Gripping device for holding, centring and/or collet-clamping a micromechanical or horological component, and associated attachment method

A gripping device for holding, centring, and/or collet-clamping a micromechanical or horological component in a clamping chamber delimited by a collet of the gripping device, wherein the collet comprises, distributed about a collet axis, a plurality of movable jaws and a plurality of stationary jaws,

• wherein at least some of said stationary jaws;
• each comprise a respective reference surface arranged to support either of:
• (i) a said component directly bearing frontally thereagainst, or
• (ii) an intermediate retaining plate directly bearing frontally thereagainst, against which intermediate retaining plate a said component frontally bears, and
• wherein said movable jaws are arranged to centre and/or clamp a said component, and/or are arranged to centre and/or clamp a said intermediate retaining plate, and
• wherein said gripping device comprises at least one vacuum generator arranged to create a vacuum in said clamping chamber via a respective channel made in at least one stationary jaw of said plurality of stationary jaws.