collet

American  

[kol-it] / ˈkɒl ɪt /

noun

• collets
  plural

1. a collar or enclosing band.

2. the enclosing rim within which a jewel is set.

3. a slotted cylindrical clamp inserted tightly into the tapered interior of a sleeve or chuck on a lathe to hold a cylindrical piece of work.

4. Horology. the tiny collar that supports the inner terminal of a hairspring.

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verb (used with object)

colleted, colleting

1. to set (a gem or other stone) in a collet.

collet British  

/ ˈkɒlɪt /

noun

1. (in a jewellery setting) a band or coronet-shaped claw that holds an individual stone

2. mechanical engineering an externally tapered sleeve made in two or more segments and used to grip a shaft passed through its centre when the sleeve is compressed by being inserted in a tapered hole

3. horology a small collar that supports the inner end of the hairspring

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verb

1. (tr) jewellery to mount in a collet

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• collets
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of collet

1520–30; < French, equivalent to col neck (< Latin collum ) + -et -et

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

collet collets colleting

He pulled the bolt and bored out the collet with a hand drill and resleeved it with a section of pipe he’d cut to length with a hacksaw.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Animals grow proportionally in all directions, while plants grow upwards and downwards from a collet only.

From A Treatise on Anatomy, Physiology, and Hygiene (Revised Edition) by Calvin Cutter

In this instance the hairspring developed to the left from the collet similar to the illustration shown in Fig.

From Rules and Practice for Adjusting Watches by Walter J. Kleinlein

So that below the girdle, we find twenty-five facets: 8 cross, 8 skill, 4 pavilion, 4 quoin, and 1 collet.

From The Chemistry, Properties and Tests of Precious Stones by John Mastin

The recess in the drill should just fit over the shoulder left for the reception of the hair-spring collet.

From A Treatise on Staff Making and Pivoting Containing Complete Directions for Making and Fitting New Staffs from the Raw Material by Eugene Edward Hall

I have these weird lumps — flanges, or collets — behind my ears.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 8, 2017

To make one costume seem like many, women are buying in vast quantities dickies, jabots, fichus, gilets, ruches, berthas, bibs, piccadillies, collets, modesties and ruffs.

From Time Magazine Archive

I counted about a hundred and eight pale rubies in collets about this throne, the least whereof weighed a hundred carats.

From A Holiday in the Happy Valley with Pen and Pencil by T. R. Swinburne

The shanks of the collets are secured in the cylindrical head by means of either a bolt and key or by a set-screw.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Joshua Rose

He set jewels, and adorned them with marvellous collets and with little figures so well wrought, and at times so bizarre and fantastic that it is not possible to imagine anything finer or better.

From Lives of the most Eminent Painters Sculptors and Architects Vol 10 (of 10) Bronzino to Vasari, & General Index. by Giorgio Vasari

The broken lines illustrate a condition after colleting and before truing.

From Rules and Practice for Adjusting Watches by Walter J. Kleinlein

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