What To Look For When Buying A Jewelers Loupe
A jewelers loupe (pronounced loop) is a small magnifying glass that folds into a metal protective case. It’s used to view small jewelry pieces and gems to detect flaws and to read marks that can’t be seen using normal vision. There are several features to consider when purchasing a jeweler’s loupe depending on individual needs.
The strength of the lens is described by a number followed by the letter “x” which stands for “times”. For example 10x, 20x, 30x. The diameter of the lens is shown in millimeters, 12mm, 18mm, 21mm, etc. And the lens itself consists of either one, two, or three or more lenses built into the assembly. The more lenses in the construction, the better the quality. A lens will commonly be called a doublet, triplet, and so on.
Some of the things to look for in a quality lens are optical quality glass, a roll pin in the hinge, and a leather case. Generally lower quality loupes will be made from window glass with screws in the hinge, and have a plastic case. This isn’t always true, but in most cases if you look for a name brand product and pay attention to the features I’ve covered above the loupe you purchase will be a good one.
Tomorrow I’ll cover how to use a jewelers loupe.
Category: Facts & Useful Info
About the Author (Author Profile)
Wanda Fitzgerald is a Florida native and an vintage charm collector who loves to share her adventures in an e-commerce jewelry business with anyone who is interested.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
great post Wanda! Ive never really known how to use a loupe properly so will look forward to the next post! Jim bought me one a year or so ago so will check it out tonight after work to see if its a good one or not!
I’m another looking forward to tomorrow’s post on how to use a loupe correctly. I have one but actually get on better using my hubby’s $5 hobby glasses!