Improvements in Cluster Settings for Gems.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cluster Settings for Gems.
I, MILTON EDWARD OPPENHEIMER, of 53 East 60th Street, in the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturing
Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved cluster setting for gems, and the objects of
my invention are support and protection to the stones completely around the
girdle-facility for cleaning-increased or enhanced brilliancy of the stones by
presenting a more extended surface to the action of the light, and affecting the
colour of the stone by the colour of the gold band at the girdle.
In carrying out my invention I provide a supporting wall that conforms to the
shape of the article or setting made, and this wall is provided with a plurality of
projecting arms that extend outwardly or away from the wall and taper, and whose
outer ends or extremities are all connected by narrow curved bands which form
outer boundaries to enclose the stones of the cluster at their girdles.
These bands only connect the arms at the outer portion of the girdle of each
stone of the cluster so that the under surfaces of the stones of the cluster are
exposed to the light.
If these bands were absent, there would be great risk of chipping the stones. at
their exposed girdles by contact with other objects, and pressure applied to the
stones below the girdles even by the fingers in securing the gem setting on the
person would be liable to loosen the stones in the setting.
The bands employed by me prevent all this and make the stones secure by
covering and protecting them at their girdles so as to prevent injury thereto from
external contact as well as to prevent their being accidentally unset.
The device, such as the bezel, and to which is connected the means for supporting
and securing the setting in use upon the person, is connected to the said wall within
the cluster of stones.
1100
Improvements in Cluster Settings for Gems.
I, MILTON EDWARD OPPENHEIMER of 53 East 60th Street, in the City,
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturing
Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved cluster setting for gems, and the objects of
my invention are, support and protection to the stones completely around the
girdle, facility for cleaning, increased or enhanced brilliancy of the stones by

page_text: presenting a more extended surface to the action of the light and affecting the
color of the stone by the color of the gold band at the girdle.
In carrying out my invention I provide. a supporting wall that conforms to the
shape of the article or setting made, and this wall is provided with a plurality of
projecting arms that extend outwardly or away from the walland taper;rand whose
outer ends or extremities are all connected by narrow curved bands which form
outer boundaries to enclose-the stones of the cluster at. their girdles.
These bands only connect the arms at the outer portion of the girdle of each
stone of the cluster so that the under-surfaces of the stones of the cluster are
exposed to the light.... If these bands were absent there would be great risk of
chipping the stones at their exposed girdies by contact with other objects and
pressure.applied to the stones below the girdles even by the fingers in securing the
gem setting on the person would be liable to loosen the stones in the setting.
་
The bands employed by me prevent all this and make..the stones secure by
covering and protecting them at their girdles so as to prevent injury thereto from
external contact as well as to prevent their being accidentally sunset.
The device, such as the bezel, and to which is connected the means for supporting
and securing the setting in use upon the person, is connected to the said wall within
the cluster of stones.
In the drawings; Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, an inverted plan, and Fig. 3 a cross
section at,, Fig. 1, representing my improvements, and Figs. 4 and 5 represent
modifications in forms of settings..
I provide a supporting wall a as a basis for each cluster setting. This may be
circular or oval, or a long oval pointed at either end or a strip of fanciful form,
according as the setting is to be for a ring, ear-ring, stud, scarf-pin, brooch.or
ornament. The openings in which the gems are set are formed by a plurality of
projecting arms b extending out from said wall a either at one or both sides thereof
and narrow circular bands c connect the extremities of said-arms together. The
extremities of the arms are forked or-spread.
The upper surface of the wall a is approximately .horizontal and the upper
surfaces of the arms b' and bands c are in the same plane and are preferably slightly
inclined to the upper surface of the wall a.
The under surfaces of said arms
have
a marked inclination upwardly from the base of the wall at the union of the arms b
and wall a, and the precious stones are set and supported at their girdles by the
metal adjacent to the upper surfaces of. the wall a and arms b, and by the bands c
that extend around and cover only the outer portions of the girdles of the stones
between the arms b. Thus the under portions of the stones are left open and are
not covered up. Hence the light has free access to the backs of the stones as well
as to the faces, and the beauty of the precious stones is enhanced thereby. This
open back allows the stones. to be readily cleaned.
The wall a and arms inclose the greater portions of the girdles of the stones in.
the usual manner of setting stones while the bands e complete the inclosing circles
and protect from injury or chipping the outer portions of the girdles that are most
exposed to external contact; besides, the circles of gold composed of the wall a,
arms and bands e make it possible to affect the color of the precious stones by
coloring the gold that comes around the girdles.
Projectious d located at the extremities of the arms and also formed at the
intersection of the wall a and, arms b may be employed and with suitable tools be
pressed into beads or other forms over the girdles in the finished-setting to hold the
precious stones in:place.
In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown the arms b as radiating from the wall a. In
the modification Fig. 4 the wall a' is of long oval form pointed at the ends, and the
arms radiate from this oval wall a' and their extremities are connected by the
bands c¹.
In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the wall a² is of curved or fanciful form
such as would be employed in brooches or pendants. In this case the arms b
project from either one or both sides of the foundation wall a and are at right

page_text: angles to the center line, and said arms are connected together at their outer free
ends or extremities by the bands c³.
Cluster settings made according to my improvement are not expensive to
construct, they possess ample strength, are light and airy in appearance and set off
the precious stones to the best advantage because the greater portion of the stone
is uncovered.
I am aware that settings for precious stones have been made comprising a ring
portion and a plurality of projections therefrom but these are distinctly disconnected
with one another save at the ring portion. In these settings the edges of the stones
are unprotected and they are liable to be struck and chipped or unset.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. The cluster setting for precious stones, comprising a central wall or
foundation, tapering arms extending outwardly from said wall and narrow bands
connecting the extremities of said arms and covering the edges of the precious
stones the setting being open at the back, substantially as set forth.
Second. The open back cluster setting for precious stones comprising a central
wall or foundation, arms extending outwardly from said wall and inclined upwardly
or tapering from their lower edges and having ends that are forked or spread, and
narrow integral bands connecting the respective arms at their outer ends adjacent
to the girdles of the precious stones, and means for securing the stones at their
girdles in the setting, substantially as set forth.
Daten Duns on day very του.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78 Fleet Street, London, and 5* Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.