22, where the retention pressure is generated by threaded advancement of the support(s).
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 7, 2006
Inventor: Patrick LeMasters (Ada, MI)
Application Number: 11/142,613
International Classification: A44C 17/02 (20060101);