DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of ornament making and quality control. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a method for efficient dislodgement of embedded material such as but not limited to gemstone(s), glass and filler(s) from ornaments, without damaging the ornament or the dislodged gemstone(s). Said method is particularly useful for ensuring accurate determination of the net weight of the metal that the ornament is formed from and the weight and quality of the gemstone separated from the ornament. Of particular interest is the dislodgement or disassembly of gemstones and other embedded material such as fillers from traditional Indian ornaments such as but not limited to Kundan, Polki and Jadau, without damaging the gemstones or the ornament design and framework preferably formed from precious metal. The method of the present disclosure therefore enables accurate estimation of the weight of the precious metal in the ornament and the quality and weight of the gemstones originally embedded in or mounted on the ornament.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Ornaments such as gold jewellery are sold by the weight, the weight being determinant of the price of the ornament. In view of the same, accuracy of measurement of the weight of the precious or semi-precious metal forming the ornament is extremely important. Said accuracy is representative of the quality of the jewellery and further, affects the reputation of the seller.
Given the high prices of precious metals such as silver and gold, the weight of the metal is critical in determining the price of the ornament, since the precious metal and the stones (if any) have separate costs as per their individual weights in the ornament. This is specifically relevant to Kundan, Polki and Jadau styles of jewellery and other similar styles, wherein the stones are embedded as part of intricate designs, with the help of material such as lac or shellac which assist in setting the position of the stone. However, such material and the stones lead to a considerable increase in the weight of the ornament and hence, for purposes of re-sale and quality check, the fillers such as but not limited to lac or shellac, coloured film/paper and the embedded stones must be removed from the ornament, in order to accurately weigh the base metal(s) that the ornament is formed from.

While said rationale is known, methods traditionally practiced in the industry primarily pertain to mechanical methods for dislodging the stones, by application of physical force. In some ornaments where metal foil is used to keep the stone in place, said foil is removed mechanically followed by dislodgement of the stone and filler with physical force. This causes damage to the dislodged stones and further, results in incomplete removal of fillers that were originally used to fix/embed the stones in the designed hollow spaces. Incomplete removal of the fillers hampers the accurate determination of the weight of the base metal.

Addressing the above-described drawbacks of prior art pertaining to removal of stones and other embedded material from ornaments, the present disclosure provides a simple method to facilitate efficient removal of the stones and embedded material from ornaments without causing damage to both the ornament as well as the dislodged stones, accelerating the entire process, making it more cost efficient and less labour intensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES
In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments as illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures. The figures together with a detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate the embodiments and explain various principles and advantages, in accordance with the present invention wherein:
Figure 1 depicts the results achieved by use of physical force for removal of stones from Kundan ornaments.
Figure 2 depicts the results achieved by use of use of physical force for removal of embedded material or fillers such as lac from Kundan ornaments.
Figure 3 depicts the results achieved by subjecting Kundan ornaments to the method of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 depicts Kundan ornaments (a) before and (b) after being subjected to acid boiling treatment.
Figure 5 depicts Kundan ornaments (a) before and (b) after treatment with boiling water.
Figure 6 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was taken for analysis in Example 3.
Figure 7 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 300°C for about 15 minutes.
Figure 8 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 450°C to 550°C for about 15 minutes.
Figure 9 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 600°C to 700°C for about 10 minutes.
Figure 10 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 750°C for about 3 minutes.
Figure 11 depicts a) ultrasonic cleaning of the heated ornament; b) final output of the process after ultrasonic cleaning.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
In view of the drawbacks associated, and to remedy the need created by the available art in the field of technology related to dislodging of embedded material such as but not limited to gemstone(s), glass and filler(s) from ornaments, the present disclosure aims to provide a method for efficient and complete removal or disassembly of the embedded material from ornaments. However, before describing the method in greater detail, it is important to take note of the common terms and phrases that are employed throughout the instant disclosure for better understanding of the technology provided herein.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the terms ‘ornament’ or ‘ornaments’ or ‘ornament(s)’ refer to different forms of jewellery and other ornamental items such as but not limiting to decorative pieces or accessories.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the term ‘Kundan’, ‘Polki’ and ‘Jadau’ refer to traditional forms of Indian jewellery. Typically, said terms refer to Indian gemstone jewellery involving a gemstone set with a gold foil and other fillers such as lac or shellac between the stones and their mount. The terms ‘hollow space’ and ‘crevice’ as used interchangeably herein refer to the space created during design of the framework of the ornament, for embedding the gemstone(s) or glass.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the term ‘stones’ and ‘gemstones’ envisage all possible coloured stones, gemstones and glass that are commonly employed as embellishment in ornaments. Said gemstones include but are not limited to precious and semi-precious stones; and said glass includes transparent and coloured glass. Said stones are usually embedded in hollow spaces in the design of the ornament. In some instances, the stones are lined with foil or coloured paper before being embedded in the ornament in order to impart better shine.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the term ‘embedded material’ broadly refers to any material embedded in the framework of the ornament for the purposes of embellishment or for facilitating said embellishment. This includes gemstones and glass as defined above and fillers such as but not limited to lac, shellac, wax, metal foil and other possible filler materials that help set the gemstones in the ornament. In some embodiments, ‘embedded material’ in the context of the present disclosure also includes foil or coloured paper that the gemstones or glass are lined with to impart better shine.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the terms ‘dislodge’, ‘disassemble’, ‘remove’, ‘release’ and their variants, used interchangeably, refer to the act of removing the embedded material such as but not limited to gemstones and fillers as defined above from ornaments in which they are set originally by way of workmanship/artisanship for the purposes of embellishment.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the terms ‘mounted’, ‘embedded’ and ‘set’, used interchangeably, refer to the placement of the gemstones or glass in the ornamental piece, to retain their position in the ornamental piece by specific setting techniques, wherein said ‘mounted’ or ‘embedded’ gemstones or glass are subjected to removal from the ornament by the method of the present disclosure.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the term ‘metal’ envisages ‘precious metal’, ‘semi-precious metal’ as well as ‘faux metal’ wherein ‘precious metal’ includes but is not limited to materials such gold, silver and platinum, ‘semi-precious metal’ includes but is not limited to copper, tungsten, iron, titanium, zinc and nickel and non-limiting examples of faux metal include metal paint and metal foil.

As used throughout the present disclosure, the phrase ‘base metal’ refers to the metal which forms the ornament. The term ‘framework’ has been used in the present disclosure to refer to the structure of the ornament prepared from the base metal with crevices or hollow spaces designated for embedding of gemstone(s), glass and/or filler(s). The design of the ornament is set by the framework.

As used throughout the present disclosure, ranges are a shorthand for describing each and every value within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range.
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity. The use of the expression ‘at least’ or ‘at least one’ suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results. The use of the expression ‘about’ refers to values ±20% of the values defined immediately following said term. Throughout this specification, the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” wherever used, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Accordingly, to reiterate, the present disclosure relates to a method for dislodging embedded material from ornaments, without damaging the embedded material such as gemstones and without damaging the framework of the ornament. This allows accurate measurement of the base metal in the ornament. In order to achieve said objective, the present disclosure provides a simple method for achieving said removal of embedded material from the ornament.

Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method for dislodging embedded material from ornament(s) comprising step(s) of subjecting the ornament to heating under controlled conditions to remove the embedded material.

Thus, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, the embedded material is selected from a group comprising gemstone(s), glass and filler(s) or any combination thereof.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the ornament is selected from a group comprising Kundan, Polki and Jadau ornaments. Preferably, the ornament is Kundan jewellery. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the ornament is Kundan jewellery comprising embellishments such as gemstones and glass, optionally lined foil and/or coloured paper.
In a non-limiting embodiment, the gemstone is selected from a group comprising precious and semi-precious stones and the glass is selected from a group comprising transparent and coloured glass. Examples of precious stones include but are not limited to diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire and opal and examples of semi-precious stones include but are not limited to jade, lapis lazuli, garnet, moonstone, amethyst, garnet, peridot, tourmaline and topaz.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the filler(s) is selected from a group comprising metal foil, lac, shellac and wax or any combination thereof, wherein said filler assists in holding or setting the gemstone(s) or glass in the desired position within the ornament.

In an embodiment, the heating under controlled conditions is achieved by placing the ornament in a furnace.

More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of dislodging embedded material from ornament(s) comprising step(s) of subjecting the ornament to heating under controlled conditions at a temperature of about 600°C to about 800°C to dislodge the embedded material.

In some embodiments, the method comprises step(s) of subjecting the ornament to heating under controlled conditions at a temperature of about 600°C, about 625°C, about 650°C, about 675°C, about 700°C, about 725°C, about 750°C, about 775°C, or about 800°C to dislodge the embedded material.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the heating is at a temperature ranging from about 700°C to about 800°C. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the ornament is heated in a furnace at a temperature of at least about 750°C.

In another embodiment, the ornament is heated in a furnace at a temperature of about 750°C to about 800°C to dislodge the embedded material.

In some embodiments, the ornament is heated in a furnace at a temperature of about 750°C to dislodge the embedded material.

Heating at temperatures beyond the range defined above may be associated with wastage of energy since the intended effect of dislodgement of embedded does not improve beyond about 800°C. Further, depending on the size of the ornament and the composition of the base metal, at temperatures of above about 900°C, the base metal may start to melt into a semi-solid form which may be detrimental to the design of the ornament.

The time period for which the ornament needs to be subjected to heating in a controlled environment at the above defined temperatures may vary based on one or more of the size of the ornament, complexity of design and the quantum of embedded material.

In an embodiment, the ornament is subjected to heating in a controlled environment for about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes, preferably about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes, more preferably about 3 minutes to about 10 minutes.

In some embodiments, the ornament is subjected to heating in a controlled environment for about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes.

In an embodiment, the ornament is subjected to heating in a controlled environment for about 2 minutes, about 5 minutes, about 10 minutes, about 15 minutes, about 20 minutes, about 25 minutes or about 30 minutes.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the furnace is selected from a group comprising muffle furnace and resistance furnace. In a preferred embodiment, the furnace is a muffle furnace. Employment of other commonly used furnaces or modified forms of said furnaces is envisaged under the scope of the present disclosure.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ornament is a piece of Kundan, Polki or Jadau jewellery, wherein the ornament is placed in a muffle furnace at a temperature of about 750°C for about 2 minutes to about 5 minutes, preferably about 3 minutes depending on the size of the ornament and the complexity of design. Post said exposure to heat in the muffle furnace, the heated ornament is taken out of the furnace and allowed to cool at room temperature for about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes, or till the ornament cools down to room temperature. The exposure to heat in the muffle furnace burns the filler(s) such as but not limited to shellac that holds the gemstones in place in the ornament, leading to the shellac turning into ash and further, the release of the embedded gemstones characteristic to Kundan, Polki and Jadau jewellery.

The step of subjecting the ornament to extreme heat at the above defined temperatures, in a controlled environment, loosens the embedded material such as gemstones or glass and fillers from the ornament, allows easy removal of the embedded material from their sites of placement/application within the ornament without causing any damage to the framework or design of the ornament and without leaving any residue. Further, no damage is caused to gemstones dislodged from the ornament. The method of the present disclosure thus allows re-use or re-purposing of both the metal framework of the ornament as well as the dislodged gemstones.

In an embodiment, Figure 7 depicts the ornament prepared in Example 1 that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 300°C. Figure 8 depicts another piece of the same ornament that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 450°C to 550°C. Figure 9 depicts another piece of the same ornament that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 600°C to 700°C for about 10 minutes. Figure 10 depicts another piece of the same ornament that was subjected to heating in a Muffle furnace at about 750°C for about 3 minutes to 5 minutes. Figures 5-8 clearly depict that heating at a temperature of about 600°C or above i.e. at least 600°C, more preferably at a temperature of at least 750°C, leads to release of the embedded materials (i.e. gemstones/glass and filler(s)) in the ornament without any damage to the structure or design of the ornament. Said procedure of the present disclosure also leads to a reduction in time for the release of the embedded material from the ornament, said reduction being especially significant when the ornament is heated at a temperature of at least 750°C.

In some embodiments, once taken out of the furnace, the ornament is kept for cooling at room temperature. Embedded material such as gemstones and glass are easily dislodged from the jewellery and fillers such as but not limited to shellac which post heating, turns into a form of burnt ash, is cleaned by techniques selected from a group comprising light or vigorous washing, dry brushing, ultrasonic cleaning and steam cleaning or any combination thereof.

In some embodiments, heat treatment in the furnace is followed by cleaning of the heated ornament by ultrasonic washing in order to further remove ashes and yield a clean ornament completely lacking any embedded material such as gemstone(s), glass or filler(s). Figure 11 depicts ultrasonic cleaning of the heated ornament and final output of the process after ultrasonic cleaning. Post the ultrasonic cleaning, a clean framework formed by the base metal, completely lacking any embedded material or residues thereof is obtained (Figure 3).
Figure 3 depicts the results achieved by the method of the present disclosure wherein, complete removal embedded material is achieved without causing any damage to the framework or design of the ornament.
In an embodiment, the release of the embedded material such as gemstones, glass and fillers from the assigned crevices in the ornament leaves the ornament in an undamaged form, ready for reuse or for estimation of weight for purposes of quality control.

In some embodiments, depending on the size of the ornament and the complexity of design, embedded material such as gemstones, glass and fillers may be completely dislodged from the ornament in about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes.

In some embodiments, depending on the size of the ornament and the complexity of design, embedded material such as gemstones, glass and fillers may be completely dislodged from the ornament in about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.

The method of the present disclosure significantly reduces the time required for dislodgement of the embedded material as compared to traditionally practiced methods such as by application of mechanical force which usually takes a minimum of about 3 hours to about 4 hours and yields partially removal of the embedded material (Figure 2) along with potential damage to the framework and dislodged gemstones (Figure 1).

In some embodiments, the time for removal of the embedded material from the ornament is reduced by about 15% to about 95% as compared to conventional methods.

Given the significant reduction in time to yield the dislodgement of embedded material from the ornament, the method of the present disclosure thus improves productivity and efficiency of labour. This further leads to a reduction in the making charge of jewellery such as but not limited to re-purposed jewellery.

In addition to the above, as compared to traditional methods, the method of the present disclosure reduces margin of error in the estimation of weight of base metals such as but not limited to gold, silver and platinum after removal of the embedded material by about 40% to about 80%.

In another embodiment, as compared to traditional methods, the method of the present disclosure reduces margin of error in the estimation of weight of base metals such as but not limited to gold, silver and platinum after removal of embellishments by 50% to about 70%, preferably at least about 60%.

The method of the present invention thus ensures accurate verification of the net weight of the base metal that forms the framework of the ornament.

Alternate or conventional methods applied to remove embedded material from jewellery include but are not limited to acid boiling, treatment with boiling water, treatment with soldering flame and application of physical force. As seen in the below examples, each of these methods are associated with drawbacks such as incomplete removal of embedded material, damage to the framework of the ornament or damage to the dislodged gemstones. From the figures and examples of the present disclosure, it can be observed that said drawbacks of the methods in the art are overcome by the present disclosure.

To summarize, the present disclosure provides a simple method for efficiently dislodging embedded material such as but not limited to gemstones, glass and fillers from ornaments. The method primarily entails heating the ornament in a furnace at a temperature of about 600°C to about 900°C. Typically, the ornaments are designed such that gemstones or glass are embedded or set in or mounted on the ornaments with the help of fillers, for the purposes of embellishment. In some embodiments, the ornament is prepared from any valuable or precious metal selected from a group comprising white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, silver and platinum or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the ornament is prepared from any semi-precious metal selected from a group comprising copper, tungsten, iron, titanium, zinc and nickel or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the ornament is prepared from faux metal selected from metal paint and metal foil.

Applicability of the method of the present disclosure extends to removal or dislodgement of any gemstone(s) or glass mounted or embedded in an ornament subjected to said method. Further facilitated is the complete removal of filler(s) from the crevices of the ornament, wherein the filler(s) may have been originally applied to affix gemstone(s) or glass for the purposes of embellishment.

In non-limiting embodiments, the above-described method may be applied to ornaments to achieve successful removal of mounted or embedded gemstones selected from a group comprising precious and semi-precious stones or combinations thereof, without causing damage to the framework or design of the ornament or the dislodged gemstone and without leaving behind any residual fillers originally used to affix the gemstones. Examples of precious stones include but are not limited to diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire and opal and examples of semi-precious stones include but are not limited to jade, lapis lazuli, garnet, moonstone, amethyst, garnet, peridot, tourmaline and topaz. In an embodiment, the gemstone or glass is fixed into the hollow spaces in the ornament by employment of fillers selected from a group comprising lac, shellac and metal foil. In a non-limiting embodiment, the metal foil is selected from a group comprising silver foil, gold foil, platinum foil and faux metal foil.

Embedded material such as gemstones undergo damage or incomplete removal when physical force is applied for their removal, as is done in traditional methods (Figures 1 and 2). The above described method of the present disclosure facilitates complete dislodgement of gemstones, gems or glass from the hollow spaces or crevices in the ornament along with removal of the fillers such as but not limited to lac, shellac, wax and metal foil or combinations thereof, allowing removal of the stones, gems or glass, to obtain the metal framework of the ornament. This allows efficient quality check of the ornament, specifically in terms of quality and weight of the base metal.

Thus, ornaments such as those of styles Kundan, Polki and Jadau are subjected to the above described method to successfully remove, release or dislodge embedded material without damaging released gemstones or the framework or design of the ornament, to facilitate quality control analysis.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides use of the above described method for the efficient dislodgment of gemstones from ornaments such as those of styles Kundan, Polki and Jadau for the purposes of quality control analysis or re-purposing of jewellery.

While it is clear that the present disclosure provides a method which not only overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, but also provides an innovative solution to the long felt need for a method to efficiently dislodge stones or glass and other materials embedded in ornaments without damaging the ornaments or the stones, some advantages of the above-described method of the present disclosure are:
? Simplicity of the method
? Obviates the requirement for exertion of mechanical force to remove the stones and other embedded material from ornaments thus causing no damage to the stones or the framework of the ornament that the stones are removed from
? Time efficient method
? Increase in Productivity - bulk removal of stones and other embedded material from crevices in the ornament
? Traditionally, the mechanical removal of stones and other embedded material requires skill to manually remove each of the stones mounted in the ornament. The method of the present disclosure de-skills said removal process and therefore, increase in requirement for manpower is avoided
? Complete removal of embedded material such as fillers is achieved
? Allows accurate determination of net weight and quality of the precious metal and stones, separately, and
? Facilitates reuse of the ornament after determination of weight of the base metal and the stone, by allowing re-fixing of the stones into the designed sites in the ornament from which the stones were previously removed for quality control.

While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific aspects thereof has been shown by way of examples and drawings and are described in detail below. However, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined above.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1 – Preparation of Kundan jewellery

Multiple identical pieces of Kundan jewellery weighing about 50gm each, comprising precious/ semi-precious multi-colored stones affixed by employment of fillers such as lac were prepared for further experiments.
The first stage was producing the metal base, traditionally called ‘Ghaat’. Gold/ silver was beaten into thin sheets on which lac, wax or the sticky tree sap was poured for fixing the stones. This process of pouring of the lac/wax/sap is traditionally called ‘Paadh’.

This was followed by the next step, traditionally known as ‘Khudaai’, wherein precious/ semi-precious multi-colored stones were affixed on the lac layer using heated coal.

In order that the stones were strongly affixed, pure gold, i.e., Kundan was poured sideways onto the framework. A very slender stick was used to pour this Kundan.

Stones were set on the sheet along with the manufacturing of the jewellery framework. The frame size and shape is usually decided according to the different designs for the ornament.

This frame was then welded to the metal base, said step being traditionally known as ‘Pakai’.
Though not always a process of manufacturing Kundan jewellery, ‘Meenakari’ was performed next, to increase the attractiveness of the ornament. Meenakari means enameling and enhancing the intricate design details. It normally makes the reverse side of jewellery appreciable while Kundan stones make the front spectacular as such. The process ended with the ‘Chilaai’ stage which involved the polishing of the affixed stones. The ornament prepared by the aforesaid process is shown in Figure 6.

EXAMPLE 2: Removal of stones by alternate and/or conventionally practiced methods

2.1. Acid boiling

A Kundan ornament weighing about 40.19 gm was placed in a vessel containing about 200 ml of 40% dilute nitric acid and subjected to boiling at a temperature of about 200°C for about 30 minutes.

After said processing, the treated ornament was taken out of the dilute acid and checked for dislodgement of stones, with minor agitation or application of minor physical force. However, it was observed that the method was not effective in dislodging the embedded material.

Weight of the ornament after the acid boiling treatment was about 40.187 gm. Thus, it was observed that the stones and filler were remained almost completely intact by employing the technique of acid boiling (Figure 4).

The method was not effective because of the air-tight closing of Kundan wire on the stone which prevented the entry of the dilute acid into the crevices of the ornament.

2.2. Treatment with boiling water

Kundan ornament as prepared in Example 1, weighing about 40.19 gm was placed in a vessel and contacted with about 200 ml of boiling water for about 30 minutes.

After said processing, the treated ornament was taken out of the boiling water and checked for dislodgement of stones, with minor agitation or application of minor physical force. However, it was observed that the method was not effective. Weight of the ornament after the acid boiling treatment was about 39.135 gm. Thus, it was observed that the gemstones and filler remained almost intact by contacting with boiling water (Figure 5).

Because of the complete closure of shellac with Kundan foil, the Kundan foil blocked the entry of the boiling water into the crevices containing shellac and prevented contact of the shellac with water.

2.3. Treatment with soldering flame

Kundan ornament as prepared in Example 1, weighing about 50gm was taken and subjected to soldering flame of a temperature of about adjustable around 500°C to 1200°C for about 10 minutes.

At the end of the soldering, it was observed that melted wax flowed out of the crevices and spread out to cover the surface of the ornament. Said wax ended up covering the Kundan gold and the stones and therefore, the two could not be differentiated from each other. Partial dislodgement of gemstones was observed however, a further cleaning process with soap water was required to remove the melted wax from the framework and the gemstones.

It was observed that said method was associated with the drawback of uneven distribution of heat. Further, no control could be exercised over the temperature applied to the ornament and thus the extent of melting of wax.

2.4 Application of physical force

Kundan ornament as prepared in Example 1, weighing about 50gm was taken. Removal of embedded material was attempted by application of physical force by use of sharp tools and a hammer to physically remove the affixed or embedded gemstones.

After 3- 4 hours of continuous application of physical force and agitation, the gemstones were dislodged. However, the gemstones broke in the process. Moreover, the metal framework or design of the ornament was damaged. Further, the final product comprised residues of the filler shellac (Figures 1 and 2).

EXAMPLE 3: Removal of stones from Kundan jewellery by subjecting to heating in a furnace

Identical pieces of Kundan jewellery as prepared in Example 1, weighing about 50gm each were taken and placed in a muffle furnace maintained at the different temperatures for varying time durations (as required for dislodgment) as mentioned in Table 1. The results of each of these heat treatments of the Kundan ornaments are described in Table 1.

Table 1:
KUNDAN REMOVAL
Temperature Time Results of heat treatment Results depicted in Figure no.
300°C-400°C 15 mins Release of smoke was observed, shellac was not burnt 7
450°C -550°C 15 mins About 60 % shellac was burnt 8
600°C -700°C 10 mins Shellac was completely burnt 9
750°C 3 mins Shellac was completely burnt 10

Once taken out of the furnace, the pieces of jewellery were kept for cooling at room temperature for about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes.

As observed from the above table as well as Figures 7-10, while heating at temperatures of 300°C-400°C was ineffective in removal of shellac and stones from the jewellery, the removal was seen to an extent after heating at a temperature above 600°C, and complete removal of the shellac and stones was seen after heating at 750°C. Heating at a temperature above 750°C also significantly reduced the time required for the complete removal of stones and shellac from the ornament.

The above therefore shows that the process of the present disclosure, specifically characterized by heating at a temperature above 600°C, preferably at a temperature of at least 750°C ensures that the stones are easily dislodged from the jewellery and the burnt shellac ashes were cleaned with by ultrasonic cleaning, steam cleaning or both (Figure 11 and Figure 3).

EXAMPLE 4: Estimation of weight of base metal after removal of embedded material

The metal framework obtained after the removal of embedded material by the above methods was weighed to measure the weight of the base metal. This was compared with the weight of base metal that was originally used in Example 1 to prepare the ornament which was about 46g.

A comparison of the observation for ornaments treated by the different methods explained above is provided below –

Table 2:
Ornament treated by method Physical Observation Variation in weight of base metal after dislodgement of embedded material (gms)
Acid boiling Embedded material remained intact. NA
Treatment with boiling water Embedded material remained almost intact. NA
Application of physical force Framework damaged; Incomplete dislodgement of filler 0.25 gms
Heating at 600°C -700°C in a furnace Complete dislodgment of gemstones with more time 0.10 gms
Heating at 750°C in a furnace Complete dislodgment of gemstone and filler with quicker time <0.08 gms

As can be observed from the above, the method of the present disclosure reduces the margin of error in the measurement of weight of the base metal of the ornament after removal of embedded material. The above values show a reduction in the margin of error by at least about 60%. This is a significant advantage, especially for the purposes of quality control analysis. ,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. A method of dislodging embedded material from ornament(s) comprising step(s) of subjecting the ornament to heating under controlled conditions at a temperature of about 600°C to about 800°C to dislodge the embedded material.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the embedded material is selected from a group comprising gemstone(s), glass and filler(s) or any combination thereof.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gemstone(s), or glass are mounted or embedded into hollow spaces in the ornament(s) by employment of the filler(s).
4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the gemstone(s) is selected from a group comprising precious and semi-precious stones or combinations thereof; wherein the glass is selected from a group comprising transparent and coloured glass or a combination thereof; and wherein the filler(s) is selected from a group comprising lac, shellac and metal foil.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the precious stones are selected from a group comprising diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire and opal; and the semi-precious stones are selected from a stones include but are not limited to jade, lapis lazuli, garnet, moonstone, amethyst, garnet, peridot, tourmaline and topaz.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ornament is prepared from precious metal selected from a group comprising white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, silver and platinum or any combination thereof; semi-precious metal selected from a group comprising copper, tungsten, iron, titanium, zinc and nickel or any combination thereof; or faux metal selected from metal paint and metal foil.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ornament is selected from a group comprising Kundan, Polki and Jadau ornaments.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlled heating comprises heating in a furnace.
9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the furnace is selected from a group comprising muffle furnace and resistance furnace.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating is at a temperature ranging from about 700°C to about 800°C.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating is at a temperature of at least about 750°C, preferably ranging from about 750°C to about 800°C.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ornament is subjected to heating in a controlled environment for a period of time ranging from about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ornament is subjected to heating in a controlled environment for a period of time ranging from about 2 minutes to about 10 minutes, preferably about 3 minutes to about 10 minutes.
14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein after controlled heating, the ornament is cooled to room temperature.
15. The method as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 14, wherein the ornament is further subjected to cleaning by techniques selected from a group comprising light or vigorous washing, dry brushing, ultrasonic cleaning and steam cleaning or any combination thereof.
16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the removal of the embedded material is achieved without causing any damage to framework or design of the ornament.
17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein complete removal of the embedded material is achieved in about 2 minutes to about 30 minutes.
18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the time for removal of the embedded material is reduced by about 15% to about 95% as compared to conventional methods.
19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein margin of error in estimation of weight of base metal forming the ornament, after removal of the embedded material, is reduced by about 40% to about 80%, preferably at least about 60%.