Jewelry apparatus and method of making same

Abstract

An exemplary system and method for providing a jewelry setting is disclosed as comprising a first gemstone in an array of gemstones generally retained at a girdle by fasteners that hold the girdles of at least a second and a third gemstone of a plurality of gemstones that surround the first gemstone. Disclosed features and specifications may be optionally controlled, adapted or otherwise modified to improve the retention of gemstones in a variety of gemstone settings. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide improved aesthetic presentation and mechanical retention of gemstones in a gemstone setting.

1 . A gemstone setting, comprising: 
 a first gemstone; and    a first girdle;    said first gemstone substantially retained proximate to said first girdle by fasteners that each hold at least second and third girdles of at least a second and a third gemstone substantially disposed proximate to said first gemstone.    
   
   
       2 . The gemstone setting of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first gemstone fixedly mounts on a platform by the first girdle extending into each of a plurality of first bars substantially extending from the platform; and    the girdle of said second gemstone extends into at least two bars of the plurality of first bars and into at least two bars of a plurality of second bars extends from the platform, spaced from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first bars.    
   
   
       3 . The gemstone setting of  claim 2 , wherein the girdle of said third gemstone extends into at least two bars of the plurality of first bars, one of which is substantially in common with the second gemstone, and extending into at least two bars of the plurality second bars, one of which is substantially in common with the second gemstone.  
   
   
       4 . The gemstone setting of  claim 3 , wherein the first bars and the second bars are at least one of substantially unitary with respect to the platform and substantially molded in one piece with the platform.  
   
   
       5 . The gemstone setting of  claim 3 , wherein said first gemstone is substantially disposed near the center of at least one of a plurality of gemstones and an array of gemstones substantially comprising the second and third gemstones.  
   
   
       6 . The gemstone setting of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first gemstone fixedly mounts on a platform by the first girdle extending into each bar of a first plurality of bars extending from the platform; and    the girdle of said second gemstone extends into at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and into each bar of a second plurality of bars substantially extending from the platform, spaced apart from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first plurality of bars.    
   
   
       7 . The gemstone setting of  claim 6 , wherein the girdle of said third gemstone extends into at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and into one bar of the second plurality of bars that is substantially in common with the second gemstone.  
   
   
       8 . The gemstone setting of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first gemstone fixedly mounts on a platform by the girdle of the gemstone substantially retained by each bar of a first plurality of bars extending from the platform; and    the girdle of said second gemstone is held by at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are in common with the first gemstone, and the girdle held by each bar of a second plurality of bars extends from the platform, spaced from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first plurality of bars.    
   
   
       9 . The gemstone setting of  claim 8 , wherein the girdle of said third gemstone is held by at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are in common with the first gemstone, and held by one bar of the second plurality of bars that is in common with the second gemstone.  
   
   
       10 . A gemstone setting of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first gemstone substantially fixedly mounts on a platform by the girdle of the gemstone substantially retained by each fastener of a first plurality of fasteners mounted on the platform; and    the girdle of said second gemstone is substantially retained by at least two fasteners of the first plurality of fasteners that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and the girdle substantially retained by each fastener of a second plurality of fasteners mounted on the platform, spaced from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first plurality of fasteners.    
   
   
       11 . The gemstone setting of  claim 10 , further comprising the girdle of said third gemstone substantially retained by at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and substantially retained by one bar of the second plurality of bars that is substantially in common with the second gemstone.  
   
   
       12 . A method of setting a gemstone, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first gemstone; and    providing a first girdle;    retaining said first gemstone substantially proximate to said first girdle by fasteners that each substantially retain at least second and third girdles of at least a second and a third gemstone substantially disposed proximate to said first gemstone.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 fixedly mounting said first gemstone on a platform by the girdle of the gemstone extending into each of a plurality of first bars substantially extending from the platform; and    wherein the girdle of said second gemstone extends into at least two bars of the plurality of first bars and into at least two bars of a plurality of second bars extends from the platform, spaced from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first bars.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the girdle of said third gemstone extends into at least two bars of the plurality of first bars, at least one of which is substantially in common with the second gemstone, and extending into at least two bars of the plurality second bars, one of which is substantially in common with the second gemstone.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first bars and the second bars are at least one of substantially unitary with respect to the platform and substantially molded in one piece with the platform.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said first gemstone is substantially disposed near the center of at least one of a plurality of gemstones and an array of gemstones substantially comprising said second and third gemstones.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 fixedly mounting said first gemstone on a platform by the first girdle extending into each bar of a first plurality of bars extending from the platform; and    wherein the girdle of said second gemstone extends into at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and into each bar of a second plurality of bars substantially extending from the platform, spaced apart from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first plurality of bars.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein: 
 the girdle of said third gemstone extends into at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are substantially in common with the first gemstone, and into one bar of the second plurality of bars that is substantially in common with the second gemstone.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: 
 fixedly mounting said first gemstone on a platform by the first girdle of the gemstone substantially retained by each bar of a first plurality of bars extending from the platform;    wherein the girdle of said second gemstone is held by at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are in common with the first gemstone, and the girdle held by each bar of a second plurality of bars extends from the platform, spaced from one another, from the first gemstone, and from the first plurality of bars; and    wherein the girdle of said third gemstone is held by at least two bars of the first plurality of bars that are in common with the first gemstone, and held by one bar of the second plurality of bars that is in common with the second gemstone.    
   
   
       20 . A method of manufacturing a gemstone setting, said method comprising the steps of: 
 constructing a master model of said setting;    making a mold of the master model;    injecting wax into the mold, and extracting a hardened wax piece from the mold;    at least one of: disposing a first gemstone into a setting opening until a girdle of the gemstone engages the recess on at least one bar; disposing a second gemstone into a setting opening until a girdle of the gemstone engages the recess on at least one bar; disposing a gemstone axially into a setting opening until the gemstone at least contacts a sloped annular wall; and disposing a gemstone axially into a setting opening until the girdle of the gemstone is at a suitable height above a sloped annular wall and a pavilion is spaced from an opening wall;    disposing the wax and gemstone piece into a container;    adding investment material, said investment material suitably adapted to harden;    heating the resulting assembly to about 600 degrees Celsius;    eliminating the wax from the container;    injecting metal and allowing the metal to harden;    removing the molded piece from the container; and    breaking away the investment material.