Method for the setting of ornamental stones in jewelry products, costume jewelry and the like and products obtained by such method.

The present invention relates to a method for the setting of ornamental stones in jewelry products, costume jewelry and the like, such as bracelets, necklaces, rings , pendants , earrings , brooches , etc .

More precisely the invention relates to the so called rub over or hammer setting.

In said type of setting, once the stone is inserted into the prepared cavity, in order to prevent it from coming out, it is necessary to lean over it some metal from the rim of the seat surrounding the stone.

The metal is leaned over by hammering it and then it is necessary to restore the shape of the object owing to surface dents and deformations in the region about the stone that result from hammering actions. Such restoring operation often is not easy to be carried out, therefore it results in the original shape of the object being deformed therefore negatively affecting the aesthetic appearance of the product.

The following polishing operation of said region, for some types of ornamental stones, can further lead to scratches on the stones, consequently damaging the stones themselves .

The above operations besides being quite difficult therefore often compromise the final aesthetical effect of the product. In some jewelry products, blocking elements are used to keep the stone inside the cavity.

Document US 5,765,398 describes the use of blocking elements which hold the stone from the outside, i.e. from the visible surface. This solution presents many disadvantages, like for example the possibility to ruin the visible surface of the stone and the possibility to obtain a fixing which is not durable in time and with respect to wear.

Document US 2005/0011224 Al describes the use of a plurality of blocking elements which constitute a plurality of abutting surfaces for keeping the stone in place. This solution present the disadvantage of needing a simultaneous inserting of all the blocking elements to hold the stone in the right position, and to allow for the fixing of the stone only when the internal part or the back part of the product is accessible.

The invention aims at overcoming such drawbacks by providing a setting method allowing the seat housing the ornamental stone to be kept intact and clean, avoiding deformations in the shape of the object wherein the ornamental stone is fitted, permitting a setting that is simple and quick to be performed, avoiding the final result of the product as regards the final aesthetical point of view from being compromised while guaranteeing a stable and reliable fixing of the ornamental stone.

This aim is achieved by the invention by providing a setting method having the characteristics set out in claim 1.

Further advantageous characteristics are set out in the dependent claims .

These and other characteristics of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom will be clear from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments , among the advantageous and several embodiments of the invention, which are shown merely by way of example, therefore not as a limitation, with reference to the annexed drawing tables , wherein :

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are a jewelry product with a seat for the setting of an ornamental stone provided according to the invention, shown in a perspective view, top view and a further perspective view according to a different orientation respectively;

Fig. 4 is a section obtained according to the line A-A of fig.2, shown according to a reduced scale and only limited to the upper hemisphere of the product;

Figs. 5 to 10 are the sequential succession of the steps for the setting of the ornamental stone by the method according to the invention, with cross-section views of the setting seat, only limited to the upper hemisphere of the product;

Figs. 11 and 12 are the ornamental stone upon finished setting and obtained by the method according to the invention, in a cross-section view (limited only to the upper hemisphere of the product) and a top view respectively ;

Figs. 13 to 16 are the sequential succession of the steps for the setting of the ornamental stone still by the method according to the invention in the case the ornamental stone can be inserted from the bottom to the top, namely from the inside of the object towards the outside thereof, when there is accessibility from the bottom, that is from the inside of the product.

With reference to the figures and firstly to figs. 1 to 12, the setting seat or collet 10 has, for the shown embodiment, a five-pointed star shaped opening 11.

Said seat 10, for the shown embodiment, has been provided in a jewelry product O, for example a pendant or a decorative element, having a sphere-like shape for the shown embodiment.

Such seat 10 inside has an asymmetrical shape and it has at least one second seat hole 12 in communication with the outside of the product and ending at the seat 10, in particular at a lower region of the seat 10. Said hole 12 is intended to allow a pin 15 to pass which is insertable from the outside of the product O towards the inside of the product itself.

At the side opposite to said hole 12 , internally said seat 10 has at least two undercut seats 13 having a substantially inverted V shape, in profile, the upper portion 131 , complementary to the transverse profile of the part P' of the upper part or crown on the stone P and with the lower portion 132, complementary to a part P' ' of the transverse profile of the lower pavilion of the stone P, such that such seats 13, with the relevant portions 131 and 132 can receive, in a complementary manner, said upper part P' and lower part P' ' respectively of the stone P.

The second seat or hole 12 ends at the first seat 10 such that the pin 15 in the inserted condition inside the hole 12, abuts on the stone with the inserting eng. With the term inserting end it is intended the end of the pin

15 which is inserted into the hole 12.

The seat or collet 10, at the side opposite to the two undercut seats 13 is formed internally as more recessed concave by defining at least one abutment area

14 that by one upper portion 141 thereof mates with a part P' ' of the upper part or crown of the stone P, such part P' ' being able to abut against and under each portion 141 of the areas 14, complementary to the transverse profile of the part P' ' of the crown of the stone P, thus completely housing the stone P.

Each area 14 at the bottom has a portion 142 protruding towards the inside of the seat 10, such to limit the fall of the stone P and to prevent it from falling towards the inside of the seat 10 when it is inserted into the opening 11 of said seat 10.

In the shown embodiment, the seat 10 provided with a five-pointed star shaped opening 11, has three abutment areas 14 and two undercut seats 13, provided at the vertices converging inside the star joining the points of the star itself.

The opening 11 available for the insertion of the stone P is always provided with a size slightly lower than the maximum size of the stone P at its girdle, such that when the stone P is inserted in the seat 10, it cannot go outside from the opening 11 available for the insertion .

Such shape of the seat 10 described above allows an advantageous method for the setting of the ornamental stone P to be carried out.

Said stone P is inserted into the seat 10 by inserting it into the available opening 11, oriented inclined towards the hole 12, such to allow it to pass inside the available opening 11.

The stone P can be inserted and re-arranged in the proper position of use into the seat 10, by means of the recessed part provided inside the seat 10 at the side opposite to the two undercuts 13 and it is prevented from further going down by means of the lower portions 142 of the areas 14.

Both the portions 131 of the undercuts 13 and the portions 141 of the abutment areas 14 have been provided at such a distance from the opening 11 that, when the stone P is housed into the seat 10, the upper part of the stone P remains exposed.

Then the pin 15 is inserted from the outside into the relevant hole 12 such pin pressing or anyway adhering with its inserting end against an inclined region of the pavilion of the stone P that consequently is forced to go upwardly in the seat 10 such that the upper parts or portions P' and lower ones P' ' of the stone P are wedged into the undercuts 13, by adhering against the portions 131 and 132 of said undercuts 13 respectively.

Finally the portion of the pin 15 exceeding towards the outside is removed flush with the outer surface, such that it is not visible on the outside and then it is locked by welding it, at such outer end, for example laser welding, with a possible burnishing if the hole 12 is still visible. From the opposite side, the lifting of the stone P due to the pin 15 pointing or anyway adhering against the pavilion of the stone P forces the parts P' ' to adhere under the portions 141 of the abutment areas 14, and the stone P is prevented from going downwardly by means of the pin 15.

Thus the stone P is locked and set.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention it allows the seat housing the stone P to be kept intact and clean, in the exposed region, avoiding the shape of the product to be deformed.

The method described up to now in figs . 1 to 12 relates to the case where the seat 10 is accessible from the outside of the product O to the inside thereof, since the access from the bottom was not possible, namely from the inside of the product O to the outside thereof, this depending on the shape of the product wherein the setting is desired to be made.

The method according to the invention can be carried out even when there is accessibility from the bottom, and that is from the inside of the product, such as seen in figs. 13 to 16 wherein like parts are denoted by like reference numerals in a product O' having a shape different than the product O, that is allowing the seat 10 to be accessed from the inside of the product O' to the outside thereof.

Similarly to the previous case, the seat 10 inside has an asymmetrical shape and it is provided with at least one hole 12 ending at a lower region of the seat 10. In the shown embodiment such hole 12 communicates with the lower part of the seat 10 and it is intended to allow a pin 15 to pass through which is insertable from the inside of the product O towards the outside thereof.

At the side opposite to said hole 12 , internally said seat 10 has at least two undercut seats 13, in profile, the upper portion 131, complementary to the transverse profile of the part P' of the upper part or crown of the stone P and with the portion 132, complementary to a part P' ' of the transverse profile of the pavilion of the stone P, such that such seats 13, with the relevant portions 131 and 132 can receive, in a substantially complementary manner, said upper part P' and lower part P' ' respectively of the stone P.

The seat or collet 10, at the side opposite to the seats 13 has at least one abutment area 14 that by one upper portion 141 thereof mates with a part P' ' of the upper part or crown of the stone P, such part P' ' being able to abut against and under the portion 141 of the area 14, complementary to the transverse profile of the part P' ' of the crown of the stone P, thus housing the stone P.

The upper opening 11 of the seat 10 is always provided with a size slightly lower than the maximum size of the stone P at its girdle, such that when the stone is inserted in the seat 10, it cannot go outside from the upper side of the opening 11, at the outer side of such opening 11.

Such shape of the seat 10 described above allows a method similar to the previous one as in figs . 1 to 12 for the setting of the ornamental stone P to be carried out.

Said stone P is inserted into the seat 10 by inserting it into the opening 11, from the inside towards the outside of the product O' , oriented inclined towards the hole 12, such to allow it to pass inside the lower area of the opening 11.

Both the portions 131 of the undercuts 13 and the portions 141 of the abutment areas 14 have been provided at such a distance from the upper side of the opening 11 that, when the stone P is housed into the seat 10, the upper part of the stone P remains exposed.

Then the pin 15 is inserted into the relevant hole 12 such pin pressing or anyway adhering against an inclined region of the pavilion of the stone P that consequently is forced to go upwardly in the seat 10 such that the upper parts or portions P' and lower ones P' ' of the stone P are inserted into the undercuts 13, at least the portion P' adhering against the portion 131.

Finally the portion of the pin 15 exceeding towards the lower outer portion of the product O' is removed then such pin 15 is locked by welding, at such outer end, for example laser welding.

From the opposite side, the lifting of the stone P due to the pin 15 pointing or anyway adhering against the pavilion of the stone P forces the parts P' ' to adhere under the portions 141 of the abutment areas 14, and the stone P is prevented from being removed downwardly by means of the pin 15.

Thus the stone P is locked and set.

The pin 15, according to variant embodiments, can be engaged in the hole 12, by threading, and for example it can be a screw or a threaded pin.

Moreover according to variant embodiments it is possible to provide in a single seat 10 also two pins 15 acting on the sides of the stone P.

Moreover such pin 15 instead of being directed against the stone P it can pass on the side of the stone P by contacting anyway the pavilion of such stone P by producing the same effect lifting the stone P, towards the outside of the seat 10.

The shape of the openings 11 can be anyone, not only the star-like shape as in the shown embodiment, but any geometrical and non geometrical shape (e.g. square, rectangular etc.) depending on aesthetical needs of use, such as also the shape of the stone P can be also provided as different than that shown, for example a square, circular, oval, rectangular ornamental stone P etc., by accordingly changing the available opening 11 for introducing it in the seat 10.

As well instead of two undercuts 13, in some cases not shown, for example, for a square seat, it is possible to provide also a continuous recess, able to perform the same function of a seat wherein at least one part P' of the crown of the stone P and a part P' ' of the pavilion of the stone P can be inserted.

Also the number of abutment areas 14 can be a number different than three as in the embodiment shown in relation to the shape of the opening 11 and it is possible to provide at least one abutment area 14 able to perform still the same function as a seat against which and under which at least one part P' ' of the crown of the stone P can abut.

From the above it is clear that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown above by way of a mere not limitative example, but it can be changed and modified as a whole and as regards the individual details , depending on specific manufacturing and use requirements and benefits , especially as regards construction and within the scope of technical and functional equivalents, without departing from the guiding principle disclosed above and claimed below.