How to Use a 10 x Jeweler's Loupe.

A 10 x jeweler's loupe (pronounced as LOOP) is a type of magnification glass.
It is small enough to carry in a pocket or purse. I highly regemend using it when you buy gemstones and jewelry. I think it is the wisest (and cheapest) investment for your gem purchase. These loupes are available on okay. With it, you can clearly see a lot of things about gemstones and jewelry that you can never see with the naked eye.
I regularly use it for:


Examining rough stones to determine clarity and orientation.

Evaluating the quality of gemstones such as clarity, make of the stones, i.e., cut and polish.

Detecting scratch, chipping and abrasion on gemstones.

Checking the meet points and polish, when Ifacet a gemstone.

Examining the condition of jewelry such as loose prongs, broken metal parts etc.

Finding the hallmark of platinum, silver and gold.
It is also useful for other applications that require a close, magnified look. It is really ahandy gadget. But you need to know how to use it. It is a little tricky for the first time. People tend to hold the loupe like the magnification glass used by the famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. It won't work that way, because its focus distance is very short and you cannotget agood focus. That is why I am writing this guide.
The type of loupe you should get.
It should be a 10 x (or ten power) triplet loupe. "Triplet" means the loupeactually consists of three lenses. That gives you a view without distortion. I regemend black one, because it does not reflect the color on the stone.
In my experience one thatgees with a small leather caseis usually better quality than one geing with a plastic case. The price of one with a leather case is slightlymore expensive, but worth paying.

This is myJeweler's loupe. It has been workingwell for me for countless years.

Loupes ofhigher magnifications are available. But you don't need them, because the US Federal Trade gemission requires the grading to be done under 10 x magnification. If you don't see any scratch on a stone under 10 x magnification, the stone is considered as scratch-free, even though there are some scratches detectable under magnifications larger than 10.
Also thehigher the magnification is, the shorter the focus distance is. That makes those higher magnification loupes VERY difficult toget a good focus on parts you want to see. You might think that you can see the object better with a higher magnification glass. That isyes onlywith a lot of practice using it.
I have heard a story that a deceptive jeweler let a customer use his 30 x loupe on purpose. It looked like the jewelerwas honest to disclose any defect on a gemstone hewas selling . The customer untrained with that type of loupecouldn't see the stone clearly and believed whatever the jeweler said.
How to see an object with a 10 x jeweler's loupe.


Hold the loupe with the thumb and forefinger of either of the hands.


I am right-handed anduse my right hand.

Hold the object (a gemstone or piece of jewelry) in the same manner with the other hand.


I use my left hand.

Bring the loupe as close to your eye as you can.


You should try each of your eyes. You will find a more gefortable side. I use my left eye. So the knuckle of my right forefinger touches my forehead between my eyes, and my palm is facing outward. That is my gefortable and stable hand position. Some people have the palm inward lightly resting the heel of the palm by the mouth. You will find your own good position. You can keep your eyeglasses on while doing this.

Look into the lens as if you are looking through a peep hole.


At this point, the view through the loupeshould beblurry.

Keeping theloupe in this position, bring the object about 1 inch from your loupe.

Get the focus by moving the object SLOWLY closer or farther.

You should get a clear view of the object by now. Practice focusing on the surface of the stone (polish)and in the stone (inclusions). How about the cutting edges (chipping and abrasion)? How do the facet lines gee together (tightness ofmeet points)?

Try different lightings to experiment how the object looks like.


Of course, do not look at the sun or light source through the loupe. It is not good for your eyes.

On my last regular eye check-up, I asked my ophthalmologist ifconstant use ofa loupe has any bad effect on the eye. He said no.
Good luck with your loupe. There is atotally different world through the loupe.
This guide is updated from time to time, when more information begees available. If you learned something new and usefulfrom this guide, pleaseclick "yes" below. Thank you!!