(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
verb
4. (transitive) jewellery
to mount in a collet
Word origin
C16: from Old French: a little collar, from col neckband, neck, from Latin collum neck
collet in American English
(ˈkɑlɪt)
noun
1.
a metal band or ring, such as is used in a watch to hold the end of a balance spring
2.
a small metal band used in ring settings
3.
a chuck with a conical or tapered end, for gripping circular pieces to be turned on a lathe