Miniaturized couplings for jewelry components

A miniaturized coupling for jewelry, comprising:

• a male coupling and a female coupling, each of which is millimeter-sized or sub-millimeter-sized and each of which is attached to or suited to be attached to a respective jewelry component, the male coupling having a locking member configured to be inserted into the female coupling through an opening into an interior of the female coupling;
• a connector located in the interior of the female coupling, so constructed that when the locking member is inserted into the female coupling the connector initially moves and then is retained by the connector;
• and
• an actuating pin in the female coupling that is configured to move the connector to release the locking member and thereby disengage the male and female couplings from each other, the actuating pin having an outer surface accessible at an outer surface of the female coupling, said outer surface of said actuating pin being configured to be actuated to move the connector;
• the locking member comprises a pair of fingers, each with a respective distal end, in which distal ends extend toward each other, with a gap therebetween, said distal ends being configured to move past the connector and to become locked inside the female coupling behind the connector.

A jewelry assemblage, comprising:

• a plurality of discrete jewelry components and a plurality of couplers enabling releasable interconnection of said jewelry components to each other in desired combinations and arrangements;
• each said coupler comprising:
• a male coupling and female coupling, each of which has a cross-sectional shape measuring less than 6 millimeters and each of which is attached to respective jewelry components;
• the male coupling is configured to be inserted into an opening in the female coupling to secure a connection, the connection beginning as the male coupling engages a snap connector located in an interior of the female coupling, so constructed that the snap connector moves to accommodate the male coupling, and upon being fully inserted, the snap connector resumes an original position locking within a gap formed in the male coupling and creating a secured, mechanically interlocked connection;
• an actuating member inside the female coupling that extends to a point on an exterior of said female coupling, that can be manipulated via an external force applied to the actuating member by a release tool to release the connection;
• and
• wherein the male coupling comprises a pair of fingers, each with a respective distal end, in which distal ends are oriented toward each other, with the gap therebetween, said distal ends being configured to move past the snap connector and to become locked inside the female coupling.