US20100281918A1

US20100281918A1 - Component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles

Info

Publication number: US20100281918A1
Application number: US12/639,813
Authority: US
Inventors: Renzo Colpo
Original assignee: Colpo & Zilio SpA
Current assignee: Colpo & Zilio SpA
Priority date: 2009-05-05
Filing date: 2009-12-16
Publication date: 2010-11-11
Also published as: ITVI20090098A1; IT1394163B1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles, suited to be used for making chains, necklaces and bracelets, the article including a first annular element or link and a second annular element or link, the first and second elements or links being connected to each other in such a way as to form a chain portion, and wherein the second annular element or link is revolvingly fixed to the first element or link in a predetermined position. The invention also concerns an ornamental object, for example a necklace, a chain, a bracelet or a similar object.

Description

STATE OF THE ART

The present invention concerns jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles. In particular, the present invention concerns jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces, bracelets, charms, pendants and the like. More particularly, the present invention proposes a solution concerning the production of a portion of a component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces, bracelets, and the like, said portion comprising at least two rings or links. In greater detail, the present invention concerns the way in which said at least two annular elements or links of a chain, bracelet, necklace and/or similar jewellery article are connected and/or constrained to each other. The present invention therefore concerns an interchangeable portion of a jewellery article like for example a chain, necklace, bracelet or the like, said portion comprising at least two annular elements or links properly connected to each other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART

It is known that the production of jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces, bracelets and the like has always represented a rather difficult task for jewellers. This is due in particular to the fact that during the production of a jewellery article of the type described above various needs must be taken in consideration, like for example the appearance of the article, its functionality, as well as its development and/or production costs. The appearance of jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces or bracelets is strictly related to the way in which its components (hereinafter referred to as annular elements or links) are connected to one another. In fact, the links of a chain or bracelet, once they have been put on, tend to assume different positions and orientations; in particular, two consecutive annular elements or links of a chain, necklace or bracelet tend to be oriented with their respective longitudinal planes of symmetry arranged on different planes and in such a way as to form an angle, usually of approximately 90 degrees. It is therefore obvious that the final appearance desired cannot be independent of the reciprocal orientation assumed by the consecutive annular elements or links of a chain and therefore cannot be independent of the way in which said consecutive annular elements are connected to one another. Also the degrees of freedom of the consecutive annular elements of a chain plays a very important role in the final appearance desired; said degrees of freedom must therefore be kept in consideration when designing a necklace or bracelet, otherwise there would be the risk of obtaining a final aesthetical result different from the one desired. In particular, in order to obtain a certain aesthetical effect, it is often necessary to limit the degrees of freedom of the elements of a chain or bracelet, and therefore the possible mutual positions that the same consecutive elements or links can assume when the chain or bracelet or jewellery article is worn by the user. A further factor that must be kept in consideration regards the manufacture and/or production of jewellery articles; usually, and especially in the case of costume jewellery articles characterized by a fairly reasonable final cost, there is a tendency to simplify assembly operations in order to limit manufacture and/or production costs. However, the possible solutions (the possible production steps) are in any case limited and strongly depend on the type of annular elements or links that the manufacturer intends to obtain and on the way in which they are connected to one another. In other words, the final appearance to be obtained limits and determines the possible development and/or production steps. Another need related to jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example necklaces, chains and bracelets concerns the fact that these must often be adapted to the particular needs of the users; in fact, the need to lengthen and/or shorten a necklace or a bracelet in order to adapt it to the morphology and/or size (neck and/or arm circumference) of a specific user is not unusual. It is therefore desirable to be able to have said adaptations carried out, at a limited cost and in a short time, directly by the seller at the point of sale. Also in this case, however, the operations that can be carried out, if necessary, depend on the way in which the annular elements or links of a chain or bracelet are made, as well as on how they are connected to each other. For example, in some cases it will be necessary to cut an annular element or link, open it and remove or add a section of the chain (depending on whether the chain must be lengthened or shortened) and then to close the annular element or link previously cut. It is desirable, therefore, to be able to count on the availability of a component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces or bracelets, which makes it possible to eliminate the need to cut and reweld an annular element or link when this must be opened and then closed again.
Numerous efforts and attempts have thus been made by jewellers in order to find solutions that could meet the needs mentioned above and therefore in order to produce components for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles with a pleasant appearance, easy to make and to modify by means of simple operations and at reasonable costs. Various different solutions are known in the state of the art. It should be noted, in any case, that notwithstanding the efforts and attempts made, the solutions proposed by the state of the art are seldom capable of meeting all the needs described above. Solutions are known, for example, which are suited to limit the degrees of freedom and therefore the mutual movement of two consecutive annular elements or links of a chain or bracelet so that, once put on, said chain and/or bracelet has a predefined aspect and appearance. It has however been found that the solutions adopted are either difficult to implement (due to complicated procedures and high costs) or even such as to produce opposite and undesired results, like for example the loss of flexibility or in any case a stiffness that users do not like. Even from an aesthetical point of view, the solutions proposed in the past were not very useful as it was difficult to “mask” the connection between two consecutive annular elements, so that the overall and final appearance of the jewellery and/or costume jewellery article was heavily affected by the presence of said joints. The known solutions have proved unsatisfactory even as regards the possibility to modify (lengthen or shorten) a jewellery article; in fact, it has almost never been possible to avoid complex operations like the cutting and rewelding of a connection element or link. Finally, none of the known solutions has made it possible to overcome what is probably the most important problem, that is, the need to connect the two consecutive annular elements or links of a chain in such a way as to limit their degrees of freedom and thus define in advance the possible mutual positions that said two consecutive annular elements will assume when the jewellery and/or costume jewellery article is worn, while at the same time guaranteeing that said connection can be carried out by means of a simple process, at reduced costs and in any case offering a pleasant aesthetical result and appearance.
The main object of the present invention is thus to solve or at least partially overcome the problems that characterize the solutions known in the art.
In particular, a further object of the present invention is to provide an innovative solution regarding the way in which two consecutive annular elements or links of a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article like a necklace, chain or bracelet can be mutually connected. In greater detail, a further object of the present invention is to provide an innovative solution that makes it possible to connect two consecutive elements or links of a chain, bracelet and/or similar jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles while at the same time limiting the degrees of freedom of said two consecutive annular elements or links and thus the range of possible positions that said two consecutive annular elements or links can assume with respect to each other. It is however a further object of the invention to prevent the two consecutive annular elements or links from being fixed to each other in an excessively rigid way and in any case to avoid an excessive and undesired stiffness of the jewellery and/or costume jewellery article. A further object of the present invention is also to provide an innovative method according to which the two consecutive annular elements or the two consecutive links of a necklace, chain or bracelet can be mutually connected and constrained to each other. In particular, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a method according to which the two consecutive annular elements or the two consecutive links of a necklace, chain or bracelet can be mutually connected and constrained to each other by means of relatively simple operations and at relatively low costs. The other objects of the present invention include the object to give a pleasant appearance to a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article comprising at least two consecutive annular elements connected to each other. A further object of the present invention is to provide a solution that makes it possible to simplify and accelerate the assembly operations of a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article like for example a necklace, chain, bracelet or the like, as well as to simplify and/or accelerate the operations that may be necessary to modify such jewellery article, in particular in order to modify its length (by lengthening and/or shortening it) and thus to add or remove annular elements or links.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the general consideration that the problems found in the art can be at least partially overcome by constraining at least two of the annular elements or links of a chain or bracelet in a predetermined position. In this way it will be possible to overcome the typical problem of chains, necklaces, bracelets or similar jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles known in the art, due to which it is difficult to plan with precision the final appearance of said articles as the annular elements by which they are constituted can assume any mutual position, in particular also undesired mutual positions. A further important consideration on which the present invention is based concerns the fact that the problems typical of necklaces, bracelets or in any case of jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles of this type known in the art can be at least partially overcome by mutually constraining the two consecutive annular elements or the two consecutive links in a predetermined position and in any case in such a way as to allow the at least partial mutual rotation of the two consecutive annular elements; in this way, in fact, a certain flexibility will be guaranteed, thus overcoming the problems deriving from excessive stiffness. Another consideration on which the present invention is based concerns the fact that it is possible to obtain clear advantages in terms of simplified assembly operations and reduced costs if at least one of the two consecutive annular elements is constructed so that it can be opened, in particular so that it comprises a movable locking device and that at least one of the two consecutive annular elements can be connected to a third annular element or link; in this way, in fact, it will be easy to produce jewellery articles like for example necklaces, bracelets or similar articles. Furthermore, in case of need it will be possible to modify the length of said chain or of said bracelet once again by means of simple operations characterized by reduced costs. In particular, it will be possible to avoid the need to cut or saw one of the two annular elements as well as the need to reconnect their two ends by means of complex operations like for example welding. On the contrary, it will be possible to simply open and close one of the two annular elements by proceeding almost in the same way as when putting on a chain or bracelet.
According to a first embodiment, the present invention concerns a component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles, suited to be used for making chains, necklaces, bracelets and the like, said component comprising a first annular element or link and a second annular element or link, said first and second elements or links being connected to each other in such a way as to form a portion of a chain, at least one between said first annular element or link and said second annular element or link comprising a locking and unlocking device movable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position so that, with said device in said second unlocked position at least one of said first annular element or link and said second annular element or link is connectable to a third annular element or link. In said component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles, said second annular element or link is pivotally fixed to said first annular element or link in a predetermined position.
Therefore, the above clearly shows that the component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles carried out according to the present invention simplifies the assembly of chains, necklaces, bracelets and similar articles; for this purpose it will be simply necessary to have a number of components for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to the present invention suited to make a chain or bracelet of the desired length, and to connect said components to one another by means of operations similar to those necessary to put on a chain or bracelet, that is, by simply opening the opening element of each portion of chain, inserting a third annular element (belonging to a consecutive article or chain portion) in the open element and then closing the opening element. In this way, furthermore, it will not be necessary to prepare further special connection and/or closing elements but the chain and/or the bracelet can be simply put on by connecting the two free ends with each other by means of one of its opening elements. Furthermore, since in the component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles constructed according to the present invention the two consecutive annular elements are at least partially rotating with relation to each other, it will be possible to give the chain, necklace or bracelet a certain degree of flexibility according to the most common needs of the users.
Further embodiments of the present invention are described in detail in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, objects and characteristics, as well as further embodiments of the present invention are defined in the claims and will be illustrated in the following description, with reference to the enclosed drawings; in the drawings, corresponding characteristics and/or components are identified by the same reference numbers. In particular:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b illustrate two perspective and/or plan views of a component for a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article carried out according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 1 c and 1 d illustrate two perspective and/or plan views of a chain or bracelet or in any case portions of said chain or bracelet that can be made using said component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2 a to 2 c show in detail a first solution according to which two annular elements or links of the component for a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article carried out according to the present invention can be connected and constrained to each other;

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show a further solution according to which the annular elements or links of the component for a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article carried out according to the present invention are connected and constrained to each other;

FIG. 4 a shows a further solution according to which the two consecutive annular elements or links of the component for a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article carried out according to the present invention are to connected and constrained to each other;

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show a further embodiment of the component for a jewellery and/or costume jewellery article carried out according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Although the present invention is described below with reference to its embodiments illustrated in the drawings, it is not limited to the embodiments described below and illustrated in the drawings. On the contrary, the embodiments described below and illustrated in the drawings clarify some aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims.
The present invention can be usefully employed in particular but not exclusively in the field of jewellery and/or costume jewellery. In particular, the present invention can be specifically and usefully applied for the production of components for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles like for example chains, necklaces, bracelets, and the like. For this reason, the present invention is described below with particular reference to its application to jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles. However, it is important to note that the applications of the present invention are not limited to the field of jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles; on the contrary, the present invention can also be advantageously applied in all the cases in which it is necessary to connect to each other two consecutive annular elements or links of a chain in order to obtain a portion of said chain, as well as in all the cases in which it is necessary to connect to one another several portions of a chain in order to reach a predetermined length. Therefore, the present invention can certainly be applied for the production of chains in general, towing chains and/or lifting chains.
Below, with reference to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, is the description of a first embodiment of the component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles or even for a chain portion according to the present invention; in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b similar or equivalent characteristics and/or components are identified by the same reference numbers.
FIGS. 1 a and 1 b clearly show that the component 10, illustrated therein, comprises a first annular element 11 and a second annular element 20; furthermore, said first and second annular elements 11 and 20 are connected and constrained to each other in such a way as to form a portion of chain, so that here below the former will be also defined annular elements or links. In particular, FIG. 1 a also shows that the two annular elements or links 11 and 20 are constrained in a predetermined position by means of a constraining element 21 (described in greater detail below) that prevents the annular element 20 from sliding along the perimeter of the annular element 11; on the contrary, the annular element 20 is, as explained above, constrained to the annular element 11 in a predetermined position along the perimeter of said annular element 11.
The constraining element 21, in any case, is such as to allow the annular element 20 to rotate or at least to move with respect to the annular element 11, in particular as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 a.
FIG. 1 b also shows that at least one of the two annular elements 11, 20 (the annular element 11 in the specific case of FIG. 1 b) is provided with a locking and unlocking device 12 (rotating or revolving) movable between a locked position (FIG. 1 a) and an unlocked position (FIG. 1 b); when the device 12 is locked as shown in FIG. 1 a the element 11 defines a closed perimeter or path, while when the device 12 is unlocked as shown in FIG. 1 b it is possible to access the space 15 inside said perimeter or path. In the particular case shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b the locking and unlocking device 12 comprises an element that rotates around a pivot 13; the device 12 can thus be completely similar to those provided on spring catches of known type and comprise elastic means (not illustrated in the figures) like for example a helical spring that functions in such a way as to maintain the revolving element in the locked position shown in FIG. 1 a while it will be possible to act in such a way as to rotate the device or element 12 until it reaches the unlocked position shown in FIG. 1 b as a consequence of the elastic action of said elastic means or said spring.
Always with reference to the component shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b it should be noted that, although the annular elements that make it up comprise a first heart-shaped element 11 and a second substantially oval element 20, according to the spirit of the present invention said first and second element may assume any shape, in particular the same can both be substantially circular, square, triangular, ecc, or each of the elements 11 and 20 can have one of the shapes mentioned above and they can be different from each other. It should also be noted that any one of the elements 11 and 20 can be provided with a locking and unlocking device 12, or they can be both provided with a locking and unlocking device, and that said locking and unlocking device can be not only of the revolving type shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b but also, as will be explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, of the translating type, depending on the circumstances and/or needs, or of the snap-in type.
With reference to FIGS. 1 c and 1 d, in which characteristics or components described above with reference to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b or others equivalent to them are identified by the same reference numbers, the examples described and explained below show how the article carried out according to the present invention can be used for making more complex jewellery and costume jewellery articles.
In fact, FIG. 1 c shows that by connecting to one another several components carried out according to the present invention (several chain portions according to the present invention) it will be possible to complete chains, necklaces or bracelets 100; for this purpose it will be sufficient to have a number of components or chain portions 10 that depends on the total length to be achieved, and successively to connect them to one another in succession. For this purpose, it will thus be sufficient to operate the locking and unlocking device 12 of the opening element 11 of each article 10, to insert the annular element 20 of a successive article 10 through the opening and open element 11, to close the opening element 11 and repeat the operations described above for a number of times corresponding to the number of articles or chain portions 10 to be connected. It is thus clear that the component carried out according to the present invention makes it possible to simplify and accelerate the assembly operations, for example of a chain, necklace or bracelet. Furthermore, using components or chain portions 10 whose annular elements have different shapes and sizes, it will also be possible to make necklaces or bracelets with different aesthetical characteristics; for this purpose it will only be necessary to have articles or chain portions according to the present invention whose annular elements have in fact different shapes and/or sizes. The assembly operations can thus be carried out not only in the factory and therefore not only at the origin, as is the case with the chains or bracelets known in the art, but directly at the point of sale, by the seller and according to the tastes and needs of the customer or buyer. The above mentioned operations will furthermore be very simple and will not require the use of special tools or equipment. Furthermore, FIG. 1 d clearly shows that using components 10 carried out according to the present invention for making necklaces or bracelets it is possible to avoid the need to prepare special locking and/or connection elements, as is the case with the necklaces and bracelets known in the art, for which it is necessary to prepare locking elements usually comprising two parts (one closed and the other opening) respectively connected to the free ends of the chain or bracelet; on the contrary, using one or more articles according to the present invention, the annular opening element 11 of one of them can be used as a connection element, thus overcoming also the problems that arise with the locking and/or connection elements known in the art, whose shape and external appearance, usually different from the shape and external appearance of the other links of the chain or bracelet, represent an element of optical discontinuity with aesthetical results that sometimes are quite negative.
FIGS. 2 a to 2 c illustrate a first solution according to the present invention, aimed to connect to each other and mutually constrain the annular elements 11 and 20 of the article 10. FIG. 2 a shows, in fact, a constraining element 21 comprising two opposing pins 21 a and 21 b that extend from the annular element 20 towards the internal space 25 enclosed in its perimeter. In the same way (FIGS. 2 b and 2 c) the annular element or link 11 comprises one or two blind holes 11 f suited to house the two projecting pins 21 a and 21 b. The assembly of the article 10 according to the present invention thus takes place as follows. As first thing the locking and unlocking device 12 must be opened until it reaches the position shown in FIG. 1 b so as to allow access to the space 15 inside it; consecutively, the element 11 (one of its two free ends defined by the device 12 in open position) is inserted in the annular element 20 and the same annular element 20 is positioned along the perimeter of the annular element 11, in particular in such a way as to bring the two projecting pins 21 a and 21 b at the level of the hole 11 f of the annular element 11.
At this point it is possible to lock the device 12 and act on the outside of the annular element 20 in such a way as to compress it and insert the two opposing and projecting pins 21 a and 21 b in the respective ends of the hole 11 f. In this way, the annular element 20 will be fixed to the annular element 11 in a predetermined position along the perimeter of the annular element 11; said annular element 20 can be rotated around a rotation axis R-R substantially coinciding with the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the pins 21 a and 21 b and of the hole 11 f.
In this way, the degrees of freedom of the two annular elements 11 and 20 with respect to each other is limited but in any case such as to guarantee a certain mutual mobility. In particular, the two annular elements 11 and 20 can rotate with respect to each other around the axis R-R, said axis being contained in the longitudinal plane of symmetry S-S of the annular element 20 and being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry S11-S11 of the annular element 11.
The article 10 according to the present invention can therefore be produced by means of simple operations and at reduced costs.
FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show an alternative solution for the assembly of the component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles 10 according to the present invention; as usual, in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b the characteristics or components already described above with reference to other figures, or even equivalent characteristics, are identified by the same reference numbers.
The main difference between the solution illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b and the one described above with reference to FIGS. 2 a to 2 c lies in that, in the case of the solution illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the constraining element is made on the annular element 11 and comprises two pins 11 a and 11 b that extend from said annular element 11, on opposite sides with respect to its longitudinal plane of symmetry S11-S11. In the same way, in the case of the solution illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, the annular element 20 comprises two housings 20 f (or even a single through hole, depending on the circumstances and/or needs) suited to accommodate the two projecting pins 11 a and 11 b, respectively. The assembly of the article 10 illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, however, is in any case substantially similar to that of the article shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 c, therefore, for the sake of brevity, only the most important steps are explained here below. Once the annular element 11 has been opened (by acting on the device 12), the annular element 20 is positioned along the perimeter of the annular element 11, in particular in such a way as to have the housings 20 f coincide with the projecting pins 11 a and 11 b. Then the annular element 20 is compressed until the projecting pins 11 a and 11 b are received in the respective housings 20 f. At this point the annular elements 11 and 20 are constrained to each other in a predetermined position but in any case they can rotate with respect to each other around a rotation axis R-R coinciding with the axis of symmetry of the pins 11 a and 11 b as well as of the housings 20 f, said axis lying again in the longitudinal plane of symmetry S-S of the annular element 20 and being perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry S11-S11 of the annular element 11.
According to the further solution illustrated in FIG. 4 a, the two annular elements 11 and 20 can be revolvingly constrained to each other by means of a pin 30 inserted in two through holes 20 f and 11 f made in the annular element 20 and in the annular element 11, respectively, said holes 20 f and 11 f being substantially aligned when the annular element 20 and the annular element 11 are in the desired predetermined constraint position. In the case of the solution shown in FIG. 4 a, the assembly of the article 10 does not include the compression of the annular element 20 but it is simply sufficient to insert the pin 30 in the holes 20 f and 11 f so that it successively acts as an element limiting rotation.
FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show a locking device 12 that is different from the one previously described and shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b; in particular, the device 12 of FIGS. 5 a and 5 b comprises a part that can be translated from a first locked position (FIG. 5 a) to a second unlocked position (FIG. 5 b). Also in the case of the solution illustrated in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b, elastic means (for example, a spring) can be provided that are suited to maintain the movable element in the locked position (said movable element being therefore capable of being translated from its locked position to its unlocked position against the elastic action of the spring and to be automatically brought back to its locked position thanks to the action of the spring).
It has thus been shown that the article carried out according to the present invention and described above achieves all the set objects. In particular, the present invention makes it possible to overcome the problems typically faced by jewellers during the design and production of jewellery articles like for example chains, bracelets and the like. It has in fact been shown that, by limiting the degrees of freedom of the annular elements of a chain or bracelet it is possible to plan with precision the appearance a chain or bracelet will have once assembled and/or completed. By guaranteeing a certain mutual mobility, in particular the mutual rotation around at least one predetermined rotation axis, it will be possible to avoid the problems deriving from the excessive rigidity that can be observed, for example, in the case of two annular elements rigidly fixed to each other, for example welded to each other. The present invention also proposes a convenient and simple method for assembling a portion of a chain comprising at least two annular elements or links, said assembly method allowing complicated operations, like for example welding, to be avoided. The solution proposed by the present invention also ensures high versatility and makes it possible to assemble bracelets and/or chains in a simple and rapid manner. Finally, using the article that is the subject of the present invention means avoiding the need to prepare locking and/or connection elements of the type normally used in the art.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments shown in the figures, it should be noted that it is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described herein; on the contrary, further variants of the embodiments described herein fall within the scope of the present invention, scope which is defined in the claims.
For example, the locking and/or unlocking device 12 of one of the two annular elements of the article carried out according to the present invention can be provided, depending on the needs and/or circumstances, with a safety system suited to avoid the accidental unlocking of said device.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles adapted to be employed for realizing chains, necklaces, and bracelets, said article comprising a first annular element or link and a second annular element or link, said first and second annular elements or links being connected with each other so as to form a portion of a chain, at least one of said first annular element or link and said second annular element or link comprising a locking and unlocking device movable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position so that, with said device in said second unlocked position, at least one of said first annular element or link and said second annular element or link is connectable to a third annular element or link, wherein said second annular element or link is pivotally fixed to said first element or link in a predetermined position.

16. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15, wherein said second annular element or link is revolving with respect to said first annular element or link around a single predetermined axis of rotation.

17. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 16, wherein said single predetermined axis of rotation lies in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said second annular element or link.

18. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 16, wherein said axis of rotation is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of said first annular element or link.

19. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 16, wherein said first and second annular elements or links are mutually pivotally connected by means of at least a pivot whose longitudinal axis of symmetry coincides with said axis of rotation.

20. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 19, wherein said pivot comprises a first and a second portion extending from said second annular element or link and wherein said first and second portion are housed in corresponding housing seats formed in said first annular element or link.

21. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 19, wherein said pivot comprises a first and a second portion extending from said first annular element or link, and in that said first and second portion are housed in corresponding housing seats formed in said second annular element or link.

22. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15, wherein said locking device is a component of said first annular element or link.

23. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15, wherein said locking device is a component of said second annular element or link.

24. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15, wherein said locking device comprises a revolving element adapted to be revolved between said first locked position and said second unlocked position.

25. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 24, wherein said locking device comprises elastic means adapted to keep said revolving element in said locked position.

26. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 24, wherein said locking device comprises engaging means adapted to be translated between a first engaging position in which said revolving element is kept in said locked position and a second disengaging position so as to allow said revolving element to be rotated from said first locked position to said unlocked position.

27. The component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15, wherein said locking device comprises an element translatable between said first locked position and said second unlocked position.

28. An ornamental object, wherein said ornamental object comprises at least one component for jewellery and/or costume jewellery articles according to claim 15.