HK1175673B - Invisible set decorative part - Google Patents

Description

Invisible inlaid decoration

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a concealed (concealed) inlay ornamental piece, and more particularly to an ornamental piece for an item of jewelry, which forms a close-set inlay of gems capable of decorating a surface.

Background

It is known to use claws, pellets or guides for setting precious, semi-precious or artificial stones. There are also invisible inlays that secure a gemstone via its pavilion (culase) or crown (couronne). In the state of the art of invisible inlays, there are many methods (with grinding, casting, jigs, screws, etc.) which have, for well-defined systems, a number of drawbacks: the properties, geometry and dimensions of gemstones are generally limited, the height, depth and angle of the grooves are generally constrained, scratches, chips and cracks are present in the stone during operation, or repairs when changing stones produce chips on adjacent stones, etc. Furthermore, most of these methods require manual intervention by the tessellator during the tessellation operation. Even if the inlay is highly skilled, there is always a risk of the gemstone wearing, scratching, cracking, or chipping.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to overcome all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing an industrial manufacturing method for obtaining, at a lower cost, a uniform arrangement of gemstones, a diversity of shapes, an improved precision and a higher quality setting.

The invention therefore relates to a decorative element comprising a plurality of gemstones and means for fixing the gemstones relative to one another, characterized in that said fixing means comprise a single electroplated mount having a shape matching a portion of said gemstones, so as to allow all the gemstones to be attached relative to one another without compression, said single mount having at least one conductive layer deposited on the gemstones, and girdle (feuilletis) of the gemstones mounted edge to edge relative to one another so that said single mount is concealed.

Advantageously according to the invention, the setting avoiding the generation of internal stresses in the gemstone is formed according to the cut and the diversity of dimensions of the gemstone. Since the mount is plated, the mount conforms exactly to the shape of the gemstone.

According to other advantageous features of the invention:

-said fixing means attaching the gemstones to each other via their pavilions or crowns;

-said single setting covers or does not cover all pavilions or crowns of said stones;

-said fixing means comprise at least one groove formed in the pavilion or crown of at least one of the gemstones, so that a single setting, the shape of which at least partially matches each gemstone, forms at least one hook (bayonet) for each of said gemstones;

-the at least one groove forms two grooves in both surfaces of the gemstone;

-said single mount comprises at least one conductive layer deposited on the gemstone;

-said single base comprises a second layer electrolytically deposited from said at least one conductive layer, so as to improve the soundness of the decoration;

-the at least one conductive layer is used as a reflective layer;

-said single mount comprises pure silver and a protective layer covering said silver to prevent it from tarnishing due to oxidation.

The invention relates to a piece of jewellery and a timepiece, characterized in that they comprise an added ornamental piece according to any one of the preceding variants.

Finally, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a decorative element, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) providing a plurality of gemstones;

b) fixing each gemstone against the rest, mounting the girdle of the gemstones edge to edge relative to each other so as to form a close-set gemstone inlay;

c) depositing a first conductive layer on at least a portion of the gemstone;

d) electrolytically depositing a second layer from the first conductive layer so as to form a single pedestal;

e) the ornamental piece thus formed is removed by separating each of the gems from the rest.

According to other advantageous features of the invention:

between step a) and step b), the method further comprises a step f): etching at least one groove in the pavilion of said gemstone such that a single setting electrodeposited in step d) fills each of said at least one groove, thereby forming a fixed hook, and in step c) said first layer is deposited on at least a portion of the pavilion of the gemstone;

between step a) and step b), the method comprises a step f): etching at least one groove in the crown of the gemstone such that a single setting electrodeposited in step d) fills each of the at least one groove, thereby forming a fixed hook, and in step c) the first layer is deposited on at least a portion of the crown of the gemstone;

-the holder comprises a cavity for receiving a gemstone;

between step c) and step d), the method comprises a step g): forming a frame around said close-fit setting so as to confine the electrodeposition of step d) above said girdle of the gemstone;

-step c) is carried out by spraying a fluid containing silver powder.

Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a step of fixing a gemstone according to a first embodiment of the invention;

figure 2 is a section after the fixing step according to the first embodiment of the invention is finished;

figure 3 is a partial enlarged view of figure 2;

figure 4 is the diagram of figure 3 according to a variant of the invention;

fig. 5 is a view similar to fig. 3 of a first deposition step according to a first embodiment of the invention;

figure 6 is a perspective view of a second deposition step according to the first embodiment of the invention;

figure 7 is a cross section after the end of a second deposition step according to the first embodiment of the invention;

figure 8 is a section of a decorative element according to a first embodiment of the invention;

figure 9 is a section of a decorative element according to a variant of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a top view of a decorative element according to the invention;

figure 11 is a top view of a decorative element according to a variant of the invention;

figure 12 is a top view of a decorative element according to another variant of the invention;

figure 13 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method according to the invention;

figures 14 to 16 are diagrams of steps for fixing a gemstone according to a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 17 is a partial enlarged view of figure 16;

fig. 18 is a view similar to fig. 17 of a first deposition step according to a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 19 is a cross section after the end of a second deposition step according to a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 20 is a section of a decorative element according to a second embodiment of the invention;

figure 21 is a section of a decorative element according to a variant of the second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

As shown in figures 8 to 12, 20 and 21, the present invention relates to a decorative element, generally designated 1, 3 and 5, which can be added in particular to a plurality of pieces of jewellery and timepieces (in particular to a dial and an exterior). However, these garnishes 1, 3, 5 are not limited to the above application. For example, the decorative elements 1, 3, 5 can also be attached to other objects, such as glasses.

More particularly, the invention relates to a fixture 7, 7', 47' for invisible setting for attaching several precious, semi-precious or artificial gemstones 2 via their pavilions 4 or crowns 18, such that the girdle 6 of the gemstones 2 is mounted edge-to-edge to make the table 8 of the gemstones 2 substantially coplanar.

Thus, irrespective of the distribution and/or shape of the gemstones 2 used, as shown for example in fig. 10 to 12, the fixing means 7, 7', 47' comprise a single seat 9, 9', 49' that attaches the gemstones 2 to each other in a very precise manner. Advantageously, according to the invention and unlike the conventional method of making invisible inlays, the material of the seats 9, 9', 49' is gradually added and not gradually removed, then deformed.

It is evident that the single setting 9, 9', 49', preferably formed mainly by means of electrodeposition, thus allows the pavilion 4 or crown 18 of the gemstone 2 to be coated in such a way that the amount of mechanical stress transmitted to the gemstone is minimal.

Advantageously, therefore, according to the invention, the shape of the setting 9, 9', 49' naturally matches, regardless of its differences, the pavilion 4 or crown 18 of the gemstone 2. This can be achieved by using a manufacturing method 21 according to the invention, which will be explained below and which comprises an electrolytic deposition step 29.

According to a first embodiment, shown in fig. 1 and 9, the single seat 9, 9' comprises at least two layers 11, 11' and 13, 13 '. In the examples of fig. 5, 7, 8 and 9, the respective thicknesses of the layers 11, 11 'and 13, 13' are not drawn to the same scale to aid understanding. In practice, the first layer 11, 11 'is much smaller than the thickness shown in fig. 5, 7, 8, 9 and is small compared to the thickness of the second layer 13, 13'.

The first layer 11, 11 'is intended to adhere to the pavilion 4 of the gemstone 2 and provides a conductive layer capable of acting as a seed surface for the second layer 13, 13' to be electrodeposited. While the first layer 11, 11 'plays a major role in the final aesthetic aspect of the decorative element 1, 3, 5, the second layer 13, 13' is mainly used for its mechanical features, i.e. for improving the stability of the decorative element 1, 3, 5.

Therefore, preferably according to the invention, the first layer 11, 11' comprises a material with a strong reflecting power in order to be used as a reflecting layer for ambient light. Obviously, this layer 11, 11' means that the sparkle of the trim 1, 3, 5 is not reduced too much.

For example, depending on the product and/or the material to which the decorative element 1, 3, 5 is to be attached, the first layer 11, 11' may comprise gold and/or silver and/or platinum and/or palladium and/or iridium and/or copper and/or titanium and/or aluminium and/or nickel and/or tin and/or zinc. The second layer 13, 13', which is much thicker than the first layer 11, 11' as described above, may use the same material as the first layer or an alloy thereof.

Preferably, when the single mount 9, 9' is made of silver, a protective layer, such as, for example, silicon nitride with a thickness of a few microns, will be used as a coating to prevent the silver from tarnishing due to oxidation.

In a first variant, shown in fig. 8, the fixing means 7 comprise a single setting 9, the two tiers 11, 13 of which cover all the pavilions 4 of the gemstone 2. This first variant provides the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 with maximum brilliance and/or a very uniform attractive appearance.

In a second variant, shown in figure 9, the fixture 7 'has a single setting 9' whose two tiers 11', 13' do not cover the whole pavilion 4 of the gemstone 2. As shown in fig. 9, the single setting 9' thus forms a mesh conforming to the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2. This second variant improves the overall internal reflection of the gemstone 2 for the ornamental pieces 1, 3, 5. It also means that the single setting 9 'does not have to be opened by mechanical means, for example using the mosaicker's tool, and therefore scratching of the gemstone 2 is avoided.

According to a second embodiment, shown in fig. 14 to 21, the single seat 49, 49' therefore comprises at least two layers 51, 51' and 53, 53 '. As in the first embodiment, the respective thicknesses of the layers 51, 51 'and 53, 53' are also not drawn to scale in the examples of fig. 18 to 21.

The first layer 51, 51 'is intended to adhere to the crown 18 and possibly to the table 8 of the gemstone 2 and provides a conductive layer capable of acting as a seed surface for the second layer 53, 53' to be electrodeposited. While the first layer 51, 51 'plays a major role in the final aesthetic aspect of the decorative element 1, 3, 5, the second layer 53, 53' is mainly used for its mechanical features, i.e. for improving the stability of the decorative element 1, 3, 5.

Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the first layer 51, 51' preferably comprises a material having a strong reflection ability so as to be used as a reflection layer for ambient light, thereby avoiding excessively lowering the sparkle of the garnish 1, 3, 5. For example, depending on the product and/or material to which the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 are to be added, the layers 51, 51 'and 53, 53' may comprise the same type of material as the layers 11, 11 'and 13, 13', respectively.

Preferably, when the single mount 49, 49' is made of silver, a protective layer, such as, for example, silicon nitride with a thickness of a few microns, will be used as a coating to prevent the silver from tarnishing due to oxidation.

In a first variant, shown in fig. 20, the fixing means 47 comprise a single setting 49, two layers 51, 53 of which cover all the crowns 18 and the table 8 of the gemstone 2. This first variant provides the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 with maximum brilliance and/or a very uniform attractive appearance.

In a second variant, shown in fig. 21, the fixing device 47 'has a single setting 49', two layers 51', 53' of which cover the entire crown 18 of the gemstone 2 but not its table 8. As shown in fig. 21, the single bases 49' thus form a mesh that conforms to the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2. This second variant improves the overall internal reflection of the gemstone 2 for the ornamental pieces 1, 3, 5. It also means that the single mount 49 'does not have to be opened by mechanical means, for example using the mosaicker's tool, and therefore scratching of the gemstone 2 is avoided. Of course, the setting 49' may alternatively cover only a portion of the crown 18 of the gemstone 2 or all of the crown 18 and part of the table 8 thereof without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, the thus formed decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 according to any embodiment can be easily attached to the final product via their individual seats 9, 9', 49' even with more or less complex shapes, such as, for example, the wave 3 shown in fig. 11, the not particularly symmetrical shape 5 shown in fig. 12 or the completely symmetrical shape 1 shown in fig. 10.

According to an alternative of the invention, visible in figures 3, 5, 8, 9, 17, 18, 20 and 21, each gemstone 2 comprises at least one groove 10, 50 on the pavilion 4 and the crown 18, respectively, in order to improve the grip of the fixing means 7, 7', 47'. Since the setting 9, 9', 49' exactly matches the shape of the pavilion 4 or crown 18 of the gemstones 2, it is clear that the setting 9, 9', 49' then forms a hook which holds each gemstone 2 more firmly via its pavilion 4 or crown 18. Preferably, each gemstone 2 comprises two grooves 10, 50 on two opposite facets of its pavilion 4 or crown 18. However, each groove 10, 50 may also form a circumferential groove in each pavilion 4 or each crown 18 in order to maximize the mechanical adhesion of the fixing means 7, 7', 47'.

According to another alternative of the invention, the single seats 9, 9', 49' can directly form the body of the final product, which avoids having to add the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 to another body.

The method 21 of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig. 1 to 9 and 13 to 21. In a first step 23, method 21 comprises providing gemstone 2 whose girdle 6 allows assembling the gemstone edge to edge in order to obtain, for example, the variants of fig. 10, 11 and 12, i.e. a uniform surface of gemstone 2.

In a second step 25, the stones 2 are successively fixed to the rest 12, 52. Preferably, since method 21 includes electrolytic plating step 29, support 12, 52 includes an electrically insulating material, such as polypropylene or any other material compatible with method 21.

In the case of the first embodiment, as more clearly seen in figure 2, the surface 15 of the rest 12 to which the gemstone 2 is attached must have good flatness. Each gemstone 2 is preferably held on the surface 15 of the rest 12 by adhering its table 8 using cyanoacrylate adhesive. Of course, other methods of securing or even other types of adhesives are contemplated that are compatible with the remaining steps of method 21.

Fig. 3 and 4 show enlarged portions of the girdle 6 for the gemstone 2 according to two alternatives of the invention described above. It is therefore evident that the precision of the cut of the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2 is of great importance. Indeed, according to the invention, the girdle 6 must be assembled edge to edge in order to limit the size of the gap between the stones 2.

Thus, as mentioned above, if it is not desired to improve the adhesion of the fixing means 7, 7', the stones 2 do not comprise the grooves 10 and are placed against each other at their girdle 6, as shown in fig. 1 and 4. In this case, it is obvious that the gemstone is fixed only by chemical interaction between the materials.

If it is desired to improve the adhesion of the fixing means 7, 7', an intermediate step 24 is required between step 23 and the fixing step 25. Step 24, shown in dashed lines in fig. 13, is for etching at least one groove 10 in at least a portion of pavilion 4 of gemstone 2. Thus, in the fixing step 25, the gemstones 2 are placed against each other at their girdle 6, as shown in fig. 1 and 3. In the embodiment of fig. 3, it can be seen that the grooves 10 of the two gemstones 2 are opposite to each other.

In the example shown in fig. 1, it can be seen that the rest 12 may also include a template 14 of a dedicated shape to assist in starting the surface of the gemstone 2. Thus, the template 14 may be formed as a triangular plate as in fig. 1 to form a symmetrical garnish 1, or as a curved body to form a contoured garnish 3. Thus, at the end of step 25, as shown in fig. 1, a close-set inlay of the gemstone 2 is obtained, which is fixed by its table 8 to the surface 15 of the rest 12.

The method 21 continues with step 27 to form the first layer 11, 11' as shown in fig. 5. As mentioned above, the first layer 11, 11 'adheres to the pavilion 4 of the gemstone 2 to act, on the one hand, as a seed surface for the second layer 13, 13' and, on the other hand, as a reflective layer. Thus, depending on the variant chosen, first layer 11, 11' may coat each pavilion 4 partially or completely on all or a portion of pavilions 4. This means that the embodiments of fig. 8 and 9 can also be combined to suit the aesthetics of the trim pieces 1, 3, 5.

In fact, advantageously according to the invention, only the portion coated with the first layer 11, 11 'in step 27 finally comprises a single seat 9, 9'. It is therefore clear that, unlike the existing manual methods, the variety of aesthetic appearances of the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 does not make the manufacturing method 21 more difficult.

Step 27 can be implemented via several different methods. However, it is preferred to spray a conductive paint, such as, for example, a fluid containing silver powder (particle size between 1 and 10 microns). In fact, if the precision of the girdle 6 is not precisely controlled, it may be preferable to deposit a paint with improved efficacy to coat the girdle 6 in order to ensure uniform growth during the next step 29. Moreover, the spray deposition method provides a very good aesthetic effect for each gemstone 2 after the electrolytic deposition step 29.

Vapor deposition or chemical metal deposition may also be used in addition to or in place of the above deposition. In the case of vapour deposition, an adhesion layer interposed between the surface of the gemstone and the first layer 11, 11' of a few nanometres (thickness), for example a chromium, zirconium or titanium layer, may be used to improve adhesion, while remaining substantially invisible.

At the end of step 27, it is therefore clear that layers 11, 11' prevent any deposits from passing between pavilion 4 and crown 18, in particular around girdle 6, in order to protect crown 18 and, incidentally, cutting plane 8 during electrodeposition phase 29.

According to another alternative described above, step 27 may be followed by step 28, shown in dashed lines, and then step 29, or step 29 may be followed directly. Thus, if the trim piece is not intended to be attached to another component, the method 21 can proceed directly to step 29 to form the single base 9, 9 'which will form the blank for the final component electrical connection layer 11, 11'.

Preferably, however, a frame 16 is added in step 28 to confine the electrodeposition of step 29 above the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2. Of course, the frame 16 can also be used to form the single seats 9, 9' which will form the blanks of the final element. If a frame 16 is used, i.e. if step 28 is performed, the frame 16 will preferably comprise conductive paths 17 for connecting the first layers 11, 11'. Furthermore, the walls of the frame 16 surrounding the gemstone 2 are preferably electrically conductive.

The method 21 continues with step 29, which step 29 comprises the electrolytic deposition of the second layer 13, 13' from the first layer 11, 11' so as to finally form a single mount 9, 9' as shown in fig. 7. Finally, in a final step 31 of the method 21, the ornamental pieces 1, 3, 5 thus formed are separated from the rest 12 and, if used, from the frame 16.

Of course, between steps 29 and 31 or possibly after step 31, a machining and/or polishing step 30 can be carried out in order to modify the shape of the single seats 9, 9' so as to form the final element or a shape suitable for being added to the final element.

In the case of the second embodiment, as is more clearly visible in figures 14 to 16, the rest 52 to which the gemstone 2 is attached is distinct from the rest of the first embodiment. In fact, in the second embodiment, the gemstones 2 are affixed not via their substantially flat table 8 of the gemstones 2 but via their substantially pyramidal pavilions 4.

Therefore, advantageously according to the invention, the lug 52 according to the second embodiment comprises a plate 59, as shown in fig. 14, formed of an easily deformable material, for example an SnBi alloy. The plate 59 is designed to be embossed with cavities 60, the cavities 60 being shaped and distributed in substantially the same way as the pavilions 4 of the gemstones 2, as shown in fig. 15. Such an embossed plate 59 according to the second embodiment allows processing to be performed with similar accuracy to that of the first embodiment.

Preferably, each gemstone 2 is fixed in a cavity 60 on the surface 55 of rest 52 by gluing its pavilion 4 with an adhesive similar to that of the first embodiment. Fig. 17 shows an enlarged portion of girdle 6 for gemstone 2. As in the first embodiment, it is clear that the precision of the cut of the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2 is also very important. Indeed, the girdle 6 must be assembled edge to edge in order to limit the size of the gap between the stones 2.

In the example shown in fig. 17, it is desirable to improve the grip of the fixing means 47, 47', i.e. the gemstone 2 comprises at least one groove 50 on its crown 18. However, as in fig. 4 of the first embodiment, these grooves 50 may not be present.

Thus, in the case of fig. 17, intermediate step 24, shown in dashed lines in fig. 13, is used to etch at least one groove 50 in at least a portion of crown 18 of gemstone 2. Thus, in the fixing step 25, the gemstones 2 are placed against each other at their girdle 6, as shown in fig. 16 and 17. In the embodiment of fig. 17, it can be seen that the grooves 50 of the two gemstones 2 are opposite to each other.

Unlike the first embodiment, the use of a template is no longer required. In effect, the cavity 60 allows the gemstones 2 to be distributed relative to each other. However, in the second embodiment, at the end of step 25, a slight pressure must be applied to table 8 of stone 2 in order to perfect its flatness and reduce as much as possible the gap between girdle 6 of stone 2. Thus, at the end of step 25, a close-fit inlay of gemstones 2 is obtained, which are fixed on surface 55 of rest 52 via their pavilions 4.

The method 21 continues with step 27 to form a first layer 51, 51' as shown in fig. 18. As described above, the first layer 51, 51 'adheres to the crown 18 and may adhere to the table 8 of the gemstone 2 to act as a seed surface for the second layer 53, 53' on one side and as a reflective layer on the other side. Thus, depending on the variant chosen, the first layer 51, 51' may partially or completely coat each crown 18 over all or a portion of the crown 18, and may partially or completely coat each cutting plane 8 over all or a portion of the cutting planes 8. This means that the embodiments of fig. 20 and 21 can also be combined to suit the aesthetics of the trim pieces 1, 3, 5.

In fact, advantageously according to the invention, only the portion coated with the first layer 51, 51 'in step 27 finally comprises a single seat 49, 49'. It is therefore clear that, unlike the existing manual methods, the variety of aesthetic appearances of the decorative pieces 1, 3, 5 does not make the manufacturing method 21 more difficult. As in the first embodiment, step 27 is preferably performed by spraying a conductive paint, such as, for example, a fluid containing silver powder (particle size between 1 and 10 microns). However, other types of deposition may be used in addition to or in place of the above deposition.

At the end of step 27, it is therefore clear that layers 51, 51' prevent any deposits from passing between pavilion 4 and crown 18, in particular around girdle 6, in order to protect pavilion 4 during electrodeposition phase 29.

According to another alternative described above, step 27 may be followed by step 28, shown in dashed lines, and then step 29, or step 29 may be followed directly. Thus, if the trim piece is not intended to be attached to another component, the method 21 can proceed directly to step 29 to form the individual bases 49, 49 'that will form the blanks for the final component electrical connection layers 51, 51'.

Preferably, however, a frame 56 is added in step 28 to confine the electrodeposition of step 29 above the girdle 6 of the gemstone 2. Of course, the frame 56 could also be used to form the individual bases 49, 49' which will form the blank of the final element. If a frame 56 is used, it will have the same features as the frame 16 of the first embodiment.

Since the second embodiment preferably uses the plate 59, in contrast to the first embodiment, in addition to being soft, the material is adapted to melt easily, i.e. has a low melting point, such as for example around 80 ℃ for the alloy SnBi. The achievement of step 31 is thus facilitated by a fusion plate 59, which fusion plate 59 releases pavilion 4 of gemstone 2 from rest 52 without changing the nature of setting 49, 49'.

The method 21 continues with step 29, which step 29 includes electrodepositing a second layer 53, 53' from the first layer 51, 51' to ultimately form a single pedestal 49, 49' as shown in fig. 19. Finally, in a final step 31 of the method 21, the decorative elements 1, 3, 5 thus formed are separated from the rest 52 and, if used, also from the frame 56.

Of course, between steps 29 and 31 or possibly after step 31, a machining and/or polishing step 30 can be carried out in order to modify the shape of the single seats 49, 49' so as to form the final element or a shape suitable for being added on the final element.

From reading the above description of the two embodiments, it is clear that the method 21 allows a great diversity of ornamental pieces, such as, for example, those of fig. 10 to 12, having a geometry of close-set inlays with different gem shapes, without complicating the implementation of the method, which means that the method can be applied to any type of precious, semi-precious or artificial gem at reduced cost.

Moreover, pavilions 4 or crowns 18 may or may not be fully or partially pierced without requiring any subsequent finishing/trimming steps. According to the invention, it is also worth noting that, without increasing the complexity of the method 21, the stones 2 may be higher or lower and/or have different shapes and/or be distributed more or less symmetrically, and the height, angle and depth of the grooves 10, 50 may be greater or smaller. Finally, according to the invention, the manufacturing conditions are improved by direct machining of the pavilion 4 or crown 18 of the gemstone 2, which is not possible with current methods that require constant turning of the workpiece to check whether the gemstone 2 is assembled correctly.

This feature is further advantageous in any after-market service where a single gemstone or a portion of a gemstone needs to be replaced. Because, with current mechanical invisible setting methods, it is difficult to remove the gemstone, and this presents a high risk of scratching, cracking or chipping the gemstone close to the gemstone to be replaced. In contrast, advantageously according to the present invention, adjacent gemstones may be protected from damage by removing metal from the gemstone to be removed, for example chemically, then bonding a new gemstone in place of the old gemstone and reshaping the entire single setting to greatly reduce the risk of scratching, cracking or chipping the other gemstones in the close-set setting.

The only limitation of method 21 is that the height of girdle 6 needs to be considered in order to prevent gaps from forming between gemstones 2 in step 25.

Finally, another advantage of the manufacturing method 21 according to the invention is the saving of time and the attendant saving of costs. In fact, not only is the manufacturing method 21 much shorter than a manual method, but steps 27 and/or 29 can be performed simultaneously on several trim pieces 1, 3, 5 from several holders 12, 52 or a single holder 12, 52.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples shown, but can have various variations and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, there may be variations other than the examples shown in fig. 10 to 12.

Furthermore, it is preferably conceivable that the surfaces 15, 55 of the rests 12, 52 are not flat to obtain ornamental pieces 1, 3, 5 in which the table 8 of the gemstone 2 is not coplanar.

Finally, it is fully contemplated to replace template 14 of the first embodiment with an imprint of the type used in the second embodiment, shaped and distributed in substantially the same way as the assembly of crowns 18-tangent planes 8. Furthermore, to facilitate removal of plate 59 in step 31, support 52 may be hollow to allow access to at least a portion of the back of plate 59.

Regardless of which embodiment is used, as an alternative, the plate 59 comprising the cavity 60 may also be made of the resin that is actually to be used, molded on the pavilion 4 of the gemstone 2. Thus, instead of the stones 2 being assembled one by one in the cavity 60 of the plate 59 and then pushed in with slight pressure, the resin can be repeatedly overmoulded on the stones 2 and mounted on the rest 12, 52.

Claims (20)

1. A decoration (1, 3, 5) comprising several gemstones (2) and means (7, 7', 47, 47') for fixing the gemstones (2) with respect to each other, characterized in that the fixing means (7, 7', 47, 47') comprise a single electrodeposited base (9, 9', 49, 49') having a shape matching a portion of the gemstones so as to allow all the gemstones (2) to be attached with respect to each other without being pressed, said single base (9, 9', 49, 49') having at least one electrically conductive layer (11, 11', 51, 51') deposited on the gemstones (2), and the girdle (6) of the gemstones (2) being mounted edge-to-edge with respect to each other so that said single base is concealed.

2. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the securing means (7, 7') attach the gemstones one to the other one by one via their pavilions (4).

3. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 2 wherein the single setting (9) covers all of the pavilions (4) of the gemstones.

4. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 2 wherein the single setting (9') does not cover a portion of the pavilion (4) of the gemstone.

5. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the securing means (47, 47') attach the gems relative to one another via their crowns (18).

6. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 5 wherein the single seat (49) covers all of the table (8) of the gemstone.

7. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 5 wherein the single seat (49') does not cover a portion of the table (8) of the gemstone.

8. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the securing means (7, 7', 47, 47') comprises at least one groove (10, 50) formed in at least one of the gemstones (2) such that the single seats (9, 9', 49, 49') whose shapes at least partially match form at least one hook for each of the at least one of the gemstones (2).

9. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 8 wherein the at least one recess (10, 50) forms two grooves in both surfaces of each gemstone (2).

10. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the single base (9, 9', 49, 49') comprises a second layer (13, 13', 53, 53') electrolytically deposited from the at least one electrically conductive layer so as to improve the robustness of the decorative item (1, 3, 5).

11. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive layer (11, 11', 51, 51') is used as a reflective layer.

12. A decorative item (1, 3, 5) according to claim 1 wherein the single base (9, 9', 49, 49') comprises pure silver and a protective layer covering the silver to prevent it from tarnishing due to oxidation.

13. Timepiece, characterized in that it comprises at least one decorative piece (1, 3, 5) according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. A piece of jewelry, characterized in that it comprises at least one decorative piece (1, 3, 5) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A method (21) of manufacturing a trim piece (1, 3, 5), characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:

a) providing (23) a plurality of gemstones (2);

b) -fixing (25) each gemstone (2) against a rest (12, 52), the girdle (6) of the gemstone (2) being mounted edge-to-edge relative to each other so as to form a close-set gemstone (2) setting;

c) -depositing (27) a first electrically conductive layer (11, 11', 51, 51') on at least a portion of the gemstone (2);

d) electrolytically depositing (29) a second layer (13, 13', 53, 53') from said first conductive layer so as to form a single pedestal (9, 9', 49, 49');

e) removing (31) the formed ornamental piece (1, 3, 5) by separating each of the gems from the rest (12, 52).

16. Method (21) according to claim 15, characterized in that, between step a) and step b), it comprises the following steps:

f) etching (24) at least one groove (10) in the pavilion (4) of said gemstone, so that said single base (9, 9') electrolytically deposited in step d) fills each of said at least one groove (10), thereby forming a fixed hook;

and, in step c), depositing said first layer (11, 11') on at least a portion of said pavilion (4) of said gemstone (2).

17. Method (21) according to claim 15, characterized in that, between step a) and step b), it comprises the following steps:

f) etching (24) at least one groove (50) in the crown (18) of the gemstone, such that the single setting (49, 49') electrolytically deposited in step d) fills each of the at least one groove (50), thereby forming a securing hook;

and, in step c), depositing said first layer (51, 51') on at least a portion of said crown (18) of said gemstone (2).

18. A method (21) according to claim 15, wherein said rest (12, 52) comprises a cavity (60) for receiving said gemstone (2).

19. Method (21) according to claim 15, characterized in that between step c) and step d) it comprises the following steps:

g) forming (28) a frame (16, 56) around the close-fit setting to confine the electrodeposition of step d) over the girdle of the gemstone (20).

20. The method (21) according to claim 15, wherein step c) is performed by spraying a fluid containing silver powder.