Patent Publication Number: US-2003221452-A1

Title: Jewel bearing a gemstone

Description:
[0001] The present invention relates to a jewel bearing a gemstone according to the preamble of claims 1 and 8. The present invention further relates to a jewel for holding an interchangeable gemstone according to the preamble of claim 15.  
       [0002] A jewel bearing a gemstone is for example known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,456, which relates to a ring on which a diamond is pivotally mounted. The pivotal mounting of the diamond is achieved in that it is fixed on an holding element which has a pair of arms extending through holes in a top portion of the ring. On the side opposite the diamond, the arms depend downwardly and are both provided with a counterweight. As a result, the diamond swings freely in response to movements of the wearer of the ring, leading to an aesthetically pleasing effect.  
       [0003] The jewel known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,456 however has the disadvantage that inspection of the diamond by a jeweller in order to determine its value is difficult. This difficulty is caused by the free movability of the diamond with respect to the ring and the counterweights, which substantially maintain the diamond in a position with its crown side substantially always facing upwards, so that inspection of the diamond with its culet side facing upwards is hampered.  
       [0004] From EP-A-1,074,199, by the same inventor of this application, a jewel with an interchangeable stone is known. In EP-A1,074,199, a ring is described which has a housing for holding a gemstone. Opposite edges of the ring, within the area of the housing, can be forced apart by opening a lever, so that the gemstone can be removed from the jewel and replaced by another gemstone. The ring known from EP-A-1,074,199 has the disadvantage that it has a complex construction. In order to visually inspect a gemstone mounted in the ring of EP-A1,074,199, the gemstone has to be removed from the ring.  
       [0005] It is an aim of the invention to provide a jewel bearing a gemstone with which inspection of the gemstone from two opposite sides, for example from the top or crown side and the bottom or culet side of a diamond, can be facilitated.  
       [0006] This aim is achieved according to a first embodiment of the invention with a jewel showing the technical characteristics of the characterising part of claim 1.  
       [0007] This aim is furthermore achieved according to a second embodiment of the invention with a jewel showing the technical characteristics of the characterising part of claim 8.  
       [0008] It is further an aim of the invention to provide a jewel with an interchangeable gemstone having a simpler construction.  
       [0009] This aim is furthermore achieved according to a third embodiment of the invention with a jewel showing the technical characteristics of the characterising part of claim 15.  
       [0010] In the first embodiment of the invention, the jewel comprises a body and a holder. The gemstone is fixed on the holder and the holder is fixed on the body, so that the gemstone is in a fixed position with respect to the jewel. In order to achieve inspectability of the gemstone from two opposite sides without removing it from the jewel, the holder is shaped such that the gemstone is uncovered at least within a virtual infinite cylinder, drawn on an axis of symmetry of the gemstone. This means that the holder contact between the gemstone and the holder is limited to an area outside the virtual cylinder. In order to achieve that a jeweller can inspect the gemstone with for example a magnifying device, it is required that no part of the jewel obstructs the view onto the gemstone in the two opposite directions, from which the gemstone is to be inspected. This is achieved according to the first embodiment of the invention in that the body of the jewel is shaped such that it is completely located outside the virtual infinite cylinder.  
       [0011] As the gemstone is in a fixed position on the jewel and the view onto the gemstone from two opposite directions is unobstructed, due to the particular shape of the holder and the body of the jewel, a jeweller can inspect the gemstone from one direction and subsequently from the other, opposite direction, by simply turning the jewel 180°.  
       [0012] The fixed mounting of the gemstone on the jewel furthermore has the advantage that the risk of the gemstone being removed from the jewel and becoming lost can be reduced. The gemstone mounting described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,456 for example is relatively vulnerable.  
       [0013] In the first embodiment of the jewel of the invention, the body is preferably shaped such that it mainly extends in a plane from which the holder and the gemstone are laterally disposed. This design is specifically preferred for finger rings, because of the aesthetically appealing shape. The jewel according to the first embodiment of the invention may however also be a pendant of a necklace, an earring, a broche or any other jewel known to the person skilled in the art.  
       [0014] The second embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in that the holder is not fixed on the body. In this second embodiment, the jewel is convertible between  
       [0015] a wearing condition, in which the holder maintains the gemstone in a fixed position with respect to the body, and  
       [0016] an inspecting condition in which the body is completely located outside the virtual infinite cylinder.  
       [0017] In the wearing condition, the jewel is adapted to be worn by a user. In the inspecting condition, the jewel is adapted to be inspected by for example a jeweller. It is therefore required that the body is completely located outside the virtual infinite cylinder in the inspecting condition, so as to enable the gemstone to be freely viewable. As a result, the jewel is convertible between two conditions which involve different purposes. In the wearing condition, it is desired according to the invention that the gemstone is immobilised, to avoid its risk of being removed from the jewel and becoming lost. In the inspecting condition, it is desired that the gemstone can be evaluated from two opposite sides.  
       [0018] The convertibility of the jewel can be achieved in many ways. In one preferred embodiment the jewel is constructed such that the holder is removably fixed on the body, so that the holder is fixed on the body while the jewel is being worn by the user and can be removed from the body for inspection by a jeweller. In another preferred embodiment, the holder may also be hingedly clamped in between two clamping portions of the body. In this latter embodiment, the holder is movable between a wearing position and an inspecting position. The holder is clamped in between two clamping portions of the body, which means that moving the holder from one position to the other requires a given amount of force. In other words, the holder is not freely movable, contrary to the prior art jewel of U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,456.  
       [0019] In both the first and second embodiments of the jewel of the invention, it is preferred that the gemstone is provided with protection, for example to prevent contact with a wearer&#39;s skin or clothes. To this end, the holder preferably comprises a protective portion, which extends alongside the virtual infinite cylinder so as not form an obstruction to the inspectability of the gemstone.  
       [0020] Alternatively, the holder may also be provided with a protective cap which is movable between a first position in which the cap partly covers the gemstone and a second position in which the cap is removed from the gemstone and is located outside the virtual infinite cylinder.  
       [0021] The jewels according to the invention are very suitable in case the gemstone is a diamond, as it is advantageous that a diamond can still be inspected from two opposite sides, for example the top or crown side and the bottom or culet side, after it has been placed on a jewel. This is achieved according to the invention in that the diamond is left uncovered and unobstructed within the virtual infinite cylinder, which is drawn on the axis of symmetry of the diamond. This axis of symmetry extends centrally through the crown and the culet of the diamond.  
       [0022] The jewels according to the invention are furthermore extremely suitable in case the gemstone is a so-called “hearts and arrows” diamond. Such a “hearts and arrows” diamond is cut according to a particular design with the effect that, when viewed under a magnifier, the crown of the diamond shows arrows and the culet shows hearts. For these effects to be viewable with the diamond being placed on a jewel, it is required that the larger part of the surfaces of the crown and the culet, i.e. its two opposite sides, are left uncovered and unobstructed by the material of the jewel. Preferably, the virtual infinite cylinder, within which no material of the jewel may be located during inspection of the diamond, has a diameter of at least ⅘ of the diameter of the diamond.  
       [0023] In the third embodiment of the invention, the gemstone is removable from the jewel. To this end, the jewel comprises a ring-shaped element having a top part provided with a housing for holding a gemstone. The housing has a area within which the ring-shaped element has a split forming first and second opposing edges. The jewel further comprises a pivotable lever for opening and closing the housing. The lever is mounted on a pivot pin at the first opposing edge and is movable between a closed position in which a gemstone can be firmly held in the housing and an open position in which the gemstone can be removed from the housing. At the pivot pin, the lever comprises a cam which has a cam surface in contact with the second opposing edge. The cam surface is substantially flush with the first opposing edge in the closed position and protrudes from the first opposing edge in the open position. As a result, upon moving the lever from the closed position to the open position, the cam pushes the second edge away from the first edge, so that the housing is opened and the gemstone is removable.  
       [0024] In the prior art (EP-A-1,074,199), the lever has a pair of cams which engage in U-shaped slots of a pair of arches. These arches bridge the split of the ring element. In the above described third embodiment of the invention, the cam directly acts on the second edge of the split, so that the use of an element bridging the split is avoided. As a result, the jewel according to the third embodiment of the invention can have a simpler construction than that of the prior art.  
       [0025] As the gemstone is removable, the jewel according to the third embodiment of the invention is also suitable for enabling inspection of the gemstone, for example by a jeweller for determining its value. The jewel according to the third embodiment is preferably adapted for holding a diamond, so that it is very suitable for use in combination with for example a “hearts and arrows” diamond, for which it is desirable that the diamond can still be inspected after it has been placed on a jewel. 
     
    
    
     [0026] The invention will be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.  
     [0027]FIG. 1 shows a side view of a “hearts and arrows” diamond with the virtual infinite cylinder, which is to be left open according to the invention.  
     [0028]FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show a top view and a bottom view of the “hearts and arrows” diamond, along with their respective visual images when viewed under a magnifying device.  
     [0029]FIG. 4 shows a magnifying device for viewing a diamond.  
     [0030]FIGS. 5 and 6 respectively show a top view and a side view of a jewel according to the first embodiment of the invention.  
     [0031]FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively show a front view and a side view of a detail of another jewel according to the first embodiment of the invention.  
     [0032]FIGS. 9 and 10 respectively show a top view and a side view of a jewel according to the second embodiment of the invention.  
     [0033]FIGS. 11 and 12 show a jewel according to the third embodiment of the invention, respectively in the closed position and in the open position. 
    
    
     [0034]FIG. 1 shows a “hearts and arrows” diamond  1 , which has a crown  2  and a culet  3 . In order to enable visibility of the visual effects of such a diamond, i.e. the arrows image of FIG. 2 and the hearts image of FIG. 3, it is required according to the invention that at least the surface of the diamond  1  which is located within a virtual infinite cylinder  5  remains uncovered and unobstructed when the diamond  1  is placed in a jewel. This virtual cylinder is drawn on the axis of symmetry  6  of the diamond  5  and extends on either side. Preferably, this virtual infinite cylinder has a diameter D5 of at least ⅘ of the diameter D1 of the diamond  1 . However, the diameter D5 of the virtual cylinder  5  may also be smaller or larger in relation to that of the diamond, which depends somewhat on the size of the diamond, since it should in any case be ensured that the diamond  1  is sufficiently held on the jewel.  
     [0035] The requirement of the surface remaining uncovered means that the portion of the jewel which holds and contacts the diamond  1  has to be located outside the virtual cylinder  5 . The requirement of being unobstructed means that either the material of the jewel is completely located outside the virtual cylinder  5 , or that any portion of the jewel which is located within the virtual cylinder  5  is movable to a position outside of the virtual cylinder  5 .  
     [0036] In order to achieve that the diamond  1  can more easily be manipulated during inspection by for example a jeweller, the jewels according to the first and second embodiments of the invention are constructed such that the diamond  1  is held in a fixed or substantially fixed position with respect to the body of the jewel, so that the jeweller can manipulate the diamond  1  by means of the jewel itself. In this way it can be avoided that the jeweller requires an additional tool for holding, turning or otherwise manipulating the diamond  1 .  
     [0037]FIGS. 5 and 6 show a finger ring  7  according to the first embodiment of the invention. The ring  7  comprises a holder  8 , which holds the diamond  1  and a body  9 , which is ring-shaped and provided to accommodate a person&#39;s finger. The diamond  1  is in a fixed position on the holder  8 , which is in turn in a fixed position with respect to the body  9 . In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the holder  8  and the body  9  are in fact constructed as a unitary piece. As the diamond  1  is in a fixed position on the finger ring  7 , it can be easily manipulated by a jeweller for inspection, by manipulating the ring  7  itself.  
     [0038] In the finger ring  7  of FIGS. 5 and 6, the body  9  extends mainly in a plane  10 , from which the holder  8  is laterally disposed. The holder  8  merely contacts the diamond  1  on a peripheral region of its surface and has a hole  11  at the bottom, so that the crown  2  and the culet  3  of the diamond  1  are mostly uncovered. In other words, the contact between the holder  8  and the diamond  1  is limited to an area outside a virtual cylinder  5  (cf. FIG. 1). By the lateral disposition of the holder  8 , the bottom part  12  of the ring  7  is laterally disposed from the virtual cylinder  5 . In this way it is achieved that the view onto the diamond from both opposite sides, i.e. onto the crown  2  and onto the culet  3 , is unobstructed.  
     [0039]FIGS. 7 and 8 show details of another finger ring  13  according to the first embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the holder  14  and the body  15  are separate parts, which are fixed to each other. However, in the same way as in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the diamond  1  is in a fixed position with respect to the body  15  and laterally disposed from the plane  16  in which the body  15  extends.  
     [0040] In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, the contact between the holder  14  and the diamond  1  is provided by a ring-shaped portion  17 , which surrounds the culet  3  of the diamond  1 , and holding members  18 , in which the peripheral edge of the diamond  1  is engaged. In FIGS. 7 and 8, three such holding members are provided, but there may also be more or less holding members  18 . The ring-shaped portion  17  and the holding members  18  contact the diamond  1  at its periphery, so that again a virtual cylinder  5  (cf. FIG. 1) can be drawn, in which no material of the holder  14  is located.  
     [0041] The ring  13  of FIGS. 7 and 8 further comprises a protective cap  19 , which serves to protect the diamond  1  from contact with the wearer&#39;s finger (not shown). In the first position shown in continuous lines FIGS. 7 and 8, this protective cap  19  obstructs the view onto the culet  3  of the diamond  1 . The cap  19  is however hingedly mounted on the holder  14 , so that it can be moved to a second position, shown in discontinuous lines in FIG. 8, in which it is removed from the diamond  1 , located outside the virtual cylinder  5  and no longer obstructs the view onto the culet  3  of the diamond.  
     [0042] In order to be held in the first position, protecting the diamond  1  during normal wearing of the ring  13 , the protective cap  17  comprises a protrusion  20 , which is snap-fitted in a recess  21  on the holder  14 . In order to enable penetration of light into the diamond  1  from its bottom side, the cap  19  has an open construction with a plate  22  and a pair of upstanding legs  23 , which contact the ring-shaped portion  17  and are in line with the holding members  18 , so that an aesthetically appealing appearance is achieved.  
     [0043] The unobstructed view onto the diamond  1  in a fixed position on the ring  7 ,  13  may also be achieved in other ways (not shown), for example by means of a ring which is substantially plane, i.e. in which the holder  8  and is located in the plane of the body  9 , the diamond  1  and the holder  8  slanting with respect to the body  9 , i.e. the axis of symmetry  6  of the diamond enclosing an angle with the plane  10  of the body  9 . The ring  7 ,  13  may have a circular, rectangular, square, triangular or any other shape known to the person skilled in the art.  
     [0044]FIGS. 9 and 10 show a necklace pendant  24  according to the second embodiment of the invention, which means that it is convertible between a wearing condition and an inspecting condition. The pendant  24  comprises a holder  25  which is hingedly clamped in between two clamping portions  27  of a body  26 , which is heart-shaped to achieve a pleasing appearance. In FIG. 9, the pendant  24  is shown in the wearing condition, in which it is normally worn by the user. In FIG. 10, the pendant  24  is shown in the inspecting condition.  
     [0045] The holder  25  is movable with respect to the body  26 , however not freely movable. Moving the holder  25  requires a given amount of force, as the holder  25  is clamped in between the clamping portions  27 . As a result, the holder  25  is always in a substantially fixed position with respect to the body  25 , which facilitates manipulation of the diamond  1 , by means of the pendant  24  itself, during inspection.  
     [0046] In a similar way as has been mentioned with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pendant  24  comprises a protective cap  28 , which will therefore not be described in detail here. The cap  28  differs from the cap  19  of FIG. 7 and  8  in that the cap  28  has a hole  29  in which a leg  30  of the holder is snap-fitted.  
     [0047] The holder  25  does also not differ substantially from the holder  14  of the ring  13  of FIGS. 7 and 8, so that it will not be described in detail here. It is simply repeated that, as can be seen from FIG. 10, the view onto the diamond  1  is unobstructed in the inspecting condition, namely that a virtual cylinder  5  (cf. FIG. 1) can be drawn on the axis of symmetry  6  of the diamond, in which no material of the pendant  24  is present.  
     [0048] The finger ring  13  of FIGS. 7 and 8 may also be constructed according to the second embodiment of the invention, namely convertible between a wearing condition and an inspecting condition. In this case, the holder  14  is hingedly or removably mounted on the body  15 , which may further enhance the inspectability of the diamond  1  with respect to the fixed mounting of the holder  14  on the body  15 .  
     [0049]FIGS. 11 and 12 show a finger ring  31  according to the third embodiment of the invention. The ring  31  has a top part  32  which is provided with a housing  33  for holding a gemstone, for example a “hearts and arrows” diamond  1 . The ring  31  has a split  34  within the area of the housing  33 . Two opposing edges  35  and  36  are formed by the split  34 . The ring  31  further comprises a pivotable lever  37  which is mounted on a pivot pin  38  at the first opposing edge  35 . the lever  37  is movable between a closed position (FIG. 11) and an open position (FIG. 12). At the pivot pin  38 , the lever comprises a cam  39  of which the surface is in contact with the second opposing edge  36 . In the closed position of the lever  37 , the cam surface is substantially flush with the first opposing edge  35 . In the open position of the lever  37 , the cam surface protrudes from the first opposing edge  35 . As a result, moving the lever  37  from the closed position to the open position causes the opposing edges to become spread apart and the housing  33  to be opened. With the lever  37  in the closed position, the housing  33  firmly holds the diamond  1  and with the lever  37  in the open position, the diamond  1  can be removed from the housing  33 . When the lever  37  is brought back to the closed position, split  34  between the opposing edges  35 - 36  and consequently the housing  33  is closed by the resiliency of the ring  31 .  
     [0050] The lever  37  is provided with a grip  40 , which is accommodated in a slot  41  on the ring  31 . This grip serves to enhance accessibility of the lever  37  towards the user and also to hold the lever  37  in place in the closed position, i.e. to prevent that the housing  33  is opened unintentionally.  
     [0051] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the housing  33  comprises two pairs of hooked members  42  for holding the diamond  1 , one pair at the right-hand side of the ring  31  and the other at the left-hand side of the ring, with the split  34  in between the members  42 . The hooked members  42  are directed towards each other in such a way that they two pairs oppose each other crosswise. The housing may however also comprise other means for holding a diamond or a gemstone.  
     [0052] The jewels according to the invention which are shown in FIGS.  5 - 12  may be constructed in any precious metal or alloy known to the person skilled in the art. The jewels may also bear other than “hearts and arrows” diamonds and, furthermore, any other gemstones known to the person skilled in the art. The jewels may be rings, necklace pendants, earrings, brooches or any other jewels known to the person skilled in the art.