Jewelry with interchangeable decorative element of various shapes

Abstract

A mount for removably mounting a decorative element is provided. The mount includes a base, a spring element positioned in the base and a halo configured to be removably secured to the base. The base has a foundation wall, a first sidewall surrounding the base wall, a second sidewall spaced apart from and inwardly of the first sidewall, a peripheral recess formed between the first and second sidewalls, and a central recess bounded by the foundation wall and the second sidewall. The second sidewall includes a plurality of spaced-apart vertical posts on an interior surface thereof. The spring element includes a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions positioned in the central recess of the base configured to support the decorative element. An inner periphery of the spring element includes a plurality of spaced-apart notches, and each vertical post of the second sidewall of the base is received within a respective notch.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A mount for removably mounting a decorative element comprising:
 a base having a foundation wall, a first sidewall surrounding the base wall, a second sidewall spaced apart from and inwardly of the first sidewall, a peripheral recess formed between the first and second sidewalls, and a central recess bounded by the foundation wall and the second sidewall, the central recess being configured to removably receive the decorative element therein, the second sidewall including a plurality of spaced-apart vertical posts on an interior surface thereof; and   a spring element positioned in the base between the foundation wall and a bottom end of the second sidewall, the spring element comprising a first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions positioned in the central recess of the base, an inner periphery of the spring element including a first plurality of spaced-apart notches extending from the inner periphery toward an outer periphery of the spring element, each vertical post of the second sidewall of the base being received within a respective notch of the first plurality of spaced-apart notches of the spring element.   
     
     
         2 . The mount according to  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a precious metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, tarnish resistant silver, titanium and platinum. 
     
     
         3 . The mount according to  claim 1 , further comprising a halo configured to be removably secured to the base. 
     
     
         4 . The mount according to  claim 1 , further comprising a crown formed of a halo integrally formed with the decorative element. 
     
     
         5 . The mount according to  claim 1 , wherein the spring element is made from a metal. 
     
     
         6 . The mount according to  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the spring element are curved protrusions. 
     
     
         7 . The mount according to  claim 1 , wherein the spring element further comprises a second plurality of spaced-apart protrusions positioned in the peripheral recess of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The mount according to  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the spring element are curved protrusions. 
     
     
         9 . A piece of jewelry comprising:
 a decorative element including a support member and a jewel, the support member including a first end and an opposing second end, the second end including a plurality of spaced-apart notches;   a base having a foundation wall, a first sidewall surrounding the foundation wall, a second sidewall spaced apart from and inwardly of the first sidewall, a peripheral recess formed between the first and second sidewalls, and a central recess bounded by the foundation wall and the second sidewall, the decorative element being removably secured within the central recess of the base, an interior surface of the second sidewall of the base including a plurality of spaced-apart vertical posts and an exterior surface of the second sidewall including a plurality of spaced-apart grooves;   a spring element positioned in the base between the foundation wall and a bottom end of the second sidewall, the spring element comprising a first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions positioned in the central recess of the base, an inner periphery of the spring element including a first plurality of spaced-apart notches extending from the inner periphery toward an outer periphery of the spring element, each vertical post of the second sidewall of the base being received within a respective notch of the first plurality of spaced-apart notches of the spring element and within a respective notch of the plurality of spaced-apart notches of the second end of the support member of the decorative element, the second end of the support member of the decorative element being supported by the first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the spring element; and   a halo including a first end, an opposing second end, a sidewall extending from the second end toward the first end, and a central channel extending from the first end to the second end and configured to removably receive a portion of the decorative element therein, the sidewall of the halo being positioned in the peripheral recess of the base, the second end of the halo including a plurality of spaced-apart protrusions formed on an interior surface of the sidewall, each protrusion of the halo being received within a respective groove of the plurality of spaced-apart grooves formed on the exterior surface of the second sidewall of the base.   
     
     
         10 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first plurality of spaced-apart notches of the inner periphery of the spring element is formed between two of the protrusions of the first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions. 
     
     
         11 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the spring element are curved protrusions. 
     
     
         12 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the spring element further comprises a second plurality of spaced-apart protrusions positioned in the peripheral recess of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the second plurality of spaced-apart protrusions of the spring element are curved protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the outer periphery of the spring element includes a second plurality of spaced-apart notches. 
     
     
         15 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the base comprises a precious metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, tarnish resistant silver, titanium and platinum. 
     
     
         16 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the halo and the decorative element are integrally formed as a crown. 
     
     
         17 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the halo and the decorative element are separable from each other. 
     
     
         18 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the spring element is made from a metal. 
     
     
         19 . The piece of jewelry according to  claim 9 , wherein the exterior surface of the second sidewall of the base includes a plurality of spaced-apart notches and a plurality of elongated tracks, each elongated track extending along a portion of the exterior surface of the second sidewall from a corresponding one of the notches to a corresponding one of the grooves. 
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling the piece of jewelry of  claim 9 , the method comprising:
 positioning the halo and the decorative element on the base, such that the jewel is positioned within the central recess of the base, the second end of the support member of the decorative element is supported by the first plurality of spaced-apart protrusions, the sidewall of the halo is positioned in the peripheral recess of the base, and each protrusion of the second end of the halo is received within a respective notch of the plurality of spaced-apart notches formed on the exterior surface of the second sidewall of the base; and   rotating the halo in a first direction such that each protrusion of the second end of the halo travels along a corresponding elongated track away from the respective notch until the protrusion is received within the respective groove.