How to Use a Gemstone Loupe
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ม.ค. 2025
- How to use a loupe and check for common malfunctions before buying one. Using a loupe incorrectly may put you in a weaker bargaining position when negotiating the price. This is because in the market incorrect use will identify you as someone out of the loop (sorry).
For those interested in which loupe might be right for them ~ I have another video on that topic.
• 3 Popular Loupes [Loup...
To explore more or contact me directly, visit: www.gemshepherd.com
What I learned today:
* I need a better loupe.
* I have been using a loupe like a shmuck.
Every video here teaches important fundamentals. This is a quality archive.
some relatively inexpensive loupes can be quite decent ~ just need to check them first ;)
I got a set of 3 loops for 9 dollars and they say they are corrected but I'm using them for my visual impairment so it's not to much of a problem
Thank you so much ,iam at beginner schmuck level but love rocks ,I feel so dumb listening sometimes but taking notes ,re-watching videos ,reading comments really has helped .I don't want to be a professional gemologist or anything its just a hobby and if a rock calls to me I take it .So I really do appreciate u explain w visual how to use and identify the tools .I will continue to watch ,appreciate and learn thus being able to become more intimate in knowledge w the identification of rock's n stones I have acquired over the years already and love dearly.
Glad to hear that my work has been of service to you. May it continue to serve~
Seriously, thank you for your videos. You have a " real world" way of presenting the information. It's terrific! I get the knowledge and info on the topic PLUS, you teach insight into and behind today's lesson. That is so cool. That is actually, to me anyway, the more important thing to know. The real world "how to look like you didn't just learn this yesterday" knowledge. It's brilliant! Thanks again, really appreciate the videos.
I appreciate that you notice, Doug.
Just started my gemology course and I find your videos very informative and helpful. Thank you for your lessons!
My pleasure to serve, Marta. If you've got questions during the course, feel free to reach out~
@@GemologyforSchmucks Should I get one with LED light? I have a Belomo 10x but it doesnt have light :c
I was a Schmuck about magnification and loupes until I watched this. Thanks.
I'm glad that my video can be of service to you~
Well presented. After years of using a cheap loupe, I broke down and bought a decent one - a Vixen brand loupe off of eBay for $35 It does make a big difference.
Exceptional!~ i'm glad that your loupe is serving you well.
I LOVE how you explained this!! I'm less of a spaz now, lol!!!
My pleasure Samuella~ glad to help.
Brilliant videos. Really entertaining as well as full of great info. Many thanks
Thank you Tobias~ i'm glad to serve.
Another great vid. Knowing what to look for in variety of stones helps. Theres so much. A great study tool.
Thanks Robert, one of my key goals with this channel is to feed the curiosity of "me before my gemology studies." I know there are people out there starving for information and not knowing where to start, and I want to feed that desire. There's no real way to teach everything that one needs to know about gems on a video format, but if i can give a leg up to others that I didn't have, then i'll consider that a success.
@@GemologyforSchmucks I'm one of those ppl. I was the kid who wore out 3 rock tumblers. Became a machinist making tiny parts for Navy/ Marines.
Life happens. Bad accident ruined my career. I find myself 56 starting over, putting my love of rocks & mftr skills together. Missed my calling. Too old to spend $40k for basics at GIA.
I love your vids. Very helpful to someone like me.
Thanks for this. You have great info, but I get lost 1/2 way through most of the time. It’s prob me, but also, when you’re talking about two different things, (bad loupe vs good loupe) which one you are talking about sometimes gets muddy.
This happens a lot when ppl like you have so much knowledge that it gets hard to share in a quick manner.
Keep going dude! I love what you do. I’ll keep listening several times so I can get what you are saying.
Thanks.
Thanks very much. I'm sorry if I've caused confusion. Hopefully if you keep practicing, you'll be able to figure out the things that I was perhaps unable to express. I appreciate your kind words ~
This is one of the best videos on Gemology I've seen thus far. Very informative, I would however like to see some links for example Loupes in the description. I'm starting this as a hobby and just wanted to learn how to use the tools and then how to identify the stones, let's see what else is on the channel.
Thanks for the suggestion on a link below and your support. I do have another video recommending a few loupes:
th-cam.com/video/E0eZuYx-dW8/w-d-xo.html
Cheers and welcome to the channel.
@@GemologyforSchmucks you diamond. Pun fully intended. But seriously keep up the good work, I find the way you explain things very clear.
how does a loupe work when a person has spectacles or degrees such as far sighted or near sighted
Great question. As far as I understand the situation, as long as one uses their corrective eyeware (glasses or contact lenses), then the loupe acts as normal.
Awesome. Thank you for the technique! Much more stability! Thank you!!!
My pleasure, Bill. Glad to be of service.
Do you have any tips for the minority of us who are cross dominant? Right handed but left eye is dominant.
The process works the same ~ my only tips are to use the loupe frequently (even on non-gemstone objects) and you'll adapt.
@Gemology for Schmucks The reason I ask is because you have to cross over one eye with a hand. So I wonder how it would be perceived on an offer basis on a stone. Would a seasoned professional offer a higher price because of it? There is no way both eyes would be open in this scenario.
What about people who have astigmatism and don't wear progressive lenses? Are they able to use loupe (and other gemological tools) correctly?
On astigmatism, I've heard no complaints from anyone in the market, and we have people from all walks of life and all across the world. The loupe or microscope would be the ones that would be most particular, and the other instruments use different physical principles that should make them easier, regardless of your vision.
Really educating vlog...hope to see more...best wishes
Thanks very much ~ there will be more coming, fear not.
Just subscribed... really like your clear, concise, easy to understand videos...also your sense of logic and practicality is pretty unique and valuable...
As far as i can tell the Bolomo is NOT aplanatic...from your point of view, would you suggest that someone like me (very interested in purchasing/validating loose gems as a means of storing/preserving ones long term wealth) buy the more expensive aplanatic loupe (like the rubin and sons) or be content with the Bolomo...thanks for any thoughtful input...
Thanks for your kind words~ I've used both of these loupes and neither will steer you wrong. After checking the Belomo against straight lines and text on a page (the unofficially official test for planatic abberation) there was no obvious distortion. I prefer the Rubin and Sons personally, but thats just my feeling. Did you check out the review I did in this video? (link below) Some of the folk I know that are major buyers have loupes that are USD400, but they're using them all day and the advantage is less eye strain over prolonged use. I'm content with my Rubin and Sons for now.
th-cam.com/video/E0eZuYx-dW8/w-d-xo.html
@@GemologyforSchmucks Thanks for the timely reply/input...I just went to your website ( now i am even more convinced that you are a logical person) and my guess is that i will delve into this world of "earth treasures"...got some timidity/apprehensions i need to work through...I should have done this decades ago...
@@GemologyforSchmucks Concerning the use/abuse (LOL) of your services and additional communications, what is best method? Email, website, phone line, skype, snail mail or the continued swarming your youtube comment section ???
Also what (generally speaking) geographical area is "home base" I am in Chicago (gangster)-land...lol
@@superfluity-of-naughtiness777 You're welcome to swarm my comments section if you like - though for anything substantive, contacting me though the website www.gemshepherd.com is going to be more effective. There is a contact form which leads to email. Cheers~
Also - im quite heavily nomadic, and my concept of home base has eroded significantly XD
Great video ! Thanks ! And thanks for taking care about everybody's eyes' health !
We do what we can~ Thanks Pascal
Thank you !
My pleasure Oleg~
Do you have a video on how to wear those cheap chinese loupes with the metal headband? Mine didn't come with instructions & I don't want to look like a schmuck while wearing em. Thanks! 🙂
Are you referring to the watchmaker's loupes that sit in your eye socket? I expect a watchmaker may have made a video for you. I myself haven't used them much, as these types of loupe are the standard in our trade.
So I saw on gia they have a loupe for about 50 bucks it said fully corrected triplet glass I’m just trying to make sure the one Gia sells is a good one to get I’m still very new in the gemstone scene so any intro helps
@@GemologywithXerocity if it is a triplet loupe, then i expect its good to go. I also have another video on this channel on my recommendations for entry level loupes.
@@GemologyforSchmucks alright thank you so much I love your channel it’s taught me a lot of things I didn’t know about gems
When is a loop not a loop when it is a cheap loop I've been using them for some time but I still learned more 😊
I'm glad to have been of service. That said, some cheap loupes are still quite useful.
Love this, I knew I was using it like a total dork when I went into jewelry shops but I didn't know how to correct it until now 😂 thanks for the info
You're welcome~
Excellent tutorial. Thank you!
Thanks~ glad to be of service
Hey can you see certificate number with this loupe ?
Yes ~ a certificate number should be decently readable at 10x magnification in the right lighting environment. I'm not saying it will be easy... but definitely enough to verify. You may want a friend to write down the number as you read it aloud to them. Otherwise it can be quite tedious XD
I wear prescription glasses how will this affect the use of a loupe?
I know people who will take off their glasses to use a loupe and others that use in conjunction with their glasses. I imagine it will depend on your specific prescription, but I wouldn't be worried about it. I have not heard of any circumstances where someone was totally unable to use a loupe.
Thanks so much for explaining.
@@Pit5336 glad it was helpful
Great info. Love your presentation.
Thanks very much Ingeborg~ Keep an eye out for more :D maybe even later today XD
Excelleeeeent! I was using my 30x with one eye closed today and eyes felt wrong after just a short while. I was wondering how close to my eye to hold it. But might now buy a 10x since you said. ALso want one that is smooth on my finger! Is Toyo a decent brand?
Glad to be of help~ Toyo ive not used, so I cant say
So which one to buy ?
I have a review of 3 popular loupes that all perform well and are in an approachable budget. There are more luxury models, but that is unnecessary for the vast majority of people.
th-cam.com/video/E0eZuYx-dW8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Lpl9tQ2DongfUWid
@ thank you 🙏🏽 and thank you for taking time to reply 🍀👍🏼🍀
Your the best dude if always wanted to be a gemologist thank you infinity
@@Aldemonhasbeenwithfamforever glad I could help.
Valuable information. Thanks. 🙏
Im glad to serve~
Thanks again!
My Pleasure, Jessica
Thanks mate.. very informative and leaned many things. :)
Im very glad~ enjoy.
How to change a battery ?
A battery? There are no batteries in most loupes. If your loupe has a battery, then I recommend consulting the manufacturer's website and following the instructions.
My loupe doesn't bend lines one the lense edges or no rainbow colors whats that means ? I see straight line in the center ?
The hope is that there are straight lines and no "extra" rainbow colours across the whole face of the loupe lens.
@@GemologyforSchmucks yes i see straight line no extra rainbow on edges. so is that loupe aplanatic and achromatic ?
Enthusiastic truthfulness....!!?? You must get a lot of hate because of that. Lol..I love your videos brother, keep up the good work.
Acute observation~ Thanks for your support. My perspective is - if you're doing something good and you don't have any haters... you're not doing it big enough yet. Keep going. Cheers~!
Thank you
My pleasure~
But, what brand would be reliable?
There's lots of great loupes out there and people go this way and that way. I'm planning on doing a brand review with a few different loupes soon, but if you want to fast forward, you can look at the Belomo loupe (about 30usd) which i hear great things about, and also the Rubin and Son's (about 70usd) which folk RAVE about. There are of course higher-end loupes out there, but it's a whole world of unicorns and the pursuit of optical perfection.
@@GemologyforSchmucks Thank you so much :) thanks for the video as well!
Great video!
Thanks very much~
Love this video, Peter! Thank you. I have another suggestion (haha) I see you dress very smart, and I am terrible at this, I would love if you spoke a bit about how gemologists dress and maybe some ideas and combinations? hahaha I don't wanna be a schmuck at work
Thanks David, i'm glad that this has been of value to you. For dress, i'll say that a lot of people in the trade are more semi-formal, but you'll also find people buying stones worth hundreds of thousands of dollars that dress like... university boys... (#comfortable) Part of this is because looking too ostentatious all the time can also be unsafe bc it marks you in society as being someone who deals with valuable things. As a sales person, you need to be more "professional", but as a buyer, readiness to spend money speaks more than your clothes. When people go to conventions or other trade gatherings they tend to go more formal, for obvious reasons.
I'll think about how i can tie this in on future videos ^_^
@@GemologyforSchmucks Thank you so much. Yes, I understand now. This industry makes me a bit nervous... especially me being the first one in my family who's interested in gemstones ;) Thanksss
My dad is a retired doctor, and he and my mom used to watch TV and point out whenever somebody was using a tool incorrectly, on fictional TV shows and dramas, or when some procedure was obviously abnormal and not what they would do in real life. So, 'how to use a loupe and not make it obvious that you're just an actor, a thief, or a liar' in addition to not looking like someone so clueless, they could easily be taken advantage of.
thank you so much
My pleasure~
I just got my first loop. Time to review.
Excellent! The more you use it, the more natural it feels. Remember to keep both eyes open!~
Very informative - thanks sharing
Love your videos, I'm a total newbie when it comes to gemstones, I've been into semi precious stones for a couple of years but somehow my curiosity for real gems is growing and growing 😍, a question: I often see wholesalers of higher quality stones write "loupe clean" 🤔 what does it mean? / Ronja
Hi Ronja~ I'm glad that you enjoy my work. Loupe clean is supposed to mean that when an experienced observer checks the stone with a loupe, there are no visible inclusions. This isn't a standardized thing however, and if a seller is saying it, you can have some healthy skepticism. Even if it is not truly loupe clean, It "should" be a high clarity stone. It's either that, or the dealer does not have reliable descriptions.
Ouu the good one has a black light on it. I like that!
I like your video the schmuck ,,, its very informative thank you for posing
My Pleasure ~ more coming each week. I hope you've subscribed ;)
Thanks for such a nice video.
My pleasure~ I strive to continue improving.
Well, I’m an amateur… luckily I’m at home where I appear to be the … master beginner!
About the only thing I get right is “both eyes open”, the loupe itself is a good one but old & I like the powerful cheepies since I’m no “pro-in-the-know”, I enjoy the amazing features seen within any polished gem, created over time, deep underground.
Wearing expensive gems for status is like wearing cash & they look like glass or fancy glittery plastic to most of us anyway. A plain Ag/Au/Pt ring is my safer choice
Metals are definitely more liquid and easier to understand than gemstones, absolutely. There is space for growing value if you curate the stones however, which isn't available in metal. Metal is metal, and it doesn't matter how many times you melt it down and re-form it. It has a commodity and potentially an artistic value, whereas stones vary in rarity a lot.
Just bought a loupe and found your vid on it right after it was too late to cancel but it was a 2 pack with a 10x and then a 30x and 60x. I could not be more annoyed. Why would you even make one that powerful? Cant focus on anything. I decided this stupid product must die so i threw it at the wall.
Instead of a loup you can use your mobile fone camera. 🤔😅
You can zoom in or use the macro function.
Instead you watch through a Hole you can show at the fone display. 🤗
You also can make a picture and zoom in the picture more better !
technology can indeed be amazing.
@@GemologyforSchmucks
Yes
I have several loups.
My grandfathers little brass 20x loup from 1930,
A little new 60x with blue light check,
Yesterday i bought new Allteq upgraded 25x magnefier glasses with light.
All work but with mobile fone camera its less stressing to inspect objects.
I need them for authenticity, inspection of jewellery and a little watch repair.
You should look at the silver hallmarks of Pandora jewellery, even with 60x its small and hard to inspect.
Thanks a lot
Im glad to be of service.
You rock!
Thanks Johny~
Nice. Got it! This kind you
Thx, Joseph~
Price
th-cam.com/video/E0eZuYx-dW8/w-d-xo.html
Awesome
I'm glad to be of service~
At 5:32 there is an eye drift. It is wrong and unhealthy.
I use a 30x
if you enjoy it ~ great. For me that level of magnification when hand-held gives me a headache due to the thin depth of field.
Good .
Thanks~!
@@GemologyforSchmucks
Thanks .
Some one .
You know .
Thanks Some one .
I need one
yes you do~ invest in yo'self :D
@@GemologyforSchmucks you got it
How about people wear glasses?
That will depend on the individual, but many that have corrected vision (glasses and contacts) are able to use the loupe without issue.
PS...I'm a schmuck for life now, lol. Thanks again
Cheers Doug, and welcome to the crew !~
🌷🌷🌷👌
Very helpful demonstration jew
Greetings from a schmuck
Salutations, friend ^_^
Beautiful eyes. Wow
Why thank you~
Good smuck,
Why, thanks~
Dimond photo in the Loupe is not showed otherwise Waste video, 😂😂