JEWELRY SETTING

Abstract

A jewelry setting for gemstones, including cabochons, faceted stones, or other stones, pearls, wood cabochons, or other decorative objects, having a mounting ring and multiple rear-mounted retaining arms is disclosed. A method for assembling a jewelry setting is also disclosed. The decorative object may be inserted through the rear of the mounting ring. The mounting ring has a diameter that is slightly smaller than a diameter of the decorative object, thus preventing the decorative object from passing completely through the mounting ring. The retaining arms may be bent inward and tightened against the decorative object, thus securing the decorative object within the setting.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is generally directed to a jewelry setting for gemstones, including cabochons, faceted stones, or other stones, pearls, wood, or other decorative objects. Generally, a cabochon is a polished stone or similar material which may have a convex front surface and a flat or slightly domed rear surface.

Many different ways to set a gemstone are known so that the stone is secured and may be worn as jewelry. For example, a bezel setting utilizes a rim made of precious metal or other material that completely encircles the girdle of the stone to hold the stone in place. A channel setting secures a row of stones through two parallel rims, each of which touches the girdle of each stone.

Another common type of setting utilizes prongs of precious metal or other material to secure the stone. Prong settings usually have three to six prongs, each of which grips the crown of the stone and is visible when looking directly at the crown. A setting with fewer prongs will hold a stone less securely than one with more prongs. Settings with only two prongs exist, but are generally regarded as insecure and are usually used only for smaller stones.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects disclosed herein. This summary is not an exhaustive overview, and it is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is discussed later.

In one illustrative embodiment, a jewelry setting for an object is disclosed that includes a mounting ring and a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms. The rear-mounted retaining arms are adapted to bend inward until abutting a rear surface of the object, thereby securing the object within the mounting ring.

In another illustrative embodiment, a method of assembling an article of jewelry is disclosed. The method includes providing a mounting ring having a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms, inserting a first decorative object into the mounting ring through a rear side of the ring, and bending the rear-mounted retaining arms in toward a rear surface of the first decorative object, thereby securing the first decorative object within the mounting ring.

In another illustrative embodiment, an article of jewelry is disclosed that includes a mounting ring, an object mounted in the mounting ring, and a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms. The rear-mounted retaining arms are adapted to bend inward until abutting a rear surface of the object, thereby securing the object within the mounting ring.

These and other embodiments of the present disclosure will be discussed more fully in the description. The features, functions, and advantages can be achieved independently in various embodiments of the claimed invention, or may be combined in yet other embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This disclosure may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a jewelry setting without a gemstone inserted therein;

FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the jewelry setting without a gemstone inserted therein;

FIG. 3 depicts a front view of an illustrative embodiment of a jewelry setting having gemstones inserted therein;

FIG. 4 depicts a side view of the jewelry setting having gemstones inserted therein;

FIG. 5 depicts a rear view of the jewelry setting having gemstones inserted therein;

FIG. 6 depicts a front view of another illustrative embodiment of a jewelry setting having gemstones inserted therein;

FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the jewelry setting on a necklace;

FIG. 8 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the jewelry setting on a ring;

FIG. 9 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the jewelry setting on a bracelet;

FIG. 10 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the jewelry setting on a cufflink;

FIG. 11 depicts an illustrative embodiment of the jewelry setting on a brooch; and

FIG. 12 depicts a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a jewelry setting having gemstones inserted therein.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Illustrative embodiments of the present subject matter are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with aesthetic-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

The present subject matter will now be described with reference to the attached figures. The words and phrases used herein should be understood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the understanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in the relevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., a definition that is different from the ordinary and customary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, is intended to be implied by consistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the extent that a term or phrase is intended to have a special meaning, i.e., a meaning other than that understood by skilled artisans, such a special definition will be expressly set forth in the specification in a definitional manner that directly and unequivocally provides the special definition for the term or phrase.

The attached figures depict an illustrative jewelry setting 10 according to the present disclosure. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the jewelry setting 10 has a mounting ring 15. In the illustrated embodiments, the mounting ring 15 may comprise a wire-like frame into which an object 20, such as a gemstone or the like, may be placed, as shown in FIGS. 3-6. The object 20 may be a natural or synthetic gemstone, including a cabochon or faceted stone, or may be any other type of decorative insert such as a wood cabochon or mabe pearl.

At least one inside diameter of the mounting ring 15 is smaller than at least one corresponding diameter of the object 20. For the purposes of this disclosure, a diameter of an object 20 is understood to be the distance between two opposite, substantially parallel lines tangent to the boundary of the cross section of the object 20, wherein the cross section of the object 20 is in a plane perpendicular to a frontal viewing angle of the object 20. In other words, the cross section of the object 20 lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the mounting ring 15 when the object 20 is mounted therein. Likewise, a diameter of a mounting ring 15 is understood to be the distance between two opposite, substantially parallel lines tangent to the inner boundary of the mounting ring 15, wherein the substantially parallel lines lie in the same plane as the mounting ring 15. To illustrate, an oval-shaped object 20 may have a long diameter and a short diameter corresponding to respective long and short diameters of the mounting ring 15. Thus, an object 20 placed in a mounting ring 15 having at least one inside diameter that is smaller than at least one corresponding diameter of the object 20 will seat in the mounting ring 15 but will not pass completely through it.

The relationship between diameters of the object 20 at certain cross sections and the corresponding inner diameters of the mounting ring 15 may determine how far the object 20 may be inserted into the mounting ring 15. For example, the object 20 depicted in FIG. 4 has a diameter roughly equal to the corresponding inner diameter of the mounting ring 15 at a cross section at about half of the depth of the object 20. Thus, about half of the object 20 protrudes from the front of the mounting ring 15 when seated therein. A jewelry designer may selectively combine a mounting ring 15 and object 20 to result in a jewelry setting 10 with practically any percentage of protrusion of the object 10, as desired. For the purposes of this disclosure, the percentage of protrusion is understood to be the distance the object 20 protrudes past the front of the mounting ring 15, calculated as a percentage of the overall depth of the object 20.

In some embodiments, the mounting ring 15 has approximately the same shape as the object 20 mounted within it. For example, FIG. 6 depicts three sizes and shapes of mounting rings 15, each with a different size and shape (round, diamond, and oval). In some cases, the outer profile of the mounting ring 15 is approximately the same size as the outer profile of the object 20, so that as one is viewing the jewelry setting 10 from the front, the profile of the mounting ring 15 does not substantially surpass the outer profile of the object 20, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 6.

If the mounting ring 15 is made of wire, such wire may vary in diameter depending on the size of the object 20 or other aesthetic factors. For example, the mounting ring 15 may be made of 18 gauge jewelry wire; however, the gauge may be altered to suit the strength and weight requirements of particular jewelry settings 10. For larger or heavier objects 20, the wire used in the mounting ring 15 may be 16 gauge or thicker, if desired. Likewise, a jewelry designer may use thicker gauge wire if a heavy look is desired. For example, the mounting ring 15 may have a thickness between 10 gauge and 20 gauge.

The jewelry setting 10 includes retaining arms 25, which secure the object 20 from the rear of the jewelry setting 10. As depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the retaining arms 25 can each terminate with an arm termination 30 or 35, or “T” bar. Such arm terminations 30 or 35 may consist of straight bars 30 or curved bars 35, thus conforming to the shape of the object 20. Alternatively, the retaining arms 25 may terminate abruptly, having no “T” bar, or they may terminate with other aesthetically-pleasing shapes or designs, such as a “Y” or circular shape. The arm termination 30 or 35 of the retaining arms 25 may provide increased stability to maintain the object 20 securely within the mounting ring 15. The jewelry setting 10 may include only two retaining arms 25, as shown in the attached figures, or may have a greater number of retaining arms 25 as desired for aesthetic reasons or to secure the object 20. The mounting ring 15 and retaining arms 25 may be cast together, forming a single, integral jewelry setting 10, or may be manufactured as separate elements that are later combined. The mounting ring 15, retaining arms 25, or arm terminations 30 or 35 may have settings mounted thereon for holding faceted or non-faceted stones.

As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, the retaining arms 25 may be an aesthetic design element of the jewelry setting 10. Alternatively, the retaining arms 25 may be positioned between a split ring shank (not shown) to be hidden from side viewpoints. For jewelry settings 10 holding a translucent or transparent object 20, the retaining arms 25 may be visible through the object 20.

In some embodiments, the retaining arms 25 are manufactured from jewelry wire. Such wire may have a cross section of any one of a variety of shapes including round, half round, square, and flat. The inside surfaces of the retaining arms 25 may have a seat or notch thereon (not shown) to receive the object 20 when the retaining arms 25 are bent down against the object 20.

To create jewelry using the jewelry setting 10 of the present disclosure, one may insert a cabochon, faceted gemstone, pearl, or other similar object 20 through the rear of a mounting ring 15 having a size and shape corresponding to the object 20. One may orient the object 20 to match the shape of the mounting ring 15. After seating the object 20 within the mounting ring 15, one may then bend the retaining arms 25 inward until they contact the object 20. The retaining arms 25, once bent, will remain in place and will thereby secure the object 20 in the mounting ring 15. Because an inner diameter of the mounting ring 15 is smaller than a corresponding diameter of the object 20 at a particular cross section, the object 20 will not pass through the mounting ring 15. If the jewelry setting 10 comprises multiple mounting rings 15, one may insert an object 20 into each mounting ring 15 as desired.

The jewelry setting 10 of the present disclosure may provide one or more of the following advantages over prior art jewelry settings: the jewelry setting 10 may use less precious metal, making it lighter and less expensive to manufacture; the object 20 may be more secure in the jewelry setting 10 than in traditional jewelry settings due to the combination of the mounting ring 10 and retaining arms 25; the jewelry setting 10 may allow more of the object 20 to be exposed and thus may give a lighter look as if the object 20 is floating; because the jewelry setting 10 does not have a rear plate or other solid backing as is common in traditional settings, the jewelry setting 10 may allow more light to pass through a translucent or transparent object 20 than traditional jewelry settings; the jewelry setting 10 may provide an easy and inexpensive method for amateur or hobbyist jewelry makers to design, create, customize, and modify their own jewelry; or the jewelry setting 10 may be used to secure any shape or type of object 20, including curved (for example, a cabochon) or faceted gemstones, or artificial decorative inserts.

The jewelry setting 10 may be used in a wide variety of jewelry articles, such as, for example, earrings, necklaces and pendants, rings, bracelets, cufflinks, brooches, and the like, as shown in FIGS. 6-11. Any number of individual jewelry settings 10 may be connected to other jewelry settings 10 by use of suitable connectors, such as connectors 40 already known in the art, which include rigid soldered connectors 40 as depicted in FIGS. 1-5 or linked chain connectors 40 as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. Connectors 40 may comprise jump rings 50 attached to the mounting ring 15 or retaining arms 25 to connect to other jewelry settings 10 or any other jewelry components, as shown in FIG. 12. Jump rings 50 may be cast together with the mounting ring 15 and retaining arms 25 to form an integral jewelry setting 10. Jewelry settings 10 used as earrings may be fixed to an earwire 45 as depicted in FIGS. 1-5. The earwire 45 may be made of 22 gauge wire or other suitable wire sizes, as desired. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict unbent earwire 45, and FIGS. 3-5 show earwire 45 that has been shaped for use as an earring.

The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. For example, process steps set forth above may be performed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.

Claims

1. A jewelry setting for an object, comprising:

a mounting ring; and

a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms adapted to bend inward until abutting a rear surface of the object, thereby securing the object within the mounting ring.

2. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the retaining arms terminate in straight or curved “T” bars.

3. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the mounting ring is connected to at least one other mounting ring.

4. The jewelry setting of claim 1, further comprising a cabochon mounted within the mounting ring, wherein the mounting ring has an inner diameter smaller than a diameter of the cabochon.

5. The jewelry setting of claim 4, wherein the cabochon has a rounded front surface and a substantially flat back surface.

6. The jewelry setting of claim 4, wherein the mounting ring has a shape corresponding to an outer profile of the cabochon.

7. The jewelry setting of claim 4, wherein the mounting ring remains visible from a front viewing angle while the cabochon is mounted therein.

8. The jewelry setting of claim 4, wherein the cabochon is a gemstone cabochon, a wood cabochon, or a mabe pearl.

9. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the mounting ring has a round, oval, diamond, rectangle, square, cushion, triangle, hexagon, trapezoid, star, heart, or pear shape.

10. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the mounting ring has a thickness between 10 gauge and 20 gauge.

11. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the rear-mounted retaining arms each have a thickness between 18 gauge and 20 gauge, inclusive.

12. The jewelry setting of claim 1, wherein the rear-mounted retaining arms have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of round, half round, rectangular, and square.

13. A method of assembling an article of jewelry, comprising:

providing a mounting ring having a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms;

inserting a first decorative object into the mounting ring through a rear side of the ring; and

bending the rear-mounted retaining arms in toward a rear surface of the first decorative object, thereby securing the first decorative object within the mounting ring.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first decorative object is a cabochon.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first decorative object is a faceted gemstone.

16. The method of claim 13, further including:

unbending the rear-mounted retaining arms;

removing the first decorative object from the mounting ring through the rear side of the ring;

inserting a second decorative object into the mounting ring through the rear side of the ring; and

re-bending the rear-mounted retaining arms in toward a rear surface of the second decorative object, thereby securing the second decorative object within the mounting ring.

17. An article of jewelry, comprising:

a mounting ring;

an object mounted in the mounting ring; and

a plurality of rear-mounted retaining arms adapted to bend inward until abutting a rear surface of the object, thereby securing the object within the mounting ring.

18. The article of jewelry of claim 17, wherein the article of jewelry is a necklace, a bracelet, an earring, a brooch, a cufflink, or a ring.

19. The article of jewelry of claim 17, wherein the object is a gemstone, a wood object, or a pearl.

20. The article of jewelry of claim 19, wherein the gemstone is a cabochon gemstone or a faceted gemstone.