Multiplet gemstones with directly printed embedded translucent images

Abstract

A multiplet gemstone is described having a first and a second layer of gemstone material, the first and second layers each having an interfacial surface; and wherein one of the interfacial surfaces has a translucent image printed thereon. A method of making the multiplet gemstone is described including a first step of providing a first layer of gemstone material having at least one flat surface; a second step of providing a second layer of gemstone material having at least one flat surface; a third step of direct printing a translucent image onto the flat surface of the first layer; and a fourth step of bonding the flat surface of the first layer to the flat surface of the second layer to manufacture the multiplet gemstone.

1 . An article of manufacture comprising a multiplet gemstone including: 
 a first layer of gemstone material having a first interfacial surface; and    a second layer of gemstone coupled to the first layer of gemstone material, the second layer of material having a second interfacial surface,    wherein at least one surface selected from the group consisting of the first interfacial surface and the second interfacial surface has a translucent image directly printed thereon.    
   
   
       2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer of gemstone material and the second layer of gemstone material are bonded together at the interfacial surfaces with an adhesive, the adhesive having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first layer of gemstone material and the second layer of gemstone material.  
   
   
       3 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer of gemstone material defines a gem crown and the second layer of gemstone material defines a gem pavilion.  
   
   
       4 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer of gemstone material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic zirconia, spinel, topaz, sapphire, topaz, beryl, and quartz.  
   
   
       5 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer of gemstone material includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic zirconia, spinel, topaz, sapphire, topaz, beryl and quartz.  
   
   
       6 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent image includes an ink that substantially transmits light and substantially does not scatter light.  
   
   
       7 . The article of manufacture of  claim 6 , wherein the ink includes a dye.  
   
   
       8 . The article of manufacture of  claim 7 , wherein the dye is selected from the group comprising azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, aminostyryl dyes, disulphone dyes, oxonol dyes, carbonyl dyes, and phthalocyanine dyes, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 6 , wherein the ink includes a pigment including pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 6 , wherein the ink includes a combination of a dye and a pigment including pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 6 , wherein the ink includes a UV cured ink.  
   
   
       12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second layers are bonded together at the interfacial surfaces with the UV cured ink, the UV cured ink comprising an epoxy resin having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first and second layers.  
   
   
       13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent image includes a pixilated digital photographic image.  
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent image includes a magnetic strip containing electronic data.  
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent image includes an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is powered by a method selected from the group of inductive power, photovoltaic power, and thermal power.  
   
   
       16 . An article of manufacture comprising a multiplet gemstone including: 
 a first layer of gemstone material having a first interfacial surface; and    a second layer of gemstone coupled to the first layer of gemstone material, the second layer of material having a second interfacial surface,    wherein at least one surface selected from the group consisting of the first interfacial surface and the second interfacial surface has a pixilated digital photographic translucent image directly printed thereon, the pixilated digital photographic translucent image including an ink that substantially transmits light and substantially does not scatter light,    wherein the first layer of gemstone material and the second layer of gemstone material are bonded together at the interfacial surfaces with a UV curing adhesive having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first layer of gemstone material and the second layer of gemstone material.    
   
   
       17 . A method comprising: 
 a first step of providing a first layer of gemstone material having a first flat surface;    a second step of providing a second layer of gemstone material having a second flat surface;    a third step of direct printing a translucent image onto at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first flat surface and the second flat surface; and then    a fourth step of bonding the first flat surface to the second flat surface, thereby creating a multiplet gemstone containing the translucent image.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the translucent image includes an ink that substantially transmits light and substantially does not scatter light.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the third step includes using an inkjet printer.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ink includes a dye.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the dye is selected from the group comprising azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, aminostyryl dyes, disulphone dyes, oxonol dyes, carbonyl dyes, and phthalocyanine dyes, or mixtures thereof; and where the ink includes a solvent selected from the group comprising methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), gamma-butyrolactone, isopropyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ink includes a pigment comprising pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ink includes a combination of a dye and a pigment comprising pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ink includes a UV curable ink.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second layers are bonded together at the flat surfaces through curing of the UV curable ink, the UV curable ink comprising an epoxy resin having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first gemstone layer and the second gemstone layer.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the third step includes using a dye sublimation printer.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the third step includes using an electrophotographic printer.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the toner used by the electrophotographic printer includes a combination of resin particles and dyes, wherein the resin particles are less than or equal to approximately 8 microns and have a substantially round and smooth shape.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 prior to the third step, a step of cleaning the flat surface of the first layer.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of cleaning includes first washing the flat surface of the first layer with a solution of H 2 O 2 —NH 4 OH—H 2 O, followed by a solution of H 2 O 2 —HCl—H 2 O.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 prior to the fourth step, applying an adhesive to the flat surface of the first gemstone layer, the adhesive having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first gemstone layer and the second gemstone layer.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the adhesive is a UV curable adhesive, the method further comprising a step of applying UV light to the flat surface after the fourth step.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein an ink is used in the third step and includes a UV curable ink, and the step of applying UV light cures both the UV curable ink and the UV curable adhesive.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 prior to fourth step, speeding up the drying time of the translucent image through a method selected form the group of radiant heating and convective heating.    
   
   
       35 . A method comprising: 
 providing a tray having a plurality of recesses shaped to receive a set of first layers of gemstone materials;    loading the plurality of recesses with the set of first layers of gemstone materials, each member of the set of first layers of gemstone materials having an exposed flat surface;    directly printing a translucent image onto the exposed flat surface of each member of the set of first layers of gemstone materials; and    bonding a second layer of gemstone material to the exposed flat surface of each member of the set of first layers of gemstone materials, thereby creating a set of multiplet gemstones.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein bonding includes locating a quantity of UV curing adhesive between the second layer of gemstone material and the exposed flat surface of each member of the set of first layers of gemstone materials and then UV curing the quantity of UV curing adhesive.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein directly printing includes dye sublimation using at least one dye.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one dye is selected from the group comprising azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, aminostyryl dyes, disulphone dyes, oxonol dyes, carbonyl dyes, and phthalocyanine dyes, or mixtures thereof; and where the ink includes a solvent selected from the group comprising methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), gamma-butyrolactone, isopropyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       39 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first tray having a first plurality of recesses shaped to receive a first set of gemstones;    filling the first plurality of recesses with the first set of gemstones;    providing a second tray having a second plurality of recesses shaped to receive a second set of gemstones;    filling the second plurality of recesses with the second set of gemstones;    securing and leveling the first set of gemstones within the first plurality of recesses;    direct printing a custom translucent image onto each of the first set of gemstones;    aligning the first tray with the second tray to align each of the first set of gemstones with a gemstone from the second set of gemstones, thereby defining a plurality of aligned pairs of gemstones; and    bonding each of said plurality of pairs of gemstones together, thereby producing a plurality of multiplet gemstones, each having a custom translucent image embedded therein.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising applying an adhesive to the flat surface of the first layer prior to aligning the first tray with the second tray, the adhesive having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first and second layers.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the adhesive is a UV curable adhesive, the method further comprising a step of applying UV light to the flat surface after the aligning of the first tray with the second tray.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the ink used in the direct printing includes a UV curable ink, and the step of applying UV light cures both the ink and the adhesive.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the translucent image includes an ink that maximizes light transmission and minimizes scattering of light.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the direct printing includes using an inkjet printer.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the ink includes a dye.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the dye is selected from the group comprising azo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, aminostyryl dyes, disulphone dyes, oxonol dyes, carbonyl dyes, and phthalocyanine dyes, or mixtures thereof; and where the ink includes a solvent selected from the group comprising methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), gamma-butyrolactone, isopropyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the ink includes a pigment comprising pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the ink includes a combination of a dye and a pigment comprising pigment particles less than 0.1 micron in diameter, coated with resin, having a substantially smooth and round shape, and being substantially uniform in size.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the ink includes a UV curable ink.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the bonding is performed through curing the UV curable ink, the UV curable ink comprising an epoxy resin having an index of refraction substantially the same as the first and second layers  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the direct printing includes using a dye sublimation printer.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the direct printing includes using an electrophotographic printer.  
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the toner used by the electrophotographic printer includes a combination of resin particles and dyes, wherein the resin particles are smaller than 8 microns and have a substantially round and smooth shape.  
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising: prior to the direct printing, a step of cleaning the flat surface of the first layer.  
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the step of cleaning includes first washing the flat surface of the first layer with a solution of H 2 O 2 —NH 4 OH—H 2 O, followed by a solution of H 2 O 2 —HCl—H 2 O.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising: directly after the direct printing, speeding up the drying time of the translucent image through a method selected form the group of radiant heating and convective heating.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the securing and leveling is done by a method selected from the group of applying a rigid lattice to the first tray, applying vacuum suction to the bottom of each of the first set of gemstones, or applying a non-setting adhesive to the bottom of each of the first plurality of recesses.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the translucent image includes a pixilated digital photographic image.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the translucent image includes a magnetic strip containing electronic data.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the translucent image includes an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit is powered by a method selected from the group of inductive power, photovoltaic power and thermal power.