Gemstones are minerals obtained from the earth or in some cases developed in the laboratory. The top of the gemstone is referred to as the crown. The crown frequently has polished cut surfaces called facets for enhancing the reflective nature of the gemstone. Among these facets are the table, star facets and bezel facets. The midline of a gem is referred to as the girdle. The girdle may or may not be faceted. The area below the girdle is referred to as the pavilion. The facets around the pavilion are commonly referred to as lower girdle facets and pavilion facets. The faceted pavilion causes light entering the gemstone to reflect outward through the crown creating enhanced brilliance. Below the pavilion and at the bottom of the gemstone is the cutlet. The cutlet is typically pointed such that the pavilion maximizes internal reflection of light.
Gemstone arrangements are often constructed to enhance the appearance of precious and semi-precious gems. Frequently these arrangements are constructed to mask the quality of an inferior gem or to tint to the gem with a desired color without altering the gem's chemical composition. One such technique includes mounting a secondary gem having a desired color or reflective property in close proximity to the primary gem. The effect is a primary gem that appears to have a desired hue or an enhanced brilliance. Different specific techniques are explored in more detail below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,417 by Norman, Jr. (the '417 patent) discloses a method of making a multiplet jewelry product with an internally embedded visual indicia. The methods include providing a transparent layer and a gemstone, each having an interfacial surface, affixing visual indicia to one of the interfacial surfaces by applying a coating, and securing the interfacial surfaces together. The indicia are viewed through the transparent layer. In essence the '417 patent requires fusing an image between two complementary surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,440 by Roemer (the '440 patent) discloses a composite ring including a band, an outermost stone comprising a diamond and a innermost stone being a colored stone. The innermost stone is placed beneath the diamond at a spacing of 0.1 mm to 2 mm. The color of the innermost stone is visible when viewing the diamond. Thus, the innermost stone tints the diamond. While the innermost stone provides a general hue for the diamond, distinct images corresponding to the innermost stone are not observed. In addition, while the diamond is tinted, the diamond retains its faceted pavilion for internal reflection of light and increased brilliance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,008 by Yamaura et al (the '008 patent) discloses a jewelry ornament including a base with a hole formed in a central portion thereof, a transparent or semi-transparent gem held by a prong mount and a colored back-up gem at least partially positioned in the hole.
In essence, the '008 patent provides a setting for enhancing the gem's original color so it appears to have a higher color grade. In addition the gem retains the faceted pavilion commonly observed with gemstones for brilliance and sparkle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,715 by Ruth (the '715 patent) discloses a primary gem including a brilliant cut diamond and a plurality of at least four complementary gems including a brilliant cut diamond. The complementary gems are positioned to reflect light lost by the primary diamond. In essence, the '715 patent discloses a gemstone setting where a set of complementary diamonds return light that was not correctly reflected by the diamond's faceted pavilion. Thus, the '715 patent discloses a setting to mask imperfections in the faceted pavilion and to enhance the brilliance of the brilliant cut diamond.
In view of the above referenced U.S. patents, there remains a need to develop a gemstone setting that displays a plurality of images corresponding to an object positioned in a focal region outside of the gem. The above inventions, some of which add a hue of color, focus light within the gemstone using a faceted pavilion to obtain the brilliance commonly associated with gemstone faceting.