Support for a watch or jewelry item with a support and decorative insert - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

To provide a support that is easy to manufacture and ensures high-quality crimping while minimizing the influence on the brilliance of a decorative insert.SOLUTION: A support (20) comprises: a front face (22); a rear face (23); and at least one through housing (21) intended to receive a decorative insert. The through housing (21) comprises: an exposure opening (211) provided on the front face (22); an insertion opening (212) provided on the rear face (23); and a mount (24) for positioning the decorative insert (10). The support (20) comprises a portion to be crimped (25) intended to be plastically deformed on the decorative insert positioned against the mount (24) in order to produce a crimp of the decorative insert.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to watchmaking or jewelry, and in particular to a support for a watch or jewelry intended to receive a decorative element such as a decorative insert, a precious, semi-precious or ornamental stone, a gemstone or any other additional decorative part. Such a support may be called a bezel, and the decorative element may be crimped onto the support.

[0002] Related technologies U.S. Patent No. 1,092,587, known in the art for watches or jewelry, discloses a support having a tab that folds over the pavilion of the gemstone to be crimped. On the other hand, this system may have drawbacks, such as obscuring the pavilion, which may affect its brilliance. It should be noted that the folded tab must not have any spring back, otherwise the gemstone may be insufficiently crimped and move. Therefore, it is necessary to select a highly ductile material with as little elastic deformation as possible. It should also be noted that the manufacturing method requires starting from sheet metal, which may limit the shape of the support. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to address the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and in particular to firstly propose a support for a decorative insert that is easy to manufacture and / or that affects the shine of the decorative insert as little as possible and / or that ensures optimal repeatability of the position and orientation of the decorative insert in the support and / or that ensures high-quality crimping, in other words, a robust and / or aesthetic fixation of the decorative insert on the support.

[0004] To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a support for a watch or an item of jewellery, comprising a support and a decorative insert, such as a gemstone, pressed onto the support, the support comprising: - a front surface positioned so as to be visible to the user; -The rear and at least one through-housing (or through-hole) arranged between the front and rear faces and intended to receive a decorative insert, - an exposure opening provided, located or opening on the front surface to make the decorative insert visible to an observer; an insertion opening provided, located or opening on the rear face for introducing a decorative insert into the through-housing; a through-housing comprising a mount for positioning the decorative insert within the through-housing, The support is characterized in that it has a part (crimped part) that is intended to be plastically deformed on the decorative insert positioned in abutment against the mount, preferably crimped from the rear surface, in order to create a crimp of the decorative insert. The crimped part is intended to be plastically deformed on the decorative insert, in other words irreversibly deformed, so that the fixing of the decorative insert on the support is reliable and robust and there is no risk of relative movement between the support and the decorative insert. It should also be noted that the crimped part is located on the rear side so that it is not visible to the user, and the appearance of the front side is independent of the crimped part and the crimping performed, which offers great freedom of design and / or decoration.

[0005] According to one embodiment, the crimped portion can be located between the exposure opening and the insertion opening. According to one embodiment, the crimped portion can be located at or around the periphery of the mount and / or decorative insert.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the support can have a bearing surface arranged on its rear side, which is intended to provide a crimp end bearing for a crimping tool intended to deform the crimped part on the decorative insert. The bearing surface can act as an abutment at the end of the crimping movement, allowing for better control of the force applied to the decorative insert. More specifically, at the end of the movement, the forces applied by the crimping tool are absorbed directly through the bearing surface by the support itself; these forces do not pass through the decorative insert. This implementation allows for a series of dimensions to be guaranteed by reducing geometric variations, since the bearing surface and the crimped part are provided on the same single part, i.e., the support. In other words, the present invention can also relate to the use of the bearing surface for determining the crimping dimension or the crimping movement. Such use of the bearing surface requires specific dimensioning and / or tolerances between the bearing surface and the mount of the decorative insert. In particular, the bearing surface is not a simple rear surface of the support, but a surface of the crimping tool dedicated to the abutment function. According to one embodiment, the bearing surface is separate or different from the crimped part. In particular, the bearing surface is separate or different from the crimped part before or after crimping. The bearing surface does not undergo any crimping deformation.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the bearing surface can be arranged so as to be hidden from the user. Typically, the crimped part is accessible from the rear face, so the bearing surface is intended to be advantageously invisible to the user. In particular, it is understood that the crimping tool does not come into contact with the front face. Therefore, the front face does not undergo any deformation or matting.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the bearing surface may be arranged around the periphery of the crimped portion, preferably around the periphery of the crimped portion.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the crimped part can comprise a lip with a preferably cylindrical central surface and a preferably conical or frustoconical outer surface adjacent to the bearing surface. According to one embodiment, the lip can be formed or present on the support before the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing. In other words, the support is manufactured (machined, molded, etc.) together with the lip and the lead-through housing, and then the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing. According to this embodiment, the pre-existing lip is deformed after the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the bearing surface can be arranged on the rear surface. According to one embodiment, the rear surface forming the bearing surface is separate and / or separated and / or arranged at a distance from the crimped part and / or the mount.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the front surface may include a decorated surface that is intended to be visible to the user and may include a decorative finish or decorative termination, such as a surface coating, diamond plating, polishing, or engraving. The decorated surface is thus located opposite the insertion opening and the crimped portion, and the decorated surface is not exposed to the crimping tool and may be provided with a specific termination and / or ensure that the appearance of the decorated surface is not affected by the crimping of the crimped portion. In any case, once crimping has occurred, there is no need to provide a termination on the front surface.

[0012] According to one embodiment, in the crimping direction and in a plane perpendicular to the crimping direction: the bearing surface may have a first protruding surface; the front surface (i.e., the surface to be decorated) may have a second protruding surface; The area of ​​the second protruding surface may be larger than the area of ​​the first protruding surface, preferably larger than 150% of the area of ​​the first protruding surface, preferably larger than 200% of the area of ​​the first protruding surface. According to the above implementation, the surface to be decorated may be significantly larger than the bearing surface, so that the contact pressure or Hertzian pressure (between the crimping tool and the bearing surface on the one hand, and the surface to be decorated and the holder on the other hand, at the end of the crimping movement) is higher on the side of the bearing surface. As a result, possible markings caused by the crimping force occur on the side of the bearing surface, while the surface to be decorated remains unmarked.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the crimping of the decorative insert can be a bezel crimping. Such a crimping completely surrounds the decorative insert with a lip or a thin material without obscuring or significantly obscuring the rear part of the decorative insert (e.g., the gemstone pavilion), so that its brilliance is barely affected. In such an embodiment, the crimped part is a continuous part (e.g., a lip) surrounding the mount. The crimping force is thus distributed over the entire periphery of the decorative insert, thereby reducing the risk of damage, particularly with regard to embossed or claw crimping. Similarly, a pre-existing lip can reduce the crimping force, particularly with regard to solutions in which the crimped part is cut into the support by the crimping tool. It should be noted that this solution can simplify the crimping while ensuring better resistance or mechanical strength, particularly with regard to embossed or claw crimping. This solution also ensures accurate, i.e., reproducible and repeatable, orientation and positioning of the decorative insert in the through-hole of the support.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the crimped portion can comprise a lip arranged around the mount and intended to be folded completely or partially onto the decorative insert. Such a folded lip allows for easy crimping with a simple crimping tool. According to one embodiment, the lip can be formed or present on the support before the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing. In other words, the support is manufactured (machined, molded, etc.) together with the lip and the lead-through housing, and then the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing. According to this embodiment, the pre-existing lip is deformed after the decorative insert is introduced into the lead-through housing.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the lip may be provided with a recess or a slot. Such an implementation offers greater freedom in design and / or manufacturing. The crimping force may be reduced.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the crimped portion may comprise a plurality of deformable portions in the form of petals, which are arranged around the periphery of the mount and are intended to fold onto the decorative insert. The crimping force may be reduced.

[0017] According to one embodiment, at least two adjacent deformable portions (e.g., petals) of the plurality of deformable portions can be at least partially continuous when folded onto the decorative insert, resulting in a high-quality appearance upon crimping.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the crimped portion can include at least one sidewall portion of the feedthrough housing that is pushed back and / or sheared by the crimping tool. In such cases, the crimping tool can shear and / or cut through the material of the feedthrough housing to press and / or bend the feedthrough housing onto the decorative insert.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the decorative insert may have a rear undercut portion intended to be positioned on the rear side, and the crimped portion may be intended to be crimped against the rear undercut portion.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the support may comprise at least one centering surface intended to center the decorative insert over the exposure opening. Such a centering surface may improve the perceived quality by providing accurate positioning between the support (its decorated surface, its outer periphery) and the decorative insert (crown or table of the cut gemstone).

[0021] According to one embodiment, the decorative insert may comprise a lateral surface, such as a girdle, which may be, for example, cylindrical, and the centering surface may be provided to receive the lateral surface.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the crimped portion may be disposed between the mount and the insertion opening and / or the rear surface.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the mount can have a continuous contact surface with the decorative insert. The contact surface can be flat, conical or frustoconical. It can have a shape complementary to that of the decorative insert, in order to have a surface contact between the support and the decorative insert, in order to avoid any concentration of stress on the decorative insert.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the mount can have a discontinuous interface with the decorative insert, for example, slots can be provided to release the decorative insert from the support to maximize light transmission, visibility, or exposure of the decorative insert.

[0025] A second aspect of the invention may relate to a watch or an item of jewellery, the watch or item of jewellery comprising: at least one support according to the first aspect, - at least one decorative insert arranged in the through-housing against the mount, the crimped portion being crimped or folded onto the decorative insert.

[0026] A third aspect of the invention may relate to a method of manufacturing a watch or an item of jewellery, the method comprising: - providing a support according to the first aspect; - optionally placing the front face of the support on a crimp holder, it being understood that the front face may be coated or protected by a partial or intermediate coating; - introducing a decorative insert into the through-housing through the insertion opening; abutting the decorative insert to plastically deform the crimped portion.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the step of plastically deforming the crimped portion can be performed by introducing a crimping tool into the through-housing through the insertion opening, the crimping tool being intended to come into contact with the crimped portion and having a crimping interface for plastically deforming the crimped portion.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the step of plastically deforming the crimped part can be completed by mechanical abutment of the crimping tool on the support. In other words, the deformation step comprises a final step of abutment of the crimping tool. According to this embodiment, the crimping tool can comprise an abutment surface, for example a shouldered surface, intended to abut against the support to define the end of the crimping movement. According to this embodiment, the abutment surface is distinct and / or separated and / or located at a distance from the crimping interface. The crimping interface and the abutment surface are thus intended to ensure sufficient deformation of the crimped part.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the crimping tool may comprise a contact interface intended to cooperate with the decorative insert, and the manufacturing method may comprise a step consisting of positioning the decorative insert against a support having a contact interface, at least before or during the step of plastic deformation of the crimped part. Typically, the contact interface may be floating with respect to the working part of the tool intended to fold the crimped part (crimping interface). The contact interface may thus come into contact with the decorative element before the rest of the crimping tool in order to center the decorative element, and the contact interface may then slide with respect to the rest of the crimping tool during the crimping operation.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the contact interface can be intended to perform gripping of the decorative insert, the manufacturing method comprising a step of gripping the decorative insert by means of a crimping tool, and the step of inserting the decorative insert into the feed-through housing can be performed by means of the crimping tool. It is also possible to position the decorative insert on the contact interface, for example by holding it in place by suction, and then automatically insert it into the support.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the manufacturing method may comprise a step of relative movement between the contact interface and the crimping interface during at least the step of plastically deforming the crimped portion.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the crimping tool is capable of following a linear movement, preferably coaxial with the axial direction of the lead-through housing.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the step of deforming the crimped portion may be performed in a single action and / or a single movement of the crimping tool.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the crimped interface may include a recess, an empty space, or a portion beyond the reach of the crimped portion, and the step of plastically deforming the crimped portion may be performed with uneven or discontinuous deformation of the crimped portion along the crimped portion.

[0035] A fourth aspect of the invention may relate to crimping tooling provided for carrying out the manufacturing method according to the third aspect, the crimping tooling comprising: a crimp holder intended to receive a support according to the first aspect; a crimping tool, a crimping interface intended to come into contact with the crimped portion of the support according to the first aspect and to plastically deform the crimped portion; a crimping tool comprising a contact interface movable relative to the crimping interface and intended to receive and hold the decorative insert on the crimping tool prior to the crimping operation, The crimping tool has an internal free space intended to avoid any direct contact between the crimping interface of the crimping tool and the decorative insert.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the crimping tool may have a contact interface intended to cooperate with the decorative insert and position the decorative insert relative to the support, at least during plastic deformation of the crimped portion, and the contact interface may be movable relative to the crimping interface, for example by flow.

[0037] A fifth aspect of the invention may relate to a crimping kit comprising a crimping tool, at least one support, and at least one decorative insert to be crimped onto the at least one support.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the support comprises: - a front surface positioned so as to be visible to the user; -The rear and at least one penetration housing arranged between the front and rear faces and intended to receive a decorative insert, - an exposure opening provided, located or opening on the front surface to make the decorative insert visible to an observer; an insertion opening provided, located or opening on the rear face for introducing a decorative insert into the through-housing; a through-housing comprising a mount for positioning the decorative insert within the through-housing, The support preferably comprises a part to be crimped from its rear side (crimped part), which is formed, for example, by a crimping lip, is for example continuous and is intended to be plastically deformed on a decorative insert positioned against the mount. According to one embodiment, the support comprises a bearing surface adapted to form a crimping end abutment for a crimping tool. According to one embodiment, the crimping tool comprises an abutment surface, for example a shoulder, intended to abut against the bearing surface at the end of crimping. Such a crimping kit can ensure reproducible and repeatable crimping without the risk of damaging or displacing the decorative insert during crimping. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0039] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention given as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0040] [Figure 1] 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a support according to the invention;

[0041] [Figure 2] 2 shows a side view of a decorative insert that can be received in the support of FIG. 1;

[0042] [Figure 3] 2 is shown received in the support of FIG. 1;

[0043] [Figure 4] 1. FIG. 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 3 positioned in a crimping tool prior to a crimping operation to secure the decorative insert of FIG. 2 received in the support of FIG.

[0044] [Figure 5] 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 3 placed in a crimping tool after the crimping operation.

[0045] [Figure 6] 4 shows the assembly of FIG. 3 after a crimping operation.

[0046] [Figure 7] 4 shows a front perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3 after a crimping operation.

[0047] [Figure 8] 4 shows a rear perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3 after the crimping operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] The present invention relates to a support 20 (FIG. 1) intended to receive a decorative insert 10 (FIG. 2) to form a decorative assembly that can be incorporated into a watch or jewelry item. The decorative insert 10 is preferably a gemstone 10 or a cut gemstone 10, which can be of any shape. The support 20 can be a bezel, a dial, a middle, a metal bracelet link, or any other jewelry or watchmaking component capable of receiving a stone. The support 20 is preferably made of a ductile material such as gold, platinum, brass, or steel. FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the support 20 intended to receive and secure the decorative insert 10 shown in FIG. 2.

[0049] The support 20 of FIG. a front surface 22 arranged so as to be visible to the user; a rear face 23 arranged opposite the front face 22; a penetration housing 21 arranged between a front face 22 and a rear face 23 and intended to receive and center the decorative insert 10 within the support 20; an exposure opening 211 in the front surface 22 for making the decorative insert 10 visible to an observer; an insertion opening 212 in the rear face 23 for introducing the decorative insert 10 into the through-housing 21; and a penetration housing 21 comprising a mount 24 intended to position the decorative insert 10 within the penetration housing 21; a crimped portion 25 accessible to the crimping tool from the rear face 23 through the free space 27 and intended to be plastically deformed on the decorative insert 10 positioned against the mount 24 to generate a crimp of the decorative insert 10; an outer part 28, in particular cylindrical, provided on the rear side 23; a mount 29 adjacent the outer portion 28 for defining the axial abutment of the assembly of the support 20 on the watch or jewellery item.

[0050] The front surface 22 is intended to be visible to the observer or user and may have a decorative finish, such as polishing (mirror polishing), decorative engraving, chamfering, or radial lines constituting a sunburst. There are no limitations on the geometric definition of the front surface 22, which forms the visible part of the support 20. Preferably, the front surface 22 adopts a geometric shape, including, for example, chamfering or facets, that add value to the decorative insert 10. The finish of the front surface 22 may advantageously be, in particular, diamond-plated, black polished, or mirror-polished. Finishes such as satin-finishing, sunbursts, scrolls, guilloché, or any other watchmaking finish may also be applied independently to the various surfaces of the front surface 22. Furthermore, marks or engravings, for example produced by a laser, may also be applied. Colored deposits, such as ink, enamel, ceramic, or luminescent materials, may also be applied.

[0051] The rear surface 23 may be intended to be hidden from the viewer or end user, although the reverse is also possible, in other words the rear surface 23 may remain visible.

[0052] Thus, mount 24 is positioned between exposure opening 211 and insertion opening 212 and has a conical or frustoconical surface for properly centering decorative insert 10. The opening of mount 24 has a diameter D2, which is the minimum passage diameter of through-housing 21.

[0053] The crimped portion 25 overhangs the mount 24 at the insertion opening side 212 and forms, in this example, a lip having a central cylindrical recess center and a conical or frustoconical outer surface that opens onto the bearing surface 26 (in other words, the crimped lip, or at least its outer surface, is adjacent to the bearing surface 26). The bearing surface 26 itself forms the bottom of an open space 27. The open space 27 opens directly onto the rear surface 23 and can provide a passage for a crimping tool, as will be described below. As shown in Figure 1, the crimped portion 25 has a cross-section that decreases towards its free end.

[0054] Shapes or counter shapes for angularly orienting the decorative insert 10 can be seen in the mount 24 and / or the crimped portion 25. In particular, if the bare decorative insert 10 has a non-circular size, silhouette, or shape when viewed from above (such as an oval, pear-shaped, baguette-shaped, polygonal size, shape, or silhouette), the mount 24 and / or the crimped portion can then have a receiving counter shape suitable to ensure accurate and reliable angular orientation.

[0055] The support 20 has a central axis A2 central, which here forms the axis of symmetry of the lead-through housing 21.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a decorative insert 10 that can be received within the support 20 of FIG. 1. The decorative insert 10 can be a gemstone comprising a crown 12 defined by a lower portion of the stone (see FIG. 2) and a pavilion 13 defined by an upper portion (see FIG. 2). The two portions are separated by a girdle 11 of diameter D1, which defines the outline or peripheral edge of the stone. Additionally, the stone comprises a table 14, at the center of the crown 12, defined by a large lower facet of the stone. Finally, the decorative insert 10 has an axis A1 passing through its center and perpendicular to the table 14.

[0057] Figure 3 shows the decorative insert 10 of Figure 2 received in the support 20 of Figure 1. In the decorative assembly thus presented, the crown 12 is the front or visible portion of the decorative insert 10 and the pavilion 13 is the rear or hidden portion of the decorative insert 10.

[0058] The decorative insert 10 is intended to be placed within the support 20 to form a high-quality aesthetic decorative assembly. More particularly, the decorative insert 10 is intended to be placed within the feedthrough housing 21 by being inserted from the rear of the support 20 in a direction substantially coaxial with the axis A2 of the support 20. The axis A2 is longitudinal with respect to the feedthrough housing 21 and passes through its center.

[0059] The penetration housing 21 is machined to fit the girdle 11 of the decorative insert 10 and to allow optimal positioning thereof. Furthermore, the mount 24 is provided with an opening having a dimension D2 smaller than the dimensions of the girdle 11, in particular the diameter D1, in order to accurately hold the decorative insert 10.

[0060] The mount 24 of the through-housing 21 is intended to cooperate with or be adjusted to fit the crown 12 so as to define the axial abutment and precise positioning of the decorative insert 10. More specifically, the mount 24 is defined to position the table 14 with high precision along the axis A2 and to orient the table 14 so that the axis A1 of the decorative insert 10 and the axis A2 of the support 20 are as perfectly coaxial as possible.

[0061] The opening defined by the mount 24 is provided on the visible side of the decorative assembly so as to reveal the table 14 and most of the crown 12. More specifically, it is preferred that only a small portion located on the outer periphery of the crown 12 cooperates with the mount 24, intended to allow as much of the decorative insert 10 as possible to be revealed.

[0062] It should be noted that decorative insert 10 can be attached and crimped to support 20 in "other orientations" relative to that depicted in Figure 3. More specifically, pavilion 13 of decorative insert 10 can be positioned against mount 24, with crimped portion 25 facing crown 12. Thus, it is pavilion 13 that becomes the visible side of the decorative assembly.

[0063] The support 20 comprises a crimped portion 25 arranged on the rear side of the support 20 in order to ensure the crimping function of the decorative insert 10. Figure 4 shows the assembly of Figure 3 placed in a crimping tool prior to the crimping operation to secure the decorative insert 10 of Figure 2 received in the support 20 of Figure 1.

[0064] The crimping tool essentially comprises a holder 110 for receiving the support 20 (with the decorative insert 10 placed in the support 20 ) and a crimping tool 120 facing the crimped portion 25 of the support 20 .

[0065] The holder 110 may comprise a bore 111 for proper centering of the support 20 and a base surface 112 for receiving the front surface 22 of the support 20. The base surface 112 may have a recess or niche facing the table 14 to avoid any interference. Optionally, the base surface 112 may be fully opposed to the front surface 22.

[0066] The crimping tool 120 has the form of a punch with a hollow cylinder 121 having a crimping interface 125 and an internal free space 127 into which opens a through passage 128. The crimping interface 125 faces directly towards the part to be crimped 25 and terminates at the bottom of the crimping tool 120 in a terminal surface 126 (which itself faces the bearing surface 26 of the support 20).

[0067] The decorative assembly of Figure 4 is ready to be crimped, and for this purpose the crimping tool 120 can be moved axially downwards to an end-of-travel or end-of-crimp position, as shown in Figure 5. It should be noted in Figure 5 that during its downward movement the crimping tool 120 comes into contact with the crimped portion 25, so that the crimping interface 125 abuts the decorative insert 10 and folds the crimped portion 25. In particular, the crimped portion 25 is folded onto the periphery of the pavilion 13, so that a bezel crimp of the decorative insert 10 is created by the rear of the support 20.

[0068] It can be seen that the free space 127 and the through passages 128 inside the crimping tool 120 avoid any interference with the decorative insert 10. It can also be seen that the end face 126 of the crimping tool 120 is in contact with the bearing face 26 so that the deformation of the crimped part 25 is well controlled and that any unintended crimping forces are transmitted directly from the crimping tool 120 to the support 20 and not via the decorative insert 10, thereby protecting the decorative insert 10.

[0069] It can also be seen that the front surface 22 in contact with the holder 110 has a contact area that is much larger than the bearing surface 26 and / or the cross-section of the plastically deformed crimped portion 25. As a result of this large contact area of ​​the front surface 22 in contact with the holder 110, the front surface 22 does not undergo irreversible deformation and does not suffer from crimping-related marks, and the visible appearance of the support 20 and its perceived quality are not affected by the crimping.

[0070] Bezel crimping provides excellent mechanical retention of the stone within the support 20. Furthermore, this type of crimping only covers the outer periphery of the pavilion 13, thus allowing the greatest possible light to pass through, thus maximizing the brilliance of the transparent stone.

[0071] At the level of bearing of the crimping interface 125 on the crimped part 25, the crimping interface 125 and / or the crimped part 25 advantageously have a cross section that is conical or frustoconical, or more generally with inclined faces. Advantageously, this configuration causes an axial force applied to the crimping tool 120 to cause a deformation of the crimped part 25 that has a mainly radial component relative to the axes A1, A2, against the pavilion 13 and crimping the decorative insert 10 onto the support 20.

[0072] Thus, an axial force applied to the crimping tool 120 is not directly transmitted to the decorative insert 10 but is converted into a substantially radial deformation of the lip. In other words, a force applied to the crimping tool 120 is not directly transmitted to the decorative insert 10 with a component that is mainly perpendicular to the decorative insert 10 and does not result in a mainly axial force on the decorative insert 10. Advantageously, this makes it possible to avoid damage or displacement of the decorative insert 10 or undesired deformation of the support 20, and more particularly the mount 24.

[0073] The fact that the periphery of the crimped part 25 is deformed at the same time makes it possible to ensure an optimal centering or self-centering of the decorative insert 10 during crimping. This fact also makes it possible to avoid tilting and to ensure an optimal coaxial relationship between the axis A1 of the decorative insert 10 and the axis A2 of the support 20.

[0074] The crimping tool 120 comprises an outer portion 121 which adjoins via its outside the crimping interface 125. The dimensions of the outer portion 121 are such as to allow the crimping tool 120 to be inserted into the open space 27 of the support 20.

[0075] The crimping tool 120 is preferably assembled on a bracket that allows it to be guided axially. The crimping tool 120 can be controlled in terms of position and / or force and can be operated automatically, semi-automatically or manually by a user.

[0076] It is intended that crimping be performed in a single motion of the crimping tool 120, i.e., by a single axial movement of the crimping tool 120 against the crimped portion 25. Alternatively, the movement to form the crimped portion 25 can include a series of axial movements and stops, which may or may not include back and forth movement of the crimping tool 120. It is noted that this movement of the crimping tool 120 on the support 20 can therefore be used to provide automatic insertion of the decorative insert 10 into the support. More specifically, a contact or gripping interface may be provided on the crimping tool 120 (movable relative to the crimping interface 125) that can receive and hold the decorative insert 10 on the crimping tool 120 in a stationary position. While the crimping tool 120 moves toward the support 20, the decorative insert 10 is transported toward the mount 24 and positioned against the mount 24, and then the crimped portion 25 is deformed.

[0077] Axial abutment and / or control of the crimping tool 120 advantageously allows axial movement of the crimping tool 120 to be limited during crimping, preventing excessive deformation of the crimped portion 25 and / or mount 24, which may in particular reduce the quality of positioning or retention of the decorative insert 10 within the through-housing 21.

[0078] The support 20, or at least the various parts of the support 20, intended to position, orient, and hold the stone, are designed to be machined using high-precision manufacturing means that allow for mass production, such as milling or turning. More specifically, at least the through-housing 21, the mount 24, the opening defined by the mount 24, and the crimped portion 25 are machined using the above-mentioned manufacturing means. As a result, it is advantageously possible to orient and position the table 14 along the axis A2 in a precise and repeatable manner.

[0079] Furthermore, by crimping the decorative insert 10 in the mount 24 via its rear, it is possible to reduce the dimensional linkage between the table 14 and the front surface 22 to a minimum dimension, thereby further limiting the dispersion or standard deviation, particularly in the positioning of the gemstone along the axis A2.

[0080] The precision and repeatability provided by the disclosed solution is particularly advantageous when multiple decorative inserts 10 and / or decorative assemblies are assembled side by side, since this solution allows the table 14 assemblies to be positioned at substantially the same height and oriented with high precision and / or low variance substantially all in the same plane, resulting in all decorative inserts 10 having the same tonal reflection and cat's eye effect, as if all tables 14 were obtained from the same material of the same stone.

[0081] The disclosed solution thus allows for crimping of the rear or hidden side of the decorative assembly, so that the aesthetics or finish of the visible side of the decorative assembly advantageously does not depend on the quality of the crimping execution. More specifically, the proposed solution allows for the crimping function performed on the rear side of the decorative assembly to be separated from the aesthetic function performed on the front or visible side of the decorative assembly.

[0082] Furthermore, this solution makes it possible to simplify the crimping while ensuring high resistance or mechanical strength as well as correct orientation and positioning of the decorative insert 10 in the lead-through housing 21 of the support 20 .

[0083] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, crimping is performed as follows: - providing a support 20 with its front face 22 placed or held against a holder 110; - inserting the decorative insert 10 into the through-housing 21 through the insertion opening 212 of the support 20 so that the crown 12 abuts against the mount 24; - moving the crimping tool 120 coaxially along the axis A2 until it contacts the crimped part 25; - crimping the decorative insert 10 onto the support 20 by applying sufficient force to the crimping tool 120 to enable the crimped portion 25 to fold against the pavilion 13 (as mentioned above, this step may involve a series of axial movements and stops, which may or may not involve back and forth movements); - stopping the application of force when the force reaches a set value and / or when the movement of the crimping tool 120 reaches a set value and / or when the crimping tool 120 abuts against the bearing surface 26 of the support 20; - positioning the crimping tool 120 out of reach of the decor assembly.

[0084] Figure 6 shows the assembly of Figure 3 after the crimping operation of Figure 5. It can be seen that the crimped portion 25 is folded precisely onto the periphery of the pavilion 13 and that the table 14 is perfectly aligned with the front face 22 of the support 20.

[0085] 7 shows a front perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3 after the crimping operation, clearly showing that the support 20 leaves most of the decorative insert 10 visible. It can be seen that the front surface 22, which has a large contact area with the holder 110 of FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, is free of marks.

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a rear perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 3 after the crimping operation, clearly showing the crimped portion 26 folded all the way around the decorative insert 10 to form the bezel crimp.

[0087] Once the crimping has taken place, as shown in Figure 7, a user viewing the decorative assembly from the front face 22 will perceive the decorative insert 10 as being fixed to the support 20 by a bezel crimp or flush crimp performed from the front face 22. This front face has an appearance that is unchanged by the crimping, and the concept of perceived quality is very high. [Industrial Applicability]

[0088] The support and / or decorative assembly according to the invention and its manufacture are industrially applicable.

[0089] It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements apparent to those skilled in the art may be applied to the various embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0090] In particular, it is noted that the mount 24 is provided to benefit from support around the entire periphery or perimeter of the decorative insert 10. However, the mount 24 may have portions that are unsupported, resulting in portions of partial support around the periphery of the decorative insert 10.

[0091] Preferably, the bezel crimp is provided around the entire periphery or periphery of the decorative insert 10. However, the crimped portion 25 may include a lip-free portion, resulting in a partial bezel crimp or a bezel crimp of only a specific portion of the periphery of the stone. Alternatively or additionally, the deformable crimped portion may be crimped, for example in the form of petals.

[0092] The crimping interface 125 of the crimping tool 120 can have a recess, an empty space, or an outer portion of the mount of the crimped portion 25, so that the crimping interface 125 can be folded only onto a specific portion of the crimped portion 25 to obtain a partial bezel crimp or a bezel crimp only onto a specific portion of the outer periphery of the decorative insert 10.

[0093] The support 20 may not include a machined crimped portion 25. As a result, the decorative insert 10 may be crimped to the support 20 by material displacement due to work hardening around the stone or by lips sheared by the crimping tool 120 during crimping.

[0094] The empty space 127 inside the crimping tool 120 can participate in positioning the decorative insert 10 during crimping by guiding the decorative insert 10 through contact with the pavilion 13. Guidance by the pavilion may comprise additional means, for example a guiding means or contact interface with an axial degree of freedom relative to the crimping tool 120.

[0095] The internal void space 127 may incorporate and oppose the geometry of the pavilion 13 to angularly orient the decorative insert 10 during crimping.

[0096] The angular orientation of the decorative insert 10 facing the support 20 can be controlled or assisted by an indicator means. If a certain angular orientation between the support 20 and the decorative insert 10 is guaranteed, it is possible to use the mount 24 or the crimped part 25 to ensure the angular orientation of the decorative insert 10, for example by providing the mount 24 or the crimped part 25 with a counter shape that faces the outer contour of the decorative insert 10.

[0097] The decorative insert 10 may be housed or carried by the crimping tool 120, which during crimping can insert the decorative insert 10 into the through-housing 21 of the support 20 and crimp it in one movement. To do this, the crimping tool 120 can be provided with means for gripping or holding the decorative insert 10.

[0098] Crimping can be performed by relative movement of the crimping tool 120 facing the support 20, or vice versa, from top to bottom or bottom to top. During this relative movement, the decorative insert 10 can be carried by the crimping tool 120 and placed in place within the support 20 during crimping.

[0099] Naturally, the support 20 can comprise a plurality of housings 21 so as to be able to receive a plurality of decorative inserts 10. It may also be noted that the decorative insert 10 is crimped "upside down". In other words, the pavilion 13 of the decorative insert 10 is positioned against the mount 24, with the crimped portion 25 facing the crown 12. It is therefore the pavilion 13 that represents the visible side of the decorative assembly.

[0100] It is also possible to manufacture decorative assemblies using methods that provide support positioning through coatings or temporary overmolding. For example, by starting with the front surface 22 and accessible portions of the penetration housing 21, multiple supports 20 can be machined into the same metal plate. Once the front surface is formed and released, it can be embedded in a synthetic material that forms a coating or protective envelope around the raw support 20. The rear surface 23 and the remaining portions of the penetration housing 21 (particularly the mount 24 and the crimped portion 25) can then be machined. Machining the rear surface 23 may require turning the plate over to gain access. Because the front surface is still embedded in the synthetic material, crimping can be performed from the rear surface by relying on the synthetic material, which further reduces the risk of unintentional marking of the front surface 22 (which is embedded in and protected by the synthetic material). Once crimping is performed, the synthetic material can be removed (e.g., by dissolving) to release the completed support 20.

Claims

1. A support (20) for a watch or an item of jewelry, said watch or said item of jewelry comprising said support (20) and a decorative insert (10), such as a gemstone, pressed onto said support (20), a front surface (22) arranged to be visible to the user; - rear face (23), - at least one penetration housing (21) arranged between said front face (22) and said rear face (23) and intended to receive said decorative insert (10), - an exposure opening (211) in said front surface (22) to make said decorative insert (10) visible to an observer; - an insertion opening (212) in said rear face (23) for introducing said decorative insert (10) into said through-housing (21); a mount (24) for positioning said decorative insert (10) in said through-housing (21); a feedthrough housing (21) comprising: the support (20) comprises a crimped portion (25) intended to be plastically deformed on the decorative insert (10) positioned against the mount (24) to create a crimp of the decorative insert (10); A support, characterized in that the crimped part (25) comprises, around the periphery of the mount (24), a lip intended to be folded completely or partially onto the decorative insert (10).

2. 2. The support (20) according to claim 1, comprising a bearing surface (26) arranged on the rear surface (23), the bearing surface (26) being intended to provide a crimping end bearing for a crimping tool (120) intended to deform the crimped portion (25) on the decorative insert (10).

3. The support (20) according to claim 2, wherein the bearing surface (26) is disposed around the periphery of the crimped portion (25).

4. 3. A support (20) according to claim 2, wherein the crimped portion (25) comprises a lip with a cylindrical central surface and a conical or frustoconical outer surface adjacent to the bearing surface (26).

5. 10. The support (20) of claim 1, wherein the front surface (22) is intended to be visible to a user and comprises a decorated surface including a decorative finish or decorative termination, such as a surface coating, diamond plating, polishing, or engraving.

6. In the crimping direction and in a plane perpendicular to the crimping direction, - said bearing surface (26) has a first projecting surface, - said front surface (22) has a second protruding surface; The support (20) of claim 2, wherein the area of ​​the second protruding surface is greater than the area of ​​the first protruding surface.

7. The support (20) of claim 1, wherein the crimping of the decorative insert (10) is a bezel crimping.

8. 2. The support (20) according to claim 1, wherein the crimped portion (25) comprises at least a portion of a side wall of the feedthrough housing (21) that is pushed back and / or sheared by a crimping tool (120).

9. 2. The support (20) of claim 1, wherein the mount (24) comprises a continuous contact surface with the decorative insert (10).

10. The support (20) of claim 1, wherein the mount (24) includes a discontinuous contact surface with the decorative insert (10).

11. A watch or jewelry item, - at least one support (20) according to claim 1, - at least one decorative insert (10) arranged in said through-housing (21) and against said mount (24), said crimped portion (25) being crimped onto said decorative insert (10); A watch or ornament comprising:

12. 1. A method for manufacturing a watch or jewelry item, comprising: - providing a support (20) according to claim 1; - introducing a decorative insert (10) into said through-housing (21) through said insertion opening (212); - plastically deforming said crimped portion (25) against said decorative insert (10); A method comprising:

13. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of plastically deforming the crimped portion (25) is performed in a single operation and / or movement by introducing a crimping tool (120) into the through-housing (21) through the insertion opening (212), the crimping tool (120) comprising a crimping interface (125) intended to contact the crimped portion (25) and plastically deform the outer periphery of the crimped portion (25).

14. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of plastically deforming the crimped portion (25) is terminated by mechanical abutment of the crimping tool (120) onto the support (20).

15. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the crimping tool (120) comprises a contact interface intended to cooperate with the decorative insert (10), the method comprising a step consisting of positioning the decorative insert (10) against the support (20) having the contact interface before or during at least a step of plastic deformation of the crimped portion (25).

16. The method described in claim 12, wherein the crimping tool (120) follows a linear movement.

17. 13. Crimp tooling for performing the method of claim 12, comprising: a crimp holder (110) intended to receive the support (20) according to claim 1; a crimping tool (120), a crimping interface (125) intended to come into contact with the crimped portion (25) of the support (20) according to claim 1 and to plastically deform said crimped portion (25); a contact interface movable relative to said crimping interface (125) and intended to receive and hold said decorative insert (10) on said crimping tool prior to the crimping operation; a crimping tool comprising: Crimping tooling, wherein the crimping tool (120) has an internal empty space (127) intended to avoid any direct contact between the crimping interface (125) of the crimping tool (120) and the decorative insert (10).

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