Article of jewelry with interchangeable settings and decorative elements

Abstract

An article of jewelry with interchangeable settings and decorative elements is provided. Each interchangeable setting includes a post having a post shoulder and a pair of tabs. The post is removable received and retained by a socket of the article of jewelry by inserting the post into the socket and rotating the setting to position the tabs in a retained position within a pair of corresponding grooves formed in the socket. An end of the socket abuts the post shoulder and prevents the interchangeable setting from side-to-side movement. Decorative elements are rotatably retained by the post between the setting and the socket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of jewelry, comprising:
 a setting having a retainer, a post extending outwardly from a bottom of said retainer, a post shoulder, and a pair of tabs at an end of said post at diametrically opposed positions and extending in opposite directions that are generally perpendicular to said post;   a socket having cavity, an opening through an end of said socket into said cavity, and a pair of diametrically opposed horizontal grooves formed through an inner wall of said cavity;   a leaf spring captively retained within said cavity of said socket;   at least one decorative element having a hole;   said setting being positionable in a connected configuration and when in said connected configuration said post is disposed through said opening, said pair of tabs are positioned in said horizontal grooves and frictionally retained therein by said leaf spring biasing against said post, and said end of said socket abuts said post shoulder; and   further wherein when said setting is in said connected configuration said bottom of said setting is spaced a distance from said end of said socket, and said at least one decorative element is disposed within said spaced distance and rotatably retained therein by said post extending through said hole of said decorative element.   
     
     
         2 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal grooves are positioned from said end of said socket and said post is of a length such that said spaced distance between said bottom of said setting and said end of said socket is greater than the thickness of the at least one decorative element. 
     
     
         3 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein said opening through said end of said socket is a slotted opening. 
     
     
         4 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein said post includes a circumferential groove and said circumferential groove at least partially defining said pair of tabs. 
     
     
         5 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein said pair of tabs are sandwiched between outward longitudinal surfaces of said horizontal grooves and said leaf spring when said setting is in said connected configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein said post, said retainer, said pair of tabs are integrally formed. 
     
     
         7 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 ornament element retained by said retainer.   
     
     
         8 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein the article of jewelry is a finger ring. 
     
     
         9 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein the article of jewelry a wrist band. 
     
     
         10 . The article of jewelry of  claim 1 , wherein the article of jewelry is a pendant. 
     
     
         11 . An article of jewelry, comprising:
 a setting having a retainer, a post extending outwardly from a bottom of said retainer, and a pair of tabs at an end of said post at diametrically opposed positions and extending in opposite directions that are generally perpendicular to said post;   an ornament element retained by said retainer;   a socket having cavity, an opening through an end of said socket into said cavity, and a pair of diametrically opposed horizontal grooves formed through an inner wall of said cavity;   a leaf spring captively retained within said cavity of said socket;   at least one decorative element having a hole;   wherein said setting being positionable in a connected configuration and when in said connected configuration said post is disposed through said opening, said pair of tabs are positioned in said horizontal grooves and frictionally retained therein by said leaf spring biasing against said post, and said end of said socket abuts said post shoulder;   wherein when said setting is in said connected configuration said bottom of said setting is spaced a distance from said end of said socket, and said at least one decorative element is disposed within said spaced distance and rotatably retained therein by said post extending through said hole of said decorative element; and   wherein said horizontal grooves are positioned from said end of said socket and said post is of a length such that said spaced distance between said bottom of said setting and said end of said socket is greater than the thickness of the at least one decorative element.   
     
     
         12 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein said post, said retainer, said pair of tabs are integrally formed. 
     
     
         13 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein said opening through said end of said socket is a slotted opening. 
     
     
         14 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein said post includes a circumferential groove and said circumferential groove at least partially defining said pair of tabs. 
     
     
         15 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein said pair of tabs are sandwiched between outward longitudinal surfaces of said horizontal grooves and said leaf spring when said setting is in said connected configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein the article of jewelry is a finger ring. 
     
     
         17 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein the article of jewelry is a wrist band. 
     
     
         18 . The article of jewelry of  claim 11 , wherein the article of jewelry wherein is a pendant.