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How many of you bought a loop?

yfzcentral

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 3, 2011
Messages
27
Common...you know who you are...!

I bought a 30x to check things out (which makes me even more paranoid now as you see things you normally wouldn't). Plus it helps for cleanings.
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,227
I bought a good 10x loupe.
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
I have a 30x and I use it frequently.
 

tyty333

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
27,204
:wavey: me!
 

yssie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
27,242
Me too.

I splurged on a pricier 10x from Dave Atlas' site on a whim last year and was kicking myself for not going w/ a cheapie as I imagined I'd rarely use it - turns out it never leaves my purse and my rings and bracelet get the once over at least once a day. Glad I got what I did - it's super easy to use often and for surprisingly long amounts of time without getting a headache, thanks to the lack of distortion.

I don't think I could use a 30x for more than a few seconds, w/ the tiny focus range!
 

Sky56

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
1,040
I always carry a 10x loupe in my purse :)
 

jaebond

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
222
I would love to, but all of my spare money is going to the diamond. :twirl: In due time though.
 

Farleysmom

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
1,032
I also have a 10x loupe that I always carry with me in my purse.
 

shihtzulover

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 30, 2010
Messages
717
My fiance and I bought one when we were diamond shopping. We still use it on occasion, just to get a magnified view of our diamond. :)
 

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
58,547
I bought cheap loupe's off of ebay and Amazon. I try to keep a 10x in my purse. Ya never know when you might need one! ;))
 

Black Jade

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
1,242
I have a 10x loupe.
Even though I'm not professional, it's helpful to me pawnshopping and not just to check out if diamonds have unacceptable inclusions. It helps me locate tiny carat markings and things wrongs with prongs and catches and now I am finding it is useful with checking out pearls. It's also one of those things, if you know how to hold it right and LOOK professional, you often get interesting information and get shown a whole other class of something.
I was buying emerald jewelry and took it out and suddenly the jewelry I had been looking at was wisked away and completely other things brought out, and for reasonable prices.
I would think 30X was overkill, except that 10x is actually not enough to see the diamond numbers inscribed on my ACA earrings.
 

minmin001

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 21, 2011
Messages
2,047
bought 2 x30
 

GamGam

Shiny_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 24, 2010
Messages
132
I bought a good one for DH for Christmas--put it in his stocking. We both use it, but not often.
 

bright ice

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
4,328
I got a nice 10x loop with the purchase of my stone. I use it often.
 

diamondringlover

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 12, 2006
Messages
4,400
My hubby already had a loop, it has a 10x and a 20x, he has a sweet one at work that has a light on it, I want that one, lol
 

texaskj

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
1,197
I have a cheapie from Hobby Lobby and can't believe how many things I use it for.
 

Laila619

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
11,676
Yep, I bought a Belomo 10x loupe per recommendations here.
 

diamante-girl

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
26
I have a 10x loupe.

I will want to buy a 20x because at times the 10x isn't close enough for me. Under 10x I can see my largest inclusion in my .62ct SI1, but I have to have it in the right lighting and angle. Using the loupe on the ring also lets me see how well I cleaned it. I'm farsighted, so up close without my glasses, it's all blurry! If I'm going to be looking at fine jewelry in any store, I always bring my loupe. ;))
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,227
Consider moving up to a better 10x instead of just a 20x or 30x . . .

Keep in mind that magnification and resolution (aka sharpness) are different things.
A loupe can have one but not the other.
Resolution is much more expensive to put into a loupe than magnification.

You can make out finder detail with a better 10x than you can with a poor 10x because it has better resolution.
Sometimes you can even even make out more detail, like a laser inscription on a girdle, with a good 10x than with a poor 20x or 30x.
There is a reason people happily pay hundred dollars for the best 10x.

Something appearing bigger does not necessarily mean it is any sharper.
A larger blurry thing is still a blurry thing.
It may not seem blurry until you see it through a better loupe.
Imagine a child getting their first Rx glasses and discovering how sharp things were always supposed to be.
That what it was like when I got a good 10x after getting used to a mediocre one.

I think you have to use them side by side for a period of time to really get this.

Read DiaGem's (he's the diamond cutter who cuts the Octavias) posts here. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/most-recommended-10x-jeweller-loupe-carl-zeiss.123415/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/most-recommended-10x-jeweller-loupe-carl-zeiss.123415/[/URL]
 

motownmama

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Messages
8,207
yup - got one!
 

Taylorbug!

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Sep 24, 2009
Messages
1,416
I have one too....
 

kenny

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
33,227
kenny|1309306196|2957439 said:
There is a reason people happily pay hundred dollars for the best 10x.

Too late to edit...
I meant to write, There is a reason people happily pay hundreds of dollars for the best 10x loupes.
 

Mayk

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 12, 2011
Messages
4,772
Totally bought a 30x.. so I could really see what was going on.... :shock:
 

Cehrabehra

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 29, 2006
Messages
11,071
I have a couple 10x loupes but I really want a stronger one. I can't see any of the inclusions in my stone with 10x. I used a 30x one at a store once and wow!! It was scary looking at my stone like that lol I definitely could see all of the feathers and the cloud in the center with that! I think a 20x would be good. I think I could see them with that and not feel like I'm looking at a foreign planet through a telescope lol
 

stargurl78

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
3,296
Yup, I've got a 10x and a 30x. My DH bought them when he bought my ring because he knew I would be ready to inspect the stone :bigsmile:
 

skphotoimages

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
188
I have a metal 10x that I bought at a rock shop for $5. Perfect for taking with me. I'd like a 30x though.
 

jstarfireb

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 24, 2007
Messages
6,232
My diamond from WF came with a 10x loupe. I use it all the time.
 

HopeDream

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
2,146
I have a super cheap loupe that came with my rock test kit for my geology 112 class. It has two plastic 8x lenses that can be used singly or together for greater magnification.

I should really ask for a better loupe for christmas! or 2!
 

marcy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
26,278
I bought one too. Use it frequently. :appl:
 
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