Jewelry with interhchangeable decorative components

Abstract

A jewelry item has a post and a decorative component thereon. The post has a length defined between an upper end and a bottom end, a fastening means attached to the upper end and a stopper permanently fixed to the bottom end. A first outer circumference of the fastening means is less than a second outer circumference of the stopper. The decorative component has a central opening with a third inner circumference, wherein the third inner circumference of the decorative component is greater than first outer circumference of the fastening means and less than the second outer circumference of the stopper. The central opening of the decorative component is sized such that the fastening means of the post passes through the central opening of the decorative component and connects the decorative component to the post.

1 . A jewelry post comprising:
 a rod having a length defined between an upper end and a bottom end, wherein the rod has a midpoint located at the middle of the length between the upper end and the bottom end of the rod;   fastening means for securing the jewelry post to a chain or an earring is attached to the upper end of the post, wherein the fastening means has a first outer circumference; and   a stopper attached to the bottom end of the post, wherein the stopper has a second outer circumference, wherein the second outer circumference of the stopper is greater than the first outer circumference of the fastening means.   
   
   
       2 . The jewelry post according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening means, the stopper and the post are integrally formed as a single piece. 
   
   
       3 . The jewelry post according to  claim 1 , wherein the rod is curved at least along a portion of the length of the rod. 
   
   
       4 . The jewelry post according to  claim 1 , wherein the rod is ring-shaped in profile. 
   
   
       5 . A jewelry item comprising the jewelry post according to  claim 1  used in combination with a chain or an earring that retains the fastening means of the jewelry post. 
   
   
       6 . A jewelry item comprising:
 a post having a length defined between an upper end and a bottom end, wherein the fastening means is attached to the upper end and a stopper is fixed to the bottom end, a first outer circumference of the fastening means is less than a second outer circumference of the stopper; and   a decorative component having a central opening with a third inner circumference, wherein the third inner circumference of the decorative component is greater than first outer circumference of the fastening means and less than the second outer circumference of the stopper, wherein the central opening of the decorative component is sized such that the fastening means of the post passes through the central opening of the decorative component and connects the decorative component to the post.   
   
   
       7 . The jewelry item according to  claim 6 , wherein the fastening means, the stopper and the post are integrally formed as a single piece. 
   
   
       8 . The jewelry item according to  claim 6 , wherein the central opening of the decorative component has a cross-sectional shape that is different than a cross sectional shape of the post. 
   
   
       9 . The jewelry item according to  claim 6 , wherein the post is curved at least along a portion of the length of the post. 
   
   
       10 . The jewelry item according to  claim 6 , wherein the post is ring-shaped in profile. 
   
   
       11 . The jewelry item according to  claim 6 , wherein the decorative component is donut-shaped, ring-shaped, barrel-shaped, cone-shaped, polygonal-shaped or wheel-shaped. 
   
   
       12 . An ornamental jewelry item comprising the jewelry item according to  claim 6  in combination with a chain or an earring that retains of the fastening means of the post. 
   
   
       13 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing a jewelry post having a length defined between an upper end and a bottom end of the jewelry post, wherein fastening means for securing the jewelry post to a chain or an earring is attached to the upper end and a stopper is fixed to the bottom end, wherein the jewelry post has a midpoint located at a middle of the length between the upper end and the bottom end, wherein a first outer circumference of the fastening means is less than a second outer circumference of the stopper;   providing a first decorative component having a central opening, wherein the central opening of the first decorative component has a third inner circumference that is greater than the first outer circumference of the fastening means and less than the second outer circumference of the stopper; and   sliding the fastening means of the jewelry post through the central opening of the first decorative component, wherein the first decorative component is located on the jewelry post between the upper end and the bottom end of the jewelry post.   
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 resting the first decorative component adjacent a top surface of the stopper of the jewelry post.   
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 attaching the jewelry post to an earring or a chain via the fastening means of the jewelry post.   
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 replacing the first decorative component with a second decorative component.   
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the central opening of the first decorative component has a cross-sectional shape that is different than a cross sectional shape of the post. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the post is curved at least along a portion of the length of the post. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the post is ring-shaped in profile. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first decorative component is donut-shaped, ring-shaped, barrel-shaped, cone-shaped, polygonal-shaped or wheel-shaped.