What is a Jewelers Loupe?
A jeweler’s loupe is a type of magnifying glass which is used by jewelers to assess the quality of jewelry and loose stones. There are plenty of other uses for a loupe, ranging from closely examining print quality on proofs to looking at botanical specimens in the field. Many shops stock jeweler’s loupes in a variety of magnifying powers, along with instructions on how to use them. Learning to utilize a jeweler’s loupe does take some time, but it allows users to explore all sorts of interesting objects on a magnified scale. There are several variants on the basic design of a jeweler’s loupe. Some are designed to fit into eyepieces or visors, for example, for jewelers who want to have their loupes readily accessible. Others are designed as units on stands which can be positioned over the object of interest, forcing the user to bend over to look into the eyepiece. Lenses for loupes can be ground from glass or plastic; high quality loupes tend to have glass lenses. A good jeweler’s loupe
