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Buy cheap loupe on e-bay?

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I can''t vouch for that particular loupe but I just wanted to say that I bought a cheap loupe and I regret it. Of course, it was cheap so I am not out a lot of money but I need to get one a step up. It is hard to focus with it and really see minute detail. It is just not as clear as I would like. So you may want to consider something a little nicer. This place was recommended to me by my appraiser:

http://www.kassoy.com/

Having said that, it is a total of $4, so you could just try it out.
 
I just bought a loupe today... My advice from Rockdoc was to make sure that it was at least a "Triplet"... I looked at several at a jeweler supply location... and they had triplets ranging from $8 to the $30 range.

I opted for a $20 one. It''s a triplet 10x with a 20.5 mm lens

seems like it does the trick for me.

Hope that helps
 
Honestly, unless you buy a loupe with a triplet lens you''re throwing your money away. Triplet lenses are corrected for color and spherical distortion. IMHO Belomo is a great quality one for the money. They have a nice big lens which is helpful if you''re unused to louping. Search ebay or www.geo-tools.com/lens.htm
 
The loupe you referenced on Ebay is made by a coin dealer, and MAY be sufficient for grading coins, but is not up to snuff for diamonds and gems.

It is also better to get a loupe with quality optics in it. For $ 2.00 the lenses are most likely plastic and not applicable for diamond grading.

The best loupes to get are ones that are 20 + mm wide, as that makes the viewing easier, particularly for those inexperienced at loupe grading. Add to that possibly consider a loupe that also has dark field illumination, so the inclusions are a bit easier to see. Grading a diamond with only overhead illumination, does not "spotlight" the inclusions, so they can be seen by inexperienced eyes.

Dark field loupes are a bit pricey, and a bit of "overkill" if you only intend to be using it for one stone. I think the average one is about $ 100.00, where regular 20mm triplet loupes are $20-$30 ish.

Rockdoc
 
Thank you all very much for the info, I was clueless, I really appreciate it.
 
I just purchased my first loupe also. I ordered mine from jtv.com. It was only $10 and it works for me. The whole family has had fun with it, but it is only 10x. I wish I had spent the extra $5 and got the one with 10x power and 20x power. Will probably get one in the near future. I like to keep a check on my prongs and of course, enjoy my diamonds!
 
The loupes with greater diameters - like 20.5 and up are a lot easier to use.

The higher the power the smaller the lens in it, which in turn makes it more difficult to see little inclusions or inscriptions.

If you want it for inspecting prongs.. you can get an inexpensive one.

If you really have an interest in looking at inclusions in either diamonds or colored stones, the dark field loupe setup is better.

TO see inclusions properly you need the "right" lighting source, which is the darkfield one, but they are pricier. You can "jury rig" the darkfield illumination setup, but probably a lot easier to get the loupe with it.

You get what you pay for however.

Rockdoc
 
I have four loupes, three are 18.5mm lens size with 10x, 20x or 30x power and a 21mm one with 10x power. I use and recommend all of these. All are glass triplets suitable for diamonds with the proper lens corrections for edge aberrations and dispersion. I use a 18.5mm 10x on a daily basis, and reserve the larger diameter loupe, the one we call the Super Loupe, for work where I need to constantly use the loupe for hours at a a time, since it does seem a bit easier on the eyes.
There are many loupes which just don''t work for diamonds or gemstones. When you see an ad for a Hastings Triplet, you do NOT have a gem loupe. It is better for coins or stamps. Even less costly ones are also available all over the place which are okay for a quick look at a stone, but are really poor for gemstone work. They have very short depth of field, disperse light and only work in the center of their lens. With a loupe, as with many other things, you get what you are willing to pay for.

It used to be one had to cope with smaller lens sizes for higher power like RockDoc said, but I came across a whole line of identically sized ones that meet my expectations.
 
Date: 3/11/2007 9:09:48 AM
Author: strmrdr
The loupe I lust after is the nikon
Its small but its the cleanest and clearest loupe Iv used.
I borrowed one from a jeweler when my $30 loupe wasn''t good enough.
The difference was night and day...
Its an expensive little thing :{
http://www.opticsplanet.net/nikon-10x-jewerly-round-magnifier.htmlhttp://www.kassoy.com/loupes03.htm
Click to expand...
Strm,
I''ve been using the Nikon loupe that you mentioned for about 6 months and I find that the clarity of
magnification is superb. I have many different types, shapes, and sizes but this is my favorite.

www.metrojewelryappraisers.com
 
I wish that I could remember who it was that I bought mine from, but I did get it off of ebay and it worked really well. It was not too expensive at all, well under $20, and it was a Triplet.
 
Date: 3/11/2007 8:35:58 AM
Author: oldminer
There are many loupes which just don't work for diamonds or gemstones. When you see an ad for a Hastings Triplet, you do NOT have a gem loupe. It is better for coins or stamps. Even less costly ones are also available all over the place which are okay for a quick look at a stone, but are really poor for gemstone work. They have very short depth of field, disperse light and only work in the center of their lens. With a loupe, as with many other things, you get what you are willing to pay for.
Click to expand...

Oldminer

Does this include the Hastings Triplet Bausch & Lombe loupe sold on the NiceIce site? It says there it is one of the best loupes.
 
Thanks for the info guys/gals. I know I didn''t ask the question but I stopped on this thread and ended up buying the Belomo 10x triplet (20mm I believe) from one of the sites in an above comment. I think it was $17 (shipped?).

GREAT loupe! Just put it up against some loups my father-in-law has that he uses for coins and antiques and guns, and it was much better. It is also a nice statement when in a jewelry store to pull it out when they offer you the 2" wide plastic loupe that makes everything look "big and pretty" (w/out detail that is)!

Only prob is mine keeps getting lint on it from being in my pocket, any advice on where to get a small lint-free bag? (I guess I could use a film canister, IF I could find one LOL but I''d like a smaller bag). Thx.
 
As much as I appreciate NiceIce, a Hastings Triplet is not the best choice for grading diamonds. Sorry.
 
Thanks oldminer.
 
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