Do you own your own loupe?

[Independent Gal]

If so, do you ever use it?

I just bought one today, and suddenly wondered if that was a little obsessive. So, given you ladies are at least as obsessive about jewelery, I wondered if you also had your own.

One thing I thought of: when looking at estate stuff, if you have your own gear, dealers might be more likely to assume you know what you're doing and be less likely to try to 'pull a fast one'.

 

[oshinbreez]

I have 2 loupes and ideal scope. They come in handy when looking at rings. I think David gets a little embarrassed, but that''s ok.

 

[Miranda]

I have 2. One upstairs and one downstairs. The really sick part is that my 4 year old daughter knows how to use them.

 

[Kaleigh]

I have 2. Keep one in my purse, and one by my bed. I love having one in my purse, cause you never know what you might find when shopping.

 

[ladykemma]

i have a 10x, a 30x, a dark-field microscope and an UV lamp.

 

[Independent Gal]

OK, I''m feeling MUCH better already.

 

[neatfreak]

Not yet, but my FIANCE wants to buy a loupe AND an idealscope because he wants to start looking for jewelry at antique stores!!! Now I REALLY know I have the perfect man.

 

[Kim N]

I have 3.

But I really only use a loupe at home.

 

[ladykemma]

Date: 5/15/2007 5:20:14 PM
Author: neatfreak
Not yet, but my FIANCE wants to buy a loupe AND an idealscope because he wants to start looking for jewelry at antique stores!!! Now I REALLY know I have the perfect man.

soooo smart! smart! smart! get a 30 x loupe too. and a diamond tester if you can afford one.
read renee newman''s book before you start out.

 

[FireGoddess]

I have a 10X loupe, a 30X loupe, and an IS.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 5/15/2007 5:21:54 PM
Author: ladykemma

Date: 5/15/2007 5:20:14 PM

Author: neatfreak

Not yet, but my FIANCE wants to buy a loupe AND an idealscope because he wants to start looking for jewelry at antique stores!!! Now I REALLY know I have the perfect man.

soooo smart! smart! smart! get a 30 x loupe too. and a diamond tester if you can afford one.

read renee newman''s book before you start out.

Thanks for the tips! We''ll be sure to get that book, and a diamond tester is on his list too! Yay!

 

[Cehrabehra]

I use mine all the time but just for fun... I ask to use the loupes the jewelers have, but if one ever says they don''t have one I''d pull mine out for sure LOL

 

[dianne]

I have a 10X and want a stronger one so I can see the inclusions in my diamond....can''t see them...which should be good but I know they are there and I wanna see!!! It''s a VS2 which I thought I should be able to easily see. Maybe haven''t practiced enough but I have tried so hard for so long before I thought I would surely break a sweat! I think I should just get a 30X..and then pray I don''t flip out when I do see them....lol

 

[Ellen]

I have 3, all free with purchase. They''re also great for reading fine print with old eyes.

 

[snlee]

Yes, two. I keep one by my bed and I keep the other either in my purse or somewhere in the house. Glad I''m not the only one! Now I don''t feel so bad.

 

[Pandora II]

I have just bought a new Belomo 10x loupe - that make 3! But the new one is so much better than my cheapy old ones!

I have a UV light and I''m also investing in a spectroscope, a dichroscope and saving up for a refractometer.

My loupe is always in my handbag and I use it daily. All the girls at work bring their ebay bargains up for me to have a look and give them my very inexpert opinions and I show them how to use it - one has already bought her own. It''s also really useful in shops and I''ve found you get treated with more respect/they try to rip you off less.

 

[kcoursolle]

I have two (10x) that were free with diamond purchases, and then I bought a 30x to see the laser inscription on my center stone. I rarely use them, but I did the other day when I took my ring in for a rhodium plating and checked to make sure everything was fine.

 

[dh97]

I have two (10x). I keep one by my bed and one in my purse.

 

[divergrrl]

But of course...my first jeweler gave it to me....

Diver

 

[bujiatang]

I have three. One I keep in the camera bag with the Mamiya. Another I have in my shoulderbag, and the other I keep in my desk at work.

 

[surfgirl]

I have a very small 10x that I keep in my purse. While we were shopping for erings, most shop owners were really taken aback when I''d pull my loupe out to look at the stones more closely. Then they always asked me "are you in the business?" Which I thought was really funny. Have you all also had similar experiences when you pulled out your own loupe at a shop?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I also keep one in my purse and have a couple extra at home. I have the hearts and arrows viewers, too. I would not hestiate to use the loupe, but I haven''t pulled out the H&A viewer in a store yet!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/15/2007 9:23:25 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I also keep one in my purse and have a couple extra at home. I have the hearts and arrows viewers, too. I would not hestiate to use the loupe, but I haven''t pulled out the H&A viewer in a store yet!

Yeah, me either. I really wanna take it to Chicago, but I can just see their faces if I pull that out....

 

[Harriet]

I have 2 loupes and 2 heart-and-arrows viewers. But I still can''t see the inscription on my diamond, even with a microscope!

 

[lumpkin]

I also have 2 hearts and arrows viewers that have a 10x loupe. My husband has a 30x loupe that I love to use! But I only use them at home.

 

[strmrdr]

somewhere between 3 or 5 that I can find at any given time, unknown total LOL
IS, ASET, Ideal light, h&a scope, uv lamp.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 5/15/2007 9:23:25 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I also keep one in my purse and have a couple extra at home. I have the hearts and arrows viewers, too. I would not hestiate to use the loupe, but I haven''t pulled out the H&A viewer in a store yet!

why not?
Iv has store owners trying my ASET on every stone in the store.....

 

[starryeyed]

Kaleigh, Pandora, snlee, dh97, bujiatang, surfgirl, and diamondseeker - I''m glad I''m not the only one who carries a loupe with her EVERYWHERE she goes!

Surfgirl, I''ve gotten the comment, "are you in the business?" before too when I pull out my loupe. Funny for sure!