How To Use a Loupe

Prepare your exam area. To look at a diamond using a loupe, you'll need to be in an area with lots of light. Find a place in your home or place of work that can provide lots of direct light, either natural or artificial.  Ideally, you'd have a diamond lamp to use for this process, but it is not necessary. A desk lamp with a powerful bulb will do the trick. As well, ensure that your diamond examination area has a towel or cloth beneath it to cushion your elbows and stop the diamond from rolling should you drop it.

Open the loupe. A loupe is quite small, especially when it is folded compactly. To use it, you need to handle it carefully (to avoid dropping it or damaging the lens). When properly open, a loupe should form a straight line, resembling a tiny magnifying glass. Hold the loupe in your hand, putting one finger through the opening to keep from dropping it. Make sure you have a good hold on the loupe, as it will need to be steady in order for you to use it.

Hold the diamond to your eye. With the loupe prepared, you should now grasp the diamond properly. Hold on the diamond around the outer edges (known as the girdle of the diamond) with your fingers. Don't ever use tweezers to hold a diamond unless you are a professional, as you can easily scratch the diamond.

With the diamond in your hand, bring the loupe to your eye. It should be as close as you can have it comfortably. Use your cheek to steady the loupe and keep it from moving. Move the diamond toward the lens of the loupe.

Focus by moving your fingers, not the loupe. Unlike other microscopes or magnifying glasses, the loupe is meant to be a stationary examination tool. It is the diamond that must be moved if you want to bring it into clearer focus. Hold the diamond closer to the loupe (or further away) until it comes into focus. A steady hand is necessary in order to use the loupe correctly to see the facets of the diamond. If you must, close your other eye so that you can examine the diamond through the loupe without distraction.

Turn the diamond for an angled view. You can also view the different sides of a diamond through the loupe. Again, you'll need to move the diamond, not the loupe, to do this. Simply rotate the diamond within your fingers to view it at different angles. As you're doing this, take care not to get too many fingerprints on the sides or facets of the diamond. You want to be able to see each polished side of the diamond clearly through the loupe without having to use a cloth to shine it up every time you shift your hold on the diamond.