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| How to Use a Gem Loupe |
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| Step | Description | Instructions |
| 1 | You | First of all, please accept my apologies for subjecting you to a picture of me! I can't afford models and if I tried my wife would kill me! :) Seriously though, get a comfortable chair next to a strong indirect light source for viewing the gemstone or gem rough. |
| 2 | Gem Loupe | Bring the gem loupe up to your eye as close as is comfortable and definitely without touching your eyeball. This is not a contact lense; it is a loupe! Keep the gem loupe absolutely stationary and close to your eye. Do not move the loupe! There shouldn't be room for a stone between your eye and the gem loupe. If there is, then get the loupe closer. Brushing against your eyelashes or your glasses is a good indicator that you've got it close enough. Be sure to keep both eyes open. It is natural to want to close the other eye but eventually it leads to eye strain more quickly than keeping both eyes open. |
| 3 | Gemstone or Gem Rough | Bring the stone within an inch or more of the other side of the gem loupe away from your eye. |
| Preparation Complete | Stone Analysis | While peering through the stationary gem loupe, slowly move the stone back and forth until it comes into focus. Because the gem loupe has such a strong magnification the focal range or aperture is very narrow. So you will need to very slightly move the stone back and forth to get different areas of the stone into focus. Continue to move the stone back and forth and turn it around in different directions until you feel you have seen each area sufficiently with sharp focus through the lense. |
| Disclaimer | CYA! | I am no expert! I use these tools as best I can, but I am not a graduate gemologist by any means. I try to keep it simple as much for me as for you, so please use this as a starting point and when you get in deep, consult your books and experts. Thanks! |
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| The most popular guide to identifying gems and synthetics. Essential reading for collectors, dealers, and students to avoid mistakes and recognize opportunities. Hardcover. |  |
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