Improved Large Jewel Setting For Retention In An Ear Lobe

Abstract

An improved large jewel setting for retention in an ear lobe preferably includes a jewel basket and a retention post. The jewel basket preferably includes a divot, at least one peripheral retention member and at least one top retention member. A bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member has a flat bottom surface. The divot includes a cone shape. An inner surface of the divot includes a cone shape, which is sized to receive a bottom of a jewel. A top of the divot extends downward from the flat bottom surface. A bottom of the divot is attached to a top of the retention post. The at least one top retention member extends upward from the at least one peripheral retention member.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A jewel basket for retention of a jewel, comprising: a lower belt includes an inner perimeter and a flat bottom surface, said flat bottom surface is capable of directly contacting an outer surface of an ear lobe; at least two base rods, one end of said at least two base rods are joined to each other at a bottom end, an opposite end of said at least two base rods extend outward from each other, said at least two base rods are attached to said inner perimeter of said lower belt, an outer perimeter of said lower belt is greater than an outer perimeter of said at least two base rods, a divot is formed between said at least two base rods, a bottom of said divot is located below said flat bottom surface, said bottom of said divot is structured to be in contact with a bottom of the jewel; an upper belt; and at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said lower belt, said at least two prongs do not directly contact said at least two base rods, said upper belt includes an outer perimeter which is greater than an outer perimeter of a bottom of said at least two prongs, said at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said upper belt, wherein a top end of said at least two prongs are capable of being bent over to retain the jewel.

22. The jewel basket for retention of a jewel of claim 21, wherein: said at least two prongs are aligned with said at least two base rods.

23. The jewel basket of claim 21, wherein: said at least two prongs extend above a height of a jewel placed in said jewel basket.

24. A jewel basket for retention of a jewel, comprising: a lower belt includes an inner perimeter and a flat bottom surface, said flat bottom surface is capable of directly contacting an outer surface of an ear lobe, said inner perimeter is capable of receiving an outer surface of the jewel; at least two base rods, one end of said at least two base rods are joined to each other at a bottom end, an opposite end of said at least two base rods extend outward from each other, said at least two base rods are attached to said inner perimeter of said lower belt, an outer perimeter of said lower belt is greater than an outer perimeter of said at least two base rods, a divot is formed between said at least two base rods, a bottom of said divot is located below said flat bottom surface, said bottom of said divot is structured to be in contact with a bottom of the jewel; an upper belt having an outer perimeter which is greater than an outer perimeter of said lower belt; and at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said lower belt, said at least two prongs do not directly contact said at least two base rods, said upper belt includes an outer perimeter which is greater than an outer perimeter of a bottom of said at least two prongs, said at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said upper belt, wherein a top end of said at least two prongs are capable of being bent over to retain the jewel.

25. The jewel basket for retention of a jewel of claim 24, wherein: said at least two prongs are aligned with said at least two base rods.

26. The jewel basket of claim 24, wherein: said at least two prongs extend above a height of a jewel placed in said jewel basket.

27. The jewel basket of claim 24, wherein: said jewel basket is fabricated from a casting.

28. A jewel basket for retention of a jewel, comprising: a lower belt includes an inner perimeter and a flat bottom surface, said flat bottom surface is capable of directly contacting an outer surface of an ear lobe; at least two base rods, one end of said at least two base rods are joined to each other at a bottom end, an opposite end of said at least two base rods extend outward from each other, said at least two base rods are attached to said inner perimeter of said lower belt, an outer perimeter of said lower belt is greater than an outer perimeter of said at least two base rods, a divot is formed between said at least two base rods, a bottom of said divot is located below said flat bottom surface, said bottom of said divot is structured to be in contact with a bottom of the jewel; an upper belt; and at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said lower belt, said at least two prongs do not directly contact said at least two base rods, said upper belt includes an outer perimeter which is greater than an outer perimeter of a bottom of said at least two prongs, said at least two prongs extend upward and outward from an outer surface of said upper belt, wherein a top end of said at least two prongs are capable of being bent over to retain the jewel; and a retention post extends from a bottom of said at least two base rods, wherein said retention post is capable of being inserted into a piercing in an ear lobe.

29. The jewel basket for retention of a jewel of claim 28, wherein: said at least two prongs are aligned with said at least two base rods.

30. The jewel basket of claim 28, wherein: said at least two prongs extend above a height of a jewel placed in said jewel basket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a Martini jewel setting with a large jewel retained in an ear lobe.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a flat bottom jewel setting retained in an ear lobe.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of an improved jewel setting retained in an ear lobe in accordance with the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a top view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a front view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of an improved jewel setting in accordance with the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a top view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a front view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of an improved jewel setting retaining a jewel in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 6, there is shown a perspective view of an improved jewel setting 1. With reference to FIG. 1, a Martini setting 102 retains a large jewel 104 in an ear lobe 100. An end of a post 106 of the Martini setting 102 is pushed upward by the weight of the large jewel 104 at an acute angle A, because an earring hole 108 is much larger than a diameter of the post 106. With reference to FIG. 2, a flat bottom setting 110 retains the large jewel 104 in the ear lobe 100. A bottom of the large jewel 104 is not retained in the earring hole 108. Thus, all the weight of the large jewel 104 acts as a cantilever to cause the ear lobe 100 to flex or bend downward at an acute angle B. The flexing or bending ear lobe 100 provides an unsightly appearance. A post clutch 112 is secured on the post 106 to retain the settings 102, 110 on the ear lobe 100. The post clutch 112 may be replaced with any type of earring back, such as butterfly, la pousette and press-back.

[0024] With reference to FIGS. 3-6, the improved jewel setting 1 preferably includes a jewel basket 10 and a retention post 12. The jewel basket 10 preferably includes a divot 14, at least one peripheral retention member 15 and at least one top retention member 17. A bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member 15 includes a flat bottom surface 21. The divot 14 includes a cone shape. The cone shape will fill an ear piercing 108, which has become too large to prevent radially movement of the improved jewel setting 1 in the ear piercing 108. An inner surface of the divot 14 includes a cone shape, which is sized to receive a bottom of the jewel 104. A bottom of the divot 14 is attached to a top of the retention post 12. The divot 14 preferably includes at least two base rods 22, but other divot designs may also be used. One end of the at least two base rods 22 are joined to each other at a bottom thereof. An opposite end of the at least two base rods 22 extend outward and away from each other. A top of the at least two base rods 22 are joined to a bottom of the at least one peripheral retention member 15. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably has a round shape, but other shapes may also be used. A bottom 25 of the inner surface of the divot 14 is lower than the flat bottom surface 21 of the at least one peripheral retention member 15, such that a portion of the jewel is retained in a piercing 108 of the ear lobe 100. A distance between the flat bottom surface 21 and a bottom of the divot 14 is defined by a dimension C. The greater the value of dimension C, the greater the vertical stability of the improved jewel setting 1.

[0025] The bottom of the at least one top retention member 17 extends upward from the at least one peripheral retention member 15. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably includes at least one belt, but other designs may be used, including a double belt, an ultra-light die struck, hidden-halo, halo, stylized basket, stylized bezel, dangles and drops. The at least one peripheral retention member 15 preferably includes at least two prongs 20, but could include a double prong, a half bezel or a full bezel. The at least two prongs 20 are joined to the at least one belt. Preferably, a portion of the at least two prongs 20 extend upward from the at least one belt at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis.

[0026] The at least one belt may include a lower belt 16 and an upper belt 18. The upper belt 18 is located about the lower belt 16 and is also joined to the at least two prongs 20. However, the upper and lower belts 16, 18 may be replaced with a single belt, an ultra-light die struck, a hidden-halo, a halo, a stylized basket, a stylized bezel, dangles and drops. An inside perimeter of the at least two prongs 20 is sized to receive an outer perimeter of the jewel 104. A height of the at least two prongs 20 extend above a height of the jewel 104. Preferably, the number prongs 20 may range from 2-8 prongs. Further, each prong may be a double prong. The at least two prongs 20 may be replaced with half bezels and bezels. The jewel basket 10 is preferably fabricated from a casting, but other manufacturing methods may also be used. A bottom of the at least two base rods 22 are preferably attached to a top of the retention post 12 with any suitable process, such as welding.

[0027] With reference to FIGS. 7-9, an inside perimeter of the at least two prongs 20 is sized to receive an outer perimeter of the large jewel 104. A height of the at least two prongs 20 extends above a height of the large jewel 104. The large jewel 104 may have any suitable shape, such as cushion-cut, princess-cut and radiant.

[0028] With reference to FIG. 3, the ear lobe 100 stays vertical and does not flex or bend, because a bottom of the large jewel 104 is retained in the earring hole 108 and the flat bottom surface 21 of lower belt 16 prevents the post from moving upward. In use, the large jewel 104 is inserted into the jewel basket 10 and the at least two prongs 20 bent over the large jewel 104. The excess length of the at least two prongs 20 is cutoff. The retention post 12 is inserted through the earring hole 108 in the ear lobe 100. The improved jewel setting 1 is secured to the ear lobe 100 by inserting the retention post 12 through the earring clutch 112. The improved jewel setting 1 should not be limited to retaining only large jewels 104, but should include retaining any size jewel, large or small.

[0029] While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.