10x loupe & laser incription

[NyssaLynne]

I purchased a 10x jeweler''s loupe and received it today. Should I be able to read my diamond''s laser incription with the loupe? I can''t seem to locate it but I did see it at the jeweler''s when I purchased my loose stone. Could I be doing something wrong?

 

[Kamuelamom]

I was taught to hold it against the bridge of your nose, then slowly bring the object towards the loupe. If you know exactly where the inscription is you should be able to see it.

I can see mine, despite my reeeeally bad 40+ vision.

 

[ForteKitty]

I can read it with a 10x if it''s angled just right with the light 45 degrees behind it. However, if I stare at it too long i start seeing sparks.

 

[Kamuelamom]

Fortekitty, how are those annoying RBs doing?

 

[ForteKitty]

They''re punished for being bad... I''ve sent them to their velvet padded prison.

No conjugal visits.

 

[Regular Guy]

There''s other threads on this.

I couldn''t read my inscription with 10X. Or 30X!

But I could with the 20X....which I only thought to look for after reading other discussion about relative magnification here.

The jeweler that did the finishing touches on my wife''s engagement ring had this neat little loupe...I''ve stumbled upon it later on a web site, and will try to post it, I''ve got the web address captured at my office...that''s designed specifically to hold a ring, and look at the inscription. I''d hold out for that if I were buying a loupe again for the first time.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I think the answer is it depends on the loupe.

I can just read most inscriptions with the loupe I sell on ideal-scope.com for $35.
But it is hard - and you may not get all the characters - 3 vs 8 etc. But if you know the # then you can confirm it is your stone.

 

[Regular Guy]

Doh!!...I probably just forgot that with Google, I need to be literal.

Entering in "inscription loupe," I found it.

http://www.kassoy.com/l2001.html

At $80 it''s not relatively cheap...but if it''s the one I used at Quest Manufacturing, it puts the inscription great big in front of you, as I recall...like you''re at the movies.

Only a few days ago, Dave Atlas commented in what seemed to be an authoritative way about loupes, saying you want them to be "Achromatic and Aspherical." Sounds good to me. Frankly I see very little description "about" this kassoy loupe on the site, except for what it''s intended for. So I wonder if anyone here knows anything about its qualities, and how it does compare to the other loupes mentioned here, and that I guess Dave does sell. But, I bet that''s the one I saw at Quest that knocked my socks off for accomplishing the use I had intended.

 

[NyssaLynne]

That inscription loupe is pretty interesting, although pricey since it appears you can only use it for reading inscriptions and not for general use.

Thanks for al the advice. I''ll have to keep adjusting my light. I think that might be part of my problem. What is the best type of light for viewing?

 

[Diamonds4Me]

I actually purchased this rinky-dink little light up magnifier from Radio Shack and with some fiddling with the zoom on it I can find it. Only problem is that it''s backwards AND you have to act quick when you do see the inscription because your eye gets so tired trying to focus in and read them

I should get a loupe but I was in a hurry and this was right there. It''s a 10x all the way up to 60x (I think). It doesn''t do much for actually looking at the diamond though. The light source is horrible and when you adjust it to look within the stone you can''t make anything out. But it did come in handy to make sure everything was right.

 

[Regular Guy]

Pitty poor Lazarre. Back 15 years ago, though I didn''t ultimately buy their diamond, a significant selling point was that inscription. Even now, I think the Hearts of Fire sales pitch includes this feature prominently.

A simultaneous discussion in Rocky Talky reviews the reasonable merits of inscription vs gemprint, but the ease and "on the spot" comfort that can be had by a quick review of this little detail is really significant, I think, and if going to have prongs tightened, I can''t see going to the store without being prepared to look for this.

 

[ame]

I can read mine at 10x but Im good that way. Having it in the light correctly, so that light is shining through the girdle.

 

[zdrastvootya]

I''ve got my brother''s Radioshack portable lighted microscope thingy (flashlight sized). Supposed to be 30x magnification. I can just make out my Superbcert laser-inscription on the girdle, but I can''t really make out the numbers. The black has come off some of the inscribed numbers, making it difficult to see.

I think I''d be hopeless with a 10x loupe.

Z.

 

[ame]

I figured mine out when I was trying to get my cert papers and my jeweler was being a jerk about it. I just called the company directly to get it.

If you go near a window and have the natural light shining right through the girdle it should show right up, I would think a 30x would be really helpful.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Hubby is a coin and currency collector so he has an assortment of loupes for looing for mint marks, paper fibers, ink marks, and such. He can read my inscriptions with his Hallmark loupe. It''s either 30x or 40x. Can''t remember which. You might try looking in a local coin dealer''s shop and see what they offer for sale.

 

[NyssaLynne]

Just an update. I went back to the jeweler''s and asked them to show me exactly where the inscription was located. I also asked for tips on seeing the inscription with the loupe. They had a hard time locating the inscription with just the 10x loupe. Once they put it under the 30x microscope it was fairly easy to locate. So apparently I need at least a 20x magnification to be able to see the inscription. I also assumed that, being a marquise, the inscription would be near the center of one of the sides. It isn''t. It is actually located on the girdle near one of the points.

Thanks for all the advice.