Jewelry rope chain link element

Abstract

A decorative rope chain and a manufacturing process to produce a rope chain in which each link element used as a basic building element exhibits a unique visual property, such as surface texture, coloration, attribute, feature, characteristic, shape or other physical appearance. Such unique visual property traits for the succession of link elements results in a more attractive, fanciful, more delicate and interesting fashion item. Each of the interconnected link elements may have a first major surface exhibiting a first visual property and an opposite second major surface exhibiting a second, perceptively different, visual property. In other aspects of the invention, the major surfaces of the link elements may have differently colored or textured surface portions. In yet another aspect of the invention, each link element may have differently shaped portions. Similarly, the interior and/or exterior edges of the link element may exhibit different shapes, colors, patterns, or textures.

1 - 79 . (canceled)  
     
     
         80 . A jewelry chain link suitable for intertwining with other jewelry chain links to form a length of jewelry rope chain having the appearance of two intertwined helical strands, each of said gapped links having an interior edge and an exterior edge, link width being defined as a distance measured between said interior and exterior edges; wherein 
 said chain link is divided into link segments, a first one of said link segments having a predetermined maximum link width and multiple surface recesses formed therein, and a second one of said segments having a continuous and constant link width.    
     
     
         81 . A jewelry chain link suitable for intertwining with other jewelry chain links to form a length of jewelry rope chain, comprising: 
 a first link segment and a second link segment, each link segment having a free end spaced from the free end of the other link segment, defining a gap between said free ends, and further defining a junction of said first and second link segments located along said chain link between said free ends;    each said link segment having an inner periphery and an outer periphery;    said first link segment outer periphery having a shape different from the shape of said second link segment outer periphery; and    said outer peripheries of both of said first and second link segments having irregular link widths, link width being defined as a distance measured along a line extending directly across said link between said inner outer peripheries.    
     
     
         82 . A jewelry chain link suitable for intertwining with other gapped jewelry chain links to form a length of jewelry rope chain simulating two intertwined rope strands and having a central chain axis, comprising: 
 a first link segment and a second link segment, each said link segment having an inner periphery and an outer periphery, said first link segment outer periphery extending a greater distance from said chain axis than said second link segment;    link breadth being defined as the distance between the outermost extent of said first link segment to the outermost extent of said second link segment; and    chain breadth being defined as the distance between opposite first and second outermost points on said two rope strands, said chain breadth being greater than said link breadth.    
     
     
         83 . A jewelry chain link in accordance with  claim 82 , wherein: 
 link width is defined as a distance measured along a line extending directly between said inner periphery and said outer periphery; and    said jewelry chain link comprises a substantially uniform link width.    
     
     
         84 . A jewelry chain link in accordance with  claim 82 , wherein: 
 link width is defined as a distance measured along a line extending directly between said inner periphery and said outer periphery; and    said jewelry chain link comprises a substantially non-uniform link width.