1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to achievement awards. More particularly, this invention relates to a trophy that is constructed of a large semiprecious gemstone or mineral upon which an image is etched.
2. State of the Art
Achievement awards take many forms, the most popular perhaps being plaques and trophies. A trophy is generally a three dimensional object which is designed to sit on a desk or a shelf. Traditional trophies include decorative cups made of precious metals such as gold or silver which are engraved with information regarding the award. Other trophies include a metal statue or ornament mounted atop a pedestal mounted on a base. Information about the award is engraved on a plaque which is attached to the base. Recently trophies have been made of glass, crystal, and plastic but they generally are in the form of a cup or an object fixed on a base or foundation made of wood or plastic. It is of note that even the famous trophies such as the EMMY, the OSCAR, the GOLDEN GLOBE, and the TONY use only precious metal plating, and that the “melt-down” value of those awards is relatively small (e.g., under $200; and in the case of the TONY, about $20).
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new kind of trophy.
It is another object of the invention to provide a trophy which can be presented with or without a pedestal.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a new kind of trophy which can simulate an existing trophy but which is distinctly different.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a trophy which has inherent value beyond even famous trophies of today.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a trophy which has inherent beauty.
In accord with these objects, which will be discussed in detail below, a trophy according to one embodiment of the invention includes a large semiprecious gemstone upon which an image is etched. Suitable semiprecious gemstones include amethyst, ametrine, calcite, citrine, fluorite, quartz, and rose quartz, although other semiprecious gemstones can be used. According to the preferred embodiment, the semiprecious gemstone is translucent (i.e., not opaque).
According to the invention, a desired stone is cut, carved, and/or sculpted into a desired shape. Exemplary shapes include spheres, spires, polyhedra, sporting instruments such as balls, bats, clubs, etc. Depending on the size of the gemstone, the entire trophy (e.g. including pedestal and base) can be sculpted from a single stone. After sculpting, the gemstone is polished and then an image is etched on the gemstone. The presently preferred method of etching is to cover the polished gemstone with a protective (masking) tape, vaporize a portion of the tape with a laser according to a desired pattern where the laser also marks (etches) the gemstone under the vaporized tape, ball blast the etched parts to make the etching deeper, and then remove the remaining protective masking material. The image created may be informative such as a logo or an image of text or it may be decorative, e.g. a decoration which makes a sphere look like a baseball or an ellipsoid look like a football. In any case, the image is large enough to be seen by the naked eye at a distance of at least arm's length.
If the entire trophy is not made from a single gemstone, a base can be added to the etched gemstone. The base can be another gemstone or it can be wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material. If the award information is not part of the etched image, it can be placed on the base. If the base is another gemstone, the award information can be etched on the base.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.
As used herein, the term “trophy” is to be understood in its broadest sense to mean a three dimensional object of some value which is a memento, memorial, gift, prize, or award.
As used herein, the term “gemstone” shall mean a mineral that can be cut and polished or otherwise treated for use as jewelry or other ornament. The term “gemstone” does not include rocks such as marble and granite, or glass or crystal.
As used herein, the term “semiprecious gemstone” shall mean all gemstones other than diamond, corundum (ruby and sapphire), emerald, topaz, and opal. Semiprecious gemstones shall include, but not be limited to amethyst, ametrine, aquamarine, apatite, calcite, citrine, fluorite, quartz, and rose quartz.
As used herein, the term “large” means at least 500 carats in weight.
As used herein, the term “image” includes both positive and negative images.
As used herein, the term “etched” shall mean formed by any process other than by hand chiseling which removes some stone from a stone's surface. Etching shall include, but not be limited to laser etching, acid etching and ball blasting.
As used herein, the term “tablet” shall mean a base which is wider than it is tall.
As used herein, the term “pedestal” shall mean a base which is at least as tall as it is wide.
As used herein, the term “carved” shall mean formed into a desired shape from a rough shape.
As used herein, the term “visible to the naked eye at arm's length” shall mean visible to a human having 20-20 vision at a distance of eighteen inches from the eye.
Turning now to
The stone is sculpted to form a sphere. According to the invention, the sphere is etched with a positive or negative image 16 which represents the award to which the trophy pertains. The presently preferred method of etching is to cover the stone with a protective (masking) tape, vaporize a portion of the tape with a laser according to a desired pattern where the laser also marks (etches) the stone under the vaporized tape, ball blast the etched parts to make the etching deeper, and then remove the remaining protective masking material. The tablet 14 may be made from the same stone as the sphere, a different contracting stone, or it may be made of wood, metal or plastic. The sphere and the tablet may be cemented together or the sphere may simply sit in a recess (not shown) formed in the tablet or between stops (not shown) formed on the tablet.
The trophy 210 shown in
There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a trophy and a method of making it. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while the invention was described with reference to particular semiprecious gemstones, it will be appreciated that other semiprecious gemstones can be utilized. Also, while the invention was described with reference to the sphere, ellipsoid or polyhedron being of a single semiprecious gemstone, it will be appreciated that it is possible to have stones which are carved from more than one semiprecious gemstone which are mined together in a single stone. Further while the invention was described with respect to a particular method of laser etching, it will be appreciated that other etching techniques could be utilized, and that the image being etched may be a digital image obtained by scanning, or otherwise. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed.