Help identifying this watch tool please

[tagawa]

I got a nice surprise gift in the post from my aunt which she found at an auction, labelled "watchmaker's tool". Certainly looks attractive but I'm not sure what it is! My instinct is a staking set but as I've never seen or used one, I could be wrong, and my image searches don't throw up anything similar.

Suggestions on another forum included a hole punch for watch straps or a sizing tool for jewels or caps. Can anyone help with the answer?

[SSTEEL]

The top silver coloured part looks to be a collet for a lathe.

[wls1971]

Its an old tool used for cutting jewel holes in plates or widening existing holes to take a new jewel, the plate is used to set the tool to cut a hole at a given size, 

[tagawa]

Aha, so it would be used with a lathe or precision drill. Makes sense now - thank you both!

[oldhippy]

This is a new one on me.

[wls1971]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

This is a new one on me.

Well when I said old tool, here's a internet copy of a 1899 watchmakers suppliers catalogue similar tools appear on page 102 of the catalogue they may have at the time forgot to add your name to there mailing list .

https://archive.org/details/20thcenturycatal00purd

It does make interesting reading as a catalogue thats over 100 years old there are some very familiar old tools listed.

[Tmuir]

Great find that book. I've got a number of the tools in that book and I think a number of mine are older than that book.

[tagawa]

13 hours ago, wls1971 said:

Well when I said old tool, here's a internet copy of a 1899 watchmakers suppliers catalogue similar tools appear on page 102 of the catalogue they may have at the time forgot to add your name to there mailing list .

https://archive.org/details/20thcenturycatal00purd

It does make interesting reading as a catalogue thats over 100 years old there are some very familiar old tools listed.

Wow, great find indeed - that's exactly the tool! I don't know how you found that and even the exact page, but the whole catalogue is interesting. Think I might order one of those solid walnut benches on page 10 for $21!

Thanks very much for solving this mystery - and for the bonus reading material.