METHOD OF SETTING STONES IN A SUPPORT ELEMENT

Abstract

The invention concerns a method of setting a plurality of stones each having a culasse, a crown and a girdle in a metal support element including the steps of: milling a groove on a first face of the support element;piercing from a second face of the support element, opposite to said first face, a plurality of holes each having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the girdle of the stone that it will receive, such that each hole opens into said groove and the bottom of each hole forms a support wall for the crown of the stone;forming grains in the second face of the support element in proximity to the support walls;setting the stones in place in the holes such that the crown of each stone abuts against the support wall of the hole thereof; andpushing the grains against the culasse of each stone in order to fix the stones in said support element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a support element after a groove has been milled in accordance with a first step of the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a support element after the step of piercing a hole for receiving a stone;

FIG. 3 a is a bottom view of the support element after the milling steps for raising the grains,

FIG. 3 b is a partial cross-section along the line III-III of FIG. 3a;

FIGS. 4 a and 4b are partial cross-sections similar to FIG. 3b in which the stones are respectively mounted and set in the support element;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively top and bottom views of a watch dial set with stones in accordance with the method of the invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sections respectively along the lines VII-VII and VIII-VIII of FIG. 5.

Claims

1. A method of setting a plurality of stones each having a culasse, a crown and a girdle in a metal support element including the steps of: milling a groove on a first face of the support element;piercing from a second face of the support element, opposite to said first face, a plurality of holes each having a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of the girdle of the stone that it will receive, such that each hole opens into said groove and the bottom of each hole forms a support wall for the crown of the stone;forming grains in the second face of the support element in proximity to the support walls;setting the stones in place in the holes such that the crown of each stone abuts against the support wall of the hole thereof, andpushing the grains against the culasse of each stone in order to fix the stones in said support element.

2. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the groove is substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the holes at the place where the holes open into the groove.

3. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the holes are centred on the axis of the groove.

4. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the holes are separated from each other by bridges of material.

5. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the groove extends along a curved line.

6. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the groove is variable from one end to the other.

7. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein at least two grains are associated with each hole.

8. The setting method according to claim 1, wherein the grains are made in housing formed by countersinks opening laterally into the holes, the grains being arranged in the bottom of said countersinks.

9. The setting method according to claim 6, wherein the holes are separated from each other by bridges of material, wherein the grains are arranged in the bridges of material and wherein one grain fixes two juxtaposed stones.

10. The setting method according to claim 7, wherein the diameter along which the two grains are arranged is inclined relative to the transverse direction to the direction of the groove.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the support element is formed of a plate forming a timepiece dial.

12. The setting method according to claim 2, wherein the holes are centred on the axis of the groove.

13. The setting method according to claim 7, wherein the holes are separated from each other by bridges of material, wherein the grains are arranged in the bridges of material and wherein one grain fixes two juxtaposed stones.