Patent Grant
7730743
This invention relates to jewelry settings for gems, such as facet-cut diamonds.
Throughout history, gemstones such as diamonds have been cut and polished to form gems, and then set in rings, earrings and other objects to form jewelry. One cut that is currently popular for such gems is the round facet cut, or brilliant cut, shown in
A variety of gem settings have been employed to securely hold gems in jewelry. One of the most popular types of gem settings is the channel type setting. One advantage of the channel setting is that this type of setting allows the gem to be set into the surface of a ring. The gems can be set all the way around the ring circumference, as often is done with anniversary rings, or partially around the ring circumference, as is done with some wedding and other rings.
With this type of setting, the jeweler cuts notches in each of the channel walls. The notches correspond to the girdle of the gem. The jeweler then places the gem in the notches, so that the girdle of the gem rests in the notches. The portions of the walls above the notches are then bent over the crown of the gem with jeweler's pliers. With this type of setting, the notches must be carefully aligned on the channel walls so that they will hold the gem at a level position. Also, the shape of the notches must be carefully cut with hand tools, such as a motorized bur, to match the shape of the gem girdle. Thus, this type of setting can be used only by a skilled jeweler. In addition, much time is required to set all of the gemstones in the ring, particularly if the gemstones are provided around the entire circumference of the ring.
Some manufacturers have created a shelf in each of the channel walls. In this type of setting, the gem is rested only on the shape of the shelf. The remainder of the wall, particularly the portion of the wall extending above the shelf, is not used to help hold the gem in the channel. Thus, the gem will not be securely held in the setting, and turning the ring upside down (for example, to place gems around the entire circumference of the ring) will result in the gem falling out unless the gems are held in place, for example, with beeswax.
Aspects of the invention address the disadvantages of the known techniques described above.
Aspects of the invention provide a gem setting including a channel in which a jeweler, or even an unskilled layman, may easily and quickly set a cut gem, such as a diamond.
According to aspects of the invention, a ready-made gem setting, such as a ring, provides a channel. The channel includes walls with a groove in each wall that safely maintains the gems at their desired positions in the setting until the walls of the ready-made channel can be tightened (that is, bent down over the gems) to securely hold each gem in the channel.
According to some embodiments, the ready-made channel includes a base and channel walls extending upward from the base. Each of the channel walls defines a preformed groove located in a groove plane, each groove facing inward toward the channel. According to preferred embodiments, each preformed groove is substantially identical to the other preformed groove. That is, the grooves are as similar to each other as can be achieved by the machining tolerances of the die striking, casting and machining process when a die strike, casting or machining method is used to form the grooves. Alternatively, the grooves will be as similar to each other as can be achieved by the machining tolerances of modern automated burring processes when an automated burring method is used to form the grooves.
According to preferred embodiments, each groove includes an upper portion and a lower portion that are shaped for holding a portion of a gem girdle therebetween, such that when a gem having a crown is set into the gem setting, the upper portion of the preformed groove extends over the crown of the gem. Thus, the gems are held in place once fully inserted into the channel, thereby allowing the jeweler or layman to insert the remaining gems without using any material (such as beeswax) to hold the gems in position within the channel. Each channel wall is divided by the groove into an upper part above the groove and a lower part below the groove, such that the upper part may be permanently bent over the crown of the gem to secure the gem in the channel.
According to some embodiments, the upper portion of the groove has a different radius of curvature than the lower portion of the groove.
According to some embodiments, the upper and lower portion of each groove is shaped to provide a profile corresponding to a profile of the girdle of a facet-cut gem.
According to some embodiments, the base includes a seat for each gem. The base can be drilled and countersunk, for example, to provide each seat.
According to preferred embodiments, each groove extends into the wall to a width of approximately 20% to 45% of the total width of the channel wall. According to some embodiments, each groove extends into the channel wall to a width of approximately 40% of the total width of the channel wall.
According to some embodiments, the upper portion of the groove has a different radius of curvature than the lower portion of the groove.
According to some embodiments, the gem setting is made to accommodate a princess cut gem. In some embodiments, the gem setting is made to accommodate a baguette cut gem.
According to some embodiments, the gem setting is a ring and the channel is provided on an entire circumference of the ring.
According to some embodiments, the gem setting is a ring and the channel is provided on only a portion of a circumference of the ring.
According to some embodiments, the setting is formed of gold alloy.
According to some embodiments, the setting is formed of platinum.
According to some embodiments, the setting is formed of palladium, and according to other embodiments it is formed of a silver alloy.
According to some aspects of the invention, methods are provided for making a ready-made gem setting with a channel having preformed grooves formed by machining or molding.
According to other aspects of the invention, methods are provided for making a ready-made gem setting having preformed channel grooves formed by burring with an automated burring device.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a gem having a crown and pavilion separated by a girdle is securely set in the channel of a setting by first inserting the girdle on one side of the gem into the groove on one wall of the channel. Next, a portion of the girdle on the opposite side of the gem is brought down into the groove on the other wall of the channel, until the girdle of the gem is positioned within the grooves of the channel such that if the gem and setting together are placed in an upside down position, the gem will not fall out of the channel. According to some embodiments, an audible sound occurs when the gem is brought down into the channel. The audible sound alerts the person that the gem being placed into the setting is now maintained at the desired position in the channel. Lastly, the top part of each channel wall is permanently bent over the crown of the gem, thereby securing the gem in the setting.
According to some embodiments of the invention, the upper part of each wall is bent by pushing the upper part against a tapered surface, a rolling wheel or by pushing the tapered surface against the upper part.
The grooves according to some embodiments may be formed by a die striking, casting or machining process. Alternatively, the channel ring according to some embodiments may be made by forming the grooves by burring the grooves into the walls of the channel with an automated burring device.
Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the following figures in which:
A first embodiment of the invention is shown in
A concave groove 26 is disposed on an inner surface of each wall 24 so as to face the middle of the channel 22. The groove 26 of each wall is disposed in a groove plane 23 so that the opposing groove 26 is at the same height on each wall 24. Each groove 26 is comprised of a curved upper portion 27 and a curved lower portion 28. Alternatively, each groove 26 may be comprised of a v-shaped profile or a profile in which the upper portion 27 and the lower portion 28 intersect at an angle. The upper portion 27 and the lower portion 28 hold a portion of the gem girdle 13 therebetween. When a gem 10 is set into the channel, the upper portion 27 of each groove 26 extends over the crown 11 of the gem 10 by a small amount that is sufficient to hold the gem 10 in the setting 20 such that, if the gem 10 and channel 22 together are placed in an upside-down position, the gem 10 will not fall out of the channel 22. Thus, the gem 10 is held in place once it is fully inserted into the channel 22, thereby allowing the jeweler or layman to insert remaining gems without using any material (such as beeswax) to hold the gems in position within the channel 22. According to some embodiments, an audible sound (click) is provided when each gem 10 is pushed into position (that is, when the gem girdle 13 is held by the grooves 26).
The grooves 26 of each wall 24 are substantially identical. That is, the grooves 26 are as similar to each other as can be achieved by the machining tolerances of the die striking, casting and machining process when a die strike, casting or machining method is used to form the grooves 26. Alternatively, the grooves 26 may be as similar to each other as can be achieved by the machining tolerances of modern automated burring processes when an automated burring method is used to form the grooves. The upper portion 27 of each groove 26 may have the same or a different radius of curvature than the lower portion 28 of each groove 26, depending on the type of gem 10 to be set. In preferred embodiments, the upper portion 27 and the lower portion 28 of each groove 26 are shaped to provide a profile corresponding to a profile of the girdle 13 of a facet-cut gem. In some embodiments, the grooves 26 may be different from each other.
Each groove 26 is made to extend into the wall 24 to a preferable width of approximately 20% to 45% of the total width of the wall. In preferred embodiments, each groove 26 is made to extend into the wall 24 to a width of about 40% of the total width of the wall.
The channel 22 includes a base 21. The base 21 includes a seat 29 for each gem. The base 21 may be drilled and countersunk to provide the seats 29. The setting 20 may be formed of gold alloy. Alternatively, the setting 20 may be formed of platinum, palladium, or a silver alloy. However, the setting 20 may be formed of any material commonly used to form jewelry. As noted above, the channel 22, walls 24 and grooves 26 may be structured so that an audible sound is produced when each gem 10 is positioned within the channel, signaling to the jeweler or layman that the gem 10 being placed into the setting 20 is now maintained at the desired position in the channel 22.
In some embodiments, the gem setting 20 may be in the form of a ring. In such embodiments, the channel 22 may be provided on an entire outer circumference of the ring. Thus, gems 10 may be provided along the entire circumference of the ring. Alternatively, the channel 22 may be provided on only a portion of a circumference of the ring, so as to set gems on only a portion of the circumference of the ring. The embodiment of
In all embodiments described above, the settings including the preformed grooves 26 may be formed by a die striking, casting, machining, or a molding process. Alternatively, the grooves 26 may be formed by burring the grooves 26 into the walls 24 of the channel 22 with an automated burring device. Also, the grooves 26 need not be continuous, but could be discontinuous such that grooved portions are provided for each gem seat 29.
Methods of securely setting gems 10 in the ready-made setting 20 are as follows. The methods may be used with any of the variations and alternatives of the setting 20, as well as with the settings 30 and 40 of the second and third embodiments. First, the setting 20 is provided. As shown in
The upper part 25 of each wall 24 may be bent by pushing the upper part 25 against a tapered surface, a rolling wheel or pushing the tapered surface against the upper part 25.
In some embodiments, an audible sound occurs when each gem 10 is positioned within the channel 22 to alert the jeweler or layman that the gem 10 placed into the setting 20 is now maintained at the desired position in the channel 22.
While exemplary embodiments have been described, these embodiments should be viewed as illustrative, and not limiting. It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different jewelry settings. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art and are also intended to be encompassed.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20080235925 A1 | Oct 2008 | US |
