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Doublet Jewelers
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Loupes: Introduction

The loupe (pronounced loop) is the most indispensable tool for use in a diverse number of industries. Such industries include jewelry, watch making, photography, printing, dentistry, surgery, geology, etc. A loupe is a magnifier that has special lenses that allow our eyes to focus on an object, making it larger and revealing details that couldn't be seen at normal vision.

Magnification

The most common magnification for a loupe is 10x. The x stands for times. So a 10x magnification means that you will view 10 times the actual size of the object. Decent 15x and 20x loupes are more expensive and smaller in field of view than the 10x ones. Usually you have to put the 20x loupe (and your face) so close to the object that it blocks most of the light. It's self-defeating. Lens quality also makes a much more noticeable difference at these higher magnifications. So with that being said, basically the higher the magnification of a loupe, the smaller the size of the lens. Low magnification loupes like 2x loupes can be as big as 4 - 5 inches. 10x magnification loupes can have lens as small as ½ inch or less which gives a smaller windows to view an object. Unfortunately you cannot have it both ways, having a high magnification and larger lens.

Number of Lens

Single lens loupes may be sold very cheap and are may be either low or decent quality depending on the quality of the loupe. Single lens loupes will make the object more distorted and objects seem blurry. The doublet lens is 2 lenses and is not usually being offered or being sold as much. Doublets are usually offered as a cheaper alternative to the triplet lens. The triplet lens is 3 lenses assembled together. A lot of manufacturers that claim to sell triplet loupes may not in fact be a triplet but actually have one single lens. One way to know that you are getting an actual triplet lens is based on the price. Triplet lens run at about $20+ and usually the fake triplets would cost as low as $3 - $5. There are also quadruplet and pentagonal lens (4 and 5 lens, respectively). These lenses are constructed in a way to reduce distortion and eliminate color problems that would be present for loupes that have lesser lens.

How to Use a Loupe

Using a loupe is very simple and only takes less than a minute. The following is a step by step procedure in using a loupe:

1. Are you getting enough light? - Make sure to pick out a well lighted room. The light should be able to match the same amount that a natural sunlight would give. Using a diamond lamp would be the best but not usually necessary.

2. Which eye should I use? - Professionals usually keep both eyes open when viewing through a loupe. Many people like to close one eye in order to eliminate distractions. This is fine as long as you are not straining your eye. Usually if you are right handed, you would use your right eye as your dominant eye and visa versa for one who is left handed.

3. Are you holding the loupe correctly? - Some people hold a loupe like they do a magnifying glass. They hold the loupe about a foot away from the eye. This would be possible for low magnification loupes (2x, 6x, 8x) since the lens size is bigger but for high magnification loupes (10x or higher), it would be harder since the lens size is a lot smaller. The proper way to hold a loupe is to hold it so the thumb is resting above the loupe and towards your face. When viewing, rest your thumb on your cheek bone as so that the loupe is about an inch away from your eye.

4. Can you see the object clearly? - If you cannot see the object clearly, try focusing the object with your free hand. Do not move the hand that is holding the loupe.

Celestial Blue Sapphire

Sapphire, the name has originated from Latin ‘sapphirus’ meaning blue and the Persian “safir’ signifying beloved of Saturn. That is it. Now what you will find, as you continue reading below, wouldn’t resemble the same monotony on this gemstone, which almost 90% of the online material would provide.

Apart from the same matter like blue and other types of colors found in this crystal, there is much more to provide to buyers. This includes information about color zoning, enhancements, or treatments, and imitations.

Pleochroism in corundum family, makes sapphire, a color zone prone stone. Color zone in this stone indicates towards the growth layers of mineral. It actually is in the form of series of concentric hexagons parallel to prismatic crystal faces. Like known, color and clarity of a gemstone, play a vital role in its pricing.

While valuing blue sapphire, a stone with a violet overtone, with no hints of grey or green, is preferred. As above, irregular color coverage, or dispersion is detracting from its value and beauty. A properly faceted stone can solve a stone’s color zoning problem and enhance its color coverage.

In addition, more color coverage ensures high saturation, seen in normal viewing positions. Sapphire gems cut too shallow can decrease color coverage.

As a precaution, sapphire shouldn’t be cut too shallow or deep, for that matter, since excessive deep-cutting is a sacrifice on brilliance.This creates black areas as ‘extinction’.

Whereas a shallow cut could result in appearance of short light paths called as ‘windows’. Therefore, most large sapphires are in oval, emerald or cushion cuts and the smaller ones are able to fancy other kind of shapes too.

There is rarely a sapphire which is flawless. Sapphires are usually found with inclusions. In addition, inclusions and clarity go together. Clarity is basically based on factors such as size, number, contrast, and location.

However, there are cases of sapphires with inclusions, which are relatively highly- valued just like flawless ones. Since sapphire is a hard stone, it does contain preferred directions of parting which shows, that material can be brittle in spite of its hardness.

Many internal conchoidal fractures and or cracks can weaken a stone. Nevertheless, there are very less chances when sapphire as a jewel has failed first, as compared to the metal work, during years of wear and tear.

Going back to clarity, it is decided by referring to its inclusions. Fracture filling is a common industry practice which includes oil, wax, paraffin, and glass and epoxy resin as fillers. After this, color of stone is still not diminished and fractures are non-reflective.

An enhancement like heat-treatment is also widely practiced. A permanent practice, heating facilitates melting of any silk inclusion plus intensified color. Whereas irradiation is a temporary process of intensifying color.

Numerous imitations or doublets are sold to travelers in Far East, since they are difficult to be separated from the natural sapphire gemstones. Even gemological tests, after setting in jewelry fail to catch the culprit.

Presence of misnomers, like ruby as red spinel and red garnet was prevalent during 1800’s. Still today, this malpractice is found to be conducted intentionally.

For example, a cobalt-blue glass is stuck with a crown of garnet, or a low-grade sapphire crown and pavilion are simply glued together with a colored epoxy. This results into a fake yet creation of a blue sapphire with an expensive hue reflection.

About the Author

Jewelry is not just in writing but a fascination for me. I grew into it since the day I started my research. There is a lot that one needs to know about jewelry simply because they are so valuable that you cannot afford to miss a single bit. My alliance with online gemstone and jewelry selling website enables me to bring you the best of jewelry fashion and jewelry education.

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