Jewelry assembly

Abstract

A jewelry assembly comprises a shank ( 30, 70, 110, 156, 172, 198 ) and a collet ( 10, 50, 108, 150, 164, 186 ) and a locking element ( 26, 28, 46, 48, 64, 66, 92, 94, 105, 107, 152, 162, 166, 170, 182, 184, 196, 202 ) on each of the collet ( 10, 50, 108, 150, 164, 186 ) and shank ( 30, 70, 110, 156, 172, 198 ) arranged to mechanically cooperate to hold the collet ( 10, 50, 108, 150, 164, 186 ) and shank ( 30, 70, 110, 156, 172, 198 ) in a predetermined relative position. Two locking elements ( 26, 28, 46, 48, 64, 66, 92, 94, 105, 107, 152, 162, 166, 170, 182, 184, 196, 202 ) may be provided on each side of the collet which are rounded protrusions and which cooperate with corresponding holes in the shank.

1 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a shank with a first mechanical locking element;   (b) providing a collet with a second mechanical locking element;   (c) mounting the collet onto the shank such that the first locking element mechanically cooperates with the second locking element to hold the collet and the shank in a predetermined relative position;   (d) fixing the collet to the shank to inhibit their subsequent separation;   wherein one of the first and second mechanical locking elements is a rounded protrusion, and the other is a co-operating rounded recess.   
   
   
       2 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two mechanical locking elements are provided on each side of the collet. 
   
   
       3 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the locking elements on one side of the collet are the same. 
   
   
       4 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises integrally moulding the collet and the second locking element. 
   
   
       5 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein each locking element provided on the collet is a protrusion which is integrally moulded with the collet. 
   
   
       6 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at step (c) the collet is mounted on the shank removably such that the jewelry assembly is capable of being tried on with different collets and/or different shanks before fixing. 
   
   
       7 . A method of manufacturing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the rounded locking elements are hemispherical. 
   
   
       8 . A jewelry assembly comprising:
 a shank, and   a collet,   wherein the shank is provided with a first mechanical locking element and the collet is provided with a second mechanical locking element,   wherein the first and second locking elements are arranged to mechanically cooperate to hold the collet and the shank in a predetermined relative position,   wherein one of the first and second mechanical locking elements is a rounded protrusion and the other is a co-operating rounded recess, and   wherein the collet is fixed to the shank to inhibit their subsequent separation.   
   
   
       9 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the collet comprises a tapering outer surface and the shank comprises a corresponding tapering gap to receive the collet. 
   
   
       10 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein at least two mechanical locking elements are provided on each side of the collet. 
   
   
       11 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the locking elements on one side of the collet are the same. 
   
   
       12 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein each locking element provided on the collet is a protrusion which is integrally moulded with the collet. 
   
   
       13 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the rounded locking elements are hemispherical. 
   
   
       14 . A jewelry assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein there are a plurality of each of the shank and the collet and wherein at least one of the plurality of shanks and the plurality of collets includes a design that differs from one another. 
   
   
       15 . A method of providing a jewelry assembly, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of collets and a plurality of shanks to a customer, wherein each collet of the plurality of collets comprises a first mechanical locking element and each shank of the plurality of shanks comprises a second mechanical locking element, wherein one of the first and second mechanical locking elements is a rounded protrusion, and the other is a co-operating rounded recess; wherein   the plurality of shanks and/or the plurality of collets comprises at least two different designs such that the customer can selectively assemble the jewelry assembly in at least two different designs;   (b) receiving the plurality of collets and the plurality of shanks returned from the customer and fixing a jewelry assembly according to the preference of the customer; and   (c) providing the fixed jewelry assembly to the customer.   
   
   
       16 . A method of providing a jewelry assembly according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of collets and the plurality of shanks provided to the customer in step (a) are provided in non-valuable material and wherein the jewelry assembly in step (b) is fixed in valuable material.