Suggestion on nice set of tools?

[K9]

This was super interesting cellentani!!! Thank you for posting - Now I want a lightbox!

 

[cellentani]

Date: 1/20/2009 5:21:33 PM
Author: k9muttlover
This was super interesting cellentani!!! Thank you for posting - Now I want a lightbox!

Hey no problem, K9. I started a thread over in SMTR of photos taken with and without the lightbox, if you''re interested.

 

[Pandora II]

Belomo do a great loupe with top-notch optics. It''s not the lightest, but I actually like the weight - it also comes with a black-casing which is important.

I only use x10 - if you use x30 etc, you can end up in trouble as the depth of field is so small that you can miss obvious inclusions. It''s best used as a back-up to a x10.

I have a mini-penlight that I use with it. You can get loupes with built in LEDS, but the optics are pretty useless (or at least all the ones I have looked at were - and I''ve done a fair amount of research into it).

If you want a UV light, it needs to be one that has both long-wave and short-wave. The usual key-ring things aren''t really any use, and the others are EXPENSIVE...

Gem-A do a kit - I was sent one with my course notes, but I hated 90% of the contents and just replaced them all with better and more expensive ones. The stone cloth and case is handy though.

 

[K9]

Date: 1/20/2009 5:39:21 PM
Author: cellentani

Hey no problem, K9. I started a thread over in SMTR of photos taken with and without the lightbox, if you''re interested.

LOL - yeah, that''s actually where I meant to post, but must have clicked the ref link to this thread before I hit reply. Oops. Either way - very neat!

 

[arjunajane]

Hey guys, I ended up buying a loupe, tweezers and polishing cloths from http://www.jewelrysupply.com/
The shipping was cheap, and they sent my order the next day.

I will update when I get the goods

 

[arjunajane]

I received my tools if anyone is still interested -
I bought the Dumont black steel tweezers in med. diamond tip;
a "gemoro" hastings triplet loupe, 10x, 18mm;
and a microfibre polishing cloth.

The whole lot cost me less than $50 with Int. shipping, and the shipping was quick, just over a week.
I don't really have much to compare them to, but I am happy with the quality of both the tweezers and loupe - its nice to finally have some tweezers, and they seem quite easy to use.
And the loupe seems well made, is heavy and comes with its cute lil leather case...It is *much* better than the promo one I've been using!

All in all, very happy and would reccomend Jewelry Supply.com.

 

[cellentani]

Hey AJ - glad you got your goodies! Did you end up getting locking or non-locking tweezers? I know some people didn''t like them, but I have the locking Dumont ones and am very happy with them. I figured I can take better photos with them. There are times when I don''t want the locking feature, like when I''m trying to gently set a stone in a setting, but they work very well then too. I still need to get a loupe; I''ve heard very good things about the gemoro, so maybe I''ll check out the place you used. Have fun playing!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/30/2009 5:22:46 PM
Author: cellentani
Hey AJ - glad you got your goodies! Did you end up getting locking or non-locking tweezers? I know some people didn't like them, but I have the locking Dumont ones and am very happy with them. I figured I can take better photos with them. There are times when I don't want the locking feature, like when I'm trying to gently set a stone in a setting, but they work very well then too.

Hi cellentani, thankyou. Yeah, I just got the non-locking ones - I haven't done much with them yet, and I did flip my garnet on my first go-round. But I'm sure I'll get used to them. I must admit holding a stone in tweezers while taking a photo is a skill to be admired, lol..

I still need to get a loupe; I've heard very good things about the gemoro, so maybe I'll check out the place you used. Have fun playing!

I wasn't sure about Gemoro as nobody recommended them, but I think it seems pretty good - I did have a good experience with that site, and CS was pretty quick.