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Do you own a loupe? How often do you use it to inspect?
- Thread starter ame
- Start date
Black Jade
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2008
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- 1,242
10x.
I bring it along to the pawn shop when looking at purchases for me and friends. they keep a 5x (I wonder why?) and I think its not strong enough.
I don't loupe diamonds I already bought much though. Don't see the point (not that other people shouldn't if they want to). Every once in a while I check the prongs on things after cleaning.
I did consider getting a 30x for my earrings from whiteflash which are ACAs and are supposed to have a number laser inscribed on them. But I can't see that and I had my jeweller look and he couldn't see it. I called WF and they said you need a 30x to see the inscription. They couldn't tell me what area to look for it in, since I have earrings and not a ring, which would be easier to orient.
I know where all my inclusions are in my stuff. Interestingly, the I1 marquise that I have (it was bought as an Si3, but that's an I1) has one of the hardest inclusions to spot. It's a little crack (feather) and it hides out in the faceting very well, so that you'd NEVER see it if you didn't know what you were looking for. But when you do know, you can see it with the naked eye, so its an I1. the antique ring that I have that is an SI2, you see the inclusion immediately--but only with a loupe and in my SI1, you see it when you know where it is, also, but only with a loupe. My VS2's (earrings) the inclusions are so minimal they are really hard to see even with a loupe AND a chart.
My personal standards for a diamond are: 1) sparkle 2) as white as possible, I have an F and I love it, I have a J but on that one, I went for size (and I don't wear it next to the F) 3) no big black inclusions evident even through a loupe and certainly not with my naked eye.
That's my personal standards-- I notice that my friends each have a different one and on P'scope, people also have different standards from each other.
I bring it along to the pawn shop when looking at purchases for me and friends. they keep a 5x (I wonder why?) and I think its not strong enough.
I don't loupe diamonds I already bought much though. Don't see the point (not that other people shouldn't if they want to). Every once in a while I check the prongs on things after cleaning.
I did consider getting a 30x for my earrings from whiteflash which are ACAs and are supposed to have a number laser inscribed on them. But I can't see that and I had my jeweller look and he couldn't see it. I called WF and they said you need a 30x to see the inscription. They couldn't tell me what area to look for it in, since I have earrings and not a ring, which would be easier to orient.
I know where all my inclusions are in my stuff. Interestingly, the I1 marquise that I have (it was bought as an Si3, but that's an I1) has one of the hardest inclusions to spot. It's a little crack (feather) and it hides out in the faceting very well, so that you'd NEVER see it if you didn't know what you were looking for. But when you do know, you can see it with the naked eye, so its an I1. the antique ring that I have that is an SI2, you see the inclusion immediately--but only with a loupe and in my SI1, you see it when you know where it is, also, but only with a loupe. My VS2's (earrings) the inclusions are so minimal they are really hard to see even with a loupe AND a chart.
My personal standards for a diamond are: 1) sparkle 2) as white as possible, I have an F and I love it, I have a J but on that one, I went for size (and I don't wear it next to the F) 3) no big black inclusions evident even through a loupe and certainly not with my naked eye.
That's my personal standards-- I notice that my friends each have a different one and on P'scope, people also have different standards from each other.
heb1976
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2008
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- 431
- Joined
- May 1, 2007
- Messages
- 3,367
yes, i have a 10x and just bought a 30x. my diamonds are VS1 and IF, so it's not to see inclusions but rather to enjoy the facets even more and to keep an eye on the condition of my settings. oh, and it can come in hand for seeing how my cleaning methods are working! thus, i probably loupe them once a month or less.
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- Apr 19, 2004
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.... 
Tmissy
Rough_Rock
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- Nov 12, 2009
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ame
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
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- 10,883
I got my 30x from here:
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/jeweler-loupes-30x/BCX46
but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got the Belomo. Maybe Otto Frei?
http://www.widgetsupply.com/page/WS/PROD/jeweler-loupes-30x/BCX46
but I cannot for the life of me remember where I got the Belomo. Maybe Otto Frei?
Pandora II
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2006
- Messages
- 9,613
Either, I bought my first Belomo on-line and then discovered that the Royal Geological Society were selling them at very old prices at the Natural History Museum in London and bought another 2 there (they've now run out).
It depends how fussy you are about having the right heft for you etc and trying out different optics.
It depends how fussy you are about having the right heft for you etc and trying out different optics.
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