How to use a loupe for gold and jewelry?

A loupe is a very special type of magnifying glass and can be very helpful for examining gold, diamonds or jewelry. You can inspect diamonds for chips, scratches or inclusions or you can look for your jewelry’s gold stamp. Please consider that even when individuals use a loupe they won’t have the knowledge or skill to see or understand, the many telltale indicators, that an experienced jeweler or gemologist could find. But a loupe is a great tool to spot badly visible markings, flaws or disadvantages. In addition to that please bear in mind that you could get a wrong impression of the piece that you try to examine. It needs a lot of practice for jewelers, gemologists, gold buyers and goldsmiths to know what to look for and to detect real advantages and disadvantages. But nevertheless, a loupe is a very practical tool and with practice it will become more and more valuable for you.

Start with a ten-power (10x) loupe to find the gold markings

Most people use a ten-power loupe to spot gold or silver markings. It’s always good to know which alloy your jewelry is made of or if there is a special designer marking that you can spot. Besides your scale your best friend should be a loupe, especially if you plan to sell gold or jewelry. To spot markings with a loupe means that you know the alloy and also the value, in further consequence.

How to hold a loupe when examining gold, diamonds or jewelry?

Use your loupe according to our instruction:

1. Hold the loupe between your thumb and your index finger.
2. Hold the gold, diamond or jewelry in the other hand.
3. Bring both hands slowly together until the resolution clears up.
4. You can move your hands up and down to get different views from different perspectives.
5. Try to get a steady hand when the view on your item is clear.

Tip: Keep the loupe approx. one inch away from the eye to get a clear view on your item.

Why are ten-power loupes so common in the US?

Maybe you heard about diamond certifications before. The Federal Trade Commission of the United States requires grading do be done under a ten-power loupe. Any loupes, less than 10x, are not permitted for diamond grading.