Rotatable setting device for jewelry articles

Abstract

Rotatable setting device comprising a rotatable gem retaining element having an upper portion retaining a gem and including protrusions rotatably biased against an underside of a casing and a lower portion comprised of a member extending from the upper portion and terminating into a end rotateably received within a bottom coupled across a bottom end of the casing and further including at least one weighted element operatively coupled to the gem retaining element such that the rotatable setting device transforms forces including gravitational forces acting on at least the one weighted element and movement of a jewelry article comprised of the rotatable setting device into rotation of the gem that is viewable through a top opening in the casing thereby causing the gem to produce more fire and scintillation than its still set predecessors and increasing its aesthetic enjoyment, desirability, and value.

1 - A rotatable setting device for an article of jewelry, comprising in combination: 
 a casing having an encompassing sidewall defining a hollow casing interior, said sidewall having an upper peripheral end transitioning into a top with an opening therein leading to said hollow casing interior and said sidewall further including a bottom peripheral edge defining an opened bottom end in open communication with said hollow casing interior;    a rotating gem retaining means at least partially received within said hollow interior of said casing and including an upper portion for securely retaining a gem having a pavilion and a crown with its crown being visible through said opening of said top of said casing;    said rotating gem retaining means further including a lower portion comprised of an elongated member having an upper end operatively coupled to a bottom of said upper portion of said gem retaining means and axially extending away from said gem retaining means and terminating into a tapered lower end;    a plurality of radially extending protrusions operatively coupled to said gem retaining means at a location proximate a bottom surface of said top of said casing;    a bottom member operatively coupled across said opened bottom end of said casing and having an upper surface with a notch formed therein for rotatable receiving said tapered tip of said elongated member therein and for rotatably biasing said plurality of radially extending protrusions with said bottom surface of said top of said casing for rotatably setting the gem retaining means and gem for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing and in response to movement by a wearer of an article of jewelry comprised of said rotatable setting device.    
   
   
       2 - The article of jewelry of  claim 1  wherein said upper portion of said gem retaining means is comprised of a plurality of prong members including at least one pair of substantially diametrically opposed prong members having a first prong member substantially diametrically opposed to a second prong member.  
   
   
       3 - The article of jewelry of  claim 2  further including a pair of weighted members including a first weighted member operatively coupled to said first prong member and a second weighted member operatively coupled to said second prong member for defining a pair of substantially diametrically opposed weighted members working in combination with gravity and movement of said jewelry article by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing.  
   
   
       4 - The article of jewelry of  claim 1  further including at least one weighted member operatively coupled to said upper portion of said gem retaining means and working in combination with gravity and movement of said jewelry article by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing.  
   
   
       5 - The article of jewelry of  claim 4  wherein said casing has an integral interior rim surrounding said top opening, said rim having a bottom surface defining a raceway against which said protrusions are rotatably biased with during gem rotation due to said at least one weighted member working in combination with gravity and movement of said jewelry article by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing.  
   
   
       6 - The article of jewelry of  claim 5  wherein said bottom surface of said rim is recessed upwardly forming a curved protrusion in a top surface of said top of said casing which circumscribes said top opening.  
   
   
       7 - The article of jewelry of  claim 6  wherein said top surface of said top of said casing is decorative.  
   
   
       8 - The article of jewelry of  claim 7  wherein said gem retaining means is comprised of a base and a plurality of prong members defining a prong setting, said base defines a central region with a central axis running therethrough and said prong members having spaced apart lower ends integrally formed with said base member and upwardly extending from said base member in a spaced apart relationship with respect to one another and at an angle with respect to the central axis of the base member and terminating into radiused upper ends such that said plurality of prong members are arranged about the central axis to correspond with gem shape.  
   
   
       9 - The article of jewelry of  claim 8  wherein each of said plurality of prong members includes a notch located on an interior side of said upper ends of said plurality of prong members for operatively mating with a girdle of the gem for providing secure gem retention.  
   
   
       10 - The article of jewelry of  claim 9  wherein said elongated member is integrally formed with said base member at said upper end and axially extends away from an underside of said base member along the central axis and terminates into said tapered lower end.  
   
   
       11 - The article of jewelry of  claim 10  wherein said bottom member is comprised of an elongated bar member operatively coupled across said opened bottom end of said casing such that light can shine through the pavilion of the gem via the opened bottom end of the casing for dispersion viewing through the crown and wherein said elongated bar member includes said notch formed therein for rotatably receiving said tapered tip of said elongated member therein and for rotatably biasing said plurality of protrusions against said bottom surface of said rim of said casing for providing gem rotation in response to movement of said jewelry article by a wearer.  
   
   
       12 - A rotatable setting device for an article of jewelry, comprising in combination: 
 a rotating gem retaining means comprised of a base, a plurality of spaced apart prongs members connected to and upwardly extending away from said base for securely retaining a gem having a pavilion and a crown;    said rotating gem retaining means further comprised of an elongated member connected to and downwardly extending away from said base and terminating into a tapered lower tip;    a casing having an encompassing sidewall circumscribing said rotating gem retaining means and defining a hollow casing interior, said sidewall having an upper peripheral end transitioning into a top with an opening therein leading to said hollow casing interior such that the crown of the gem is visible through said opening of said top of said casing and said sidewall further including a bottom peripheral edge defining an opened bottom end in open communication with said hollow casing interior;    a plurality of protrusions operatively coupled to said plurality of spaced apart prong members and axially extending away from said plurality of spaced apart prong members at a location proximate a bottom surface of said top of said casing;    said plurality of spaced apart prong members including at least one pair of substantially diametrically opposed prong members comprised of a first prong member and a second prong member;    a pair of weighted members including a first weighted member operatively coupled to said first prong member and a second weighted member operatively coupled to said second prong member for defining a pair of diametrically opposed weighted members;    a bottom member operatively coupled across said opened bottom end of said casing and having an upper surface with a notch formed therein for rotatably receiving said tapered tip of said elongated member therein and for rotatably biasing said plurality of protrusions against said bottom surface of said top of said casing for rotatably setting the rotating gem retaining means and gem for working in combination with gravity acting on said pair of diametrically opposed weighted members and movement by a wearer of a jewelry article comprised of said rotatable setting device for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing.    
   
   
       13 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 12  wherein said casing has an integral interior rim surrounding said top opening, said rim having a bottom surface defining a raceway against which said protrusions are rotatably biased with during gem rotation due to said pair said pair of diametrically opposed weighted members working in combination with gravity and movement of said rotatable jewelry setting device by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through said opening in said top of said casing.  
   
   
       14 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 13  wherein said bottom surface of said rim is recessed upwardly forming a curved protrusion in a top surface of said top of said casing which circumscribes said top opening.  
   
   
       15 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 12  wherein said sidewall of said casing includes at least one opening extending therethrough for allowing light to pass into said hollow interior of said casing.  
   
   
       16 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 12  wherein said sidewall of said casing tapers from top to bottom providing a top diameter that is larger than a bottom diameter of said casing.  
   
   
       17 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 12  wherein said protrusions are cylindrical balls.  
   
   
       18 - The rotatable jewelry setting device of  claim 12  wherein said protrusions are radially outwardly and axially upwardly extending appendages.  
   
   
       19 - A method for making a rotatable setting device for jewelry, the steps including: 
 providing a hollow casing having an encompassing sidewall defining a hollow casing interior, the sidewall having an upper peripheral end transitioning into a top with an opening therein leading to the hollow casing interior and the sidewall further including a bottom peripheral edge defining an opened bottom end in open communication with the hollow casing interior;    providing a rotating gem retaining means comprised of a base, a plurality of spaced apart prongs members upwardly extending away from the base for securely retaining a gem having a pavilion and a crown, and an elongated member downwardly extending away from the base and terminating into a tapered lower tip;    inserting the rotating gem retaining means through the opening in the top of the casing and positioning at least a portion of the rotating gem retaining means within the interior of the casing such that upper portions of the plurality of prong members protrude through the opening in the top of the casing to an exterior of the casing;    retaining the positioning and marking each of the plurality of spaced apart prongs members to which a protrusion is to be attached at a location directly underneath an under side of the top of the casing proximate the opening in the top and then removing the rotating gem retaining means from the casing;    coupling a protrusion to each marked prong at approximately each marked location;    coupling at least one weighted member to at least one of the plurality of the prong members below each coupled protrusion;    inserting the rotating gem retaining means through the opened bottom end and into the hollow casing interior such that the upper portions of the plurality of prong members protrude through the opening in the top of the casing to the exterior of the casing;    providing a bottom member having an upper surface with a notch formed therein for rotatable receiving the tapered tip of the elongated member therein;    coupling the bottom member across the opened bottom end of the casing making sure that the tapered tip of the elongated member is rotatably received within the notch of the bottom member and that each coupled protrusion is spaced from the under side of the top of the casing proximate the opening for rotatable setting the gem retaining means and gem for providing gem rotation in response to gravity on at least the weighted means and movement of an article of jewelry comprised of the rotatable setting device  10  by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through the opening in the top of the casing.    
   
   
       20 - The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of coupling at least one weighted member to at least one of the plurality of the prong members below each coupled protrusion includes the step of coupling a pair of weighted members including a first weighted member operatively coupled to one of the plurality of prong members and a second weighted member operatively coupled to another substantially diametrically opposed prong members for defining a pair of substantially diametrically opposed weighted members working in combination with gravity and movement of the jewelry article by the wearer for providing gem rotation visible through the opening in the top of the casing.