Diamonds: How do I use a 10x jewelers' loupe to look at a diamond?

Always request a 10x loupe when you buy a diamond, especially if you have it laser inscribed. Looking at a diamond under magnification can be exciting. You can easily use a loupe to examine your diamond by following the simple instructions below. We show the technique without tweezers because of the possible damage from using tweezers incorrectly.

You might want to print these instructions to keep them next to your examination area.

1. Set up the examination area
   Find a good place in your home or office with plenty of light. The best light is color corrected to match natural sunlight. Though nothing replaces a professional diamond lamp, people often find that a desk lamp is good enough for home use. Lay out a small, clean towel under your elbows to provide a soft landing place and stop the diamond from rolling in case you drop it.
   
   
2. Open the loupe
   Open the loupe (the example below is not quite fully open) until it is straight up, as in the photo at top. Pick up the loupe in your right hand (left if left-handed) with your finger through the opening as a brace. This will make it easy to hold the loupe steady and move it subtly to focus.

1. Hold the diamond in your fingers
   Use your thumb and forefinger of your left hand (right if left handed) to pick up the diamond around the outer perimeter (called the girdle), avoiding any fingerprints on the flat surfaces (facets). Of course, diamond dealers use special tweezers to examine diamonds to avoid fingerprints, but tweezers can damage a diamond if used poorly. For a novice, using your fingers will protect the "girdle" -- the delicate edge around the circumference of the diamond.
   
   
2. Brace your hands together
   Slowly put the loupe up to your eye, very close. Steady your loupe hand against your cheek. Then hold up the diamond until it moves into focus. Copy the way our founder does it in the photo above.
   
   
3. Focus by moving your fingers
   Focus by moving the diamond (not the loupe) with your fingers (not your hands). Keep your hands braced against each other. A pro will leave both eyes open, but we find that most first-timers like to close the other eye to ignore distractions.
   
   
4. Rotate for different angles
   Rotate the diamond around to view it from different angles and see every part of the stone. Definitely look at the diamond from the bottom as well.

Robert Hensley
President
Diamond Helpers

Keywords: loupe, loop, loup, 10x loupe, how to use a loupe