Hey everyone. I’m wondering what equipment you guys have on hand in your retail stores or home enthusiast setups.
From the simple loupe, to the most complex Infrared Spectometer, what do you have and what do you find most useful?
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Microscope
Refractometer
Polarascope
Dicroscope
Pocket Spectrascope
Color Filters
Ott Light
Loupes
Tweezers
SG Scale
All of them are needed for Gem Identification, but not everything is needed for Gem Grading.
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I too have the same equiptment as KAT.
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i
Im looking to buy equipment used ,would this be a bad idea , cause that would be the only way i could afford it,probably
Hi.
Used pro equipment is still expensive if you are on a limited budget. You can find (cheaper) unbranded equipment on Ebay from China. They are not like a quality tool from ex GIA ofcourse but you will do just fine with them.
Regards
Pierre
thank you , almost affraid to buy anything from china
If you are in the US, a lot of what you buy, gemological or not, comes from China. Some is of very good quality and some is not. You would need to exercise the same due diligence you use in buying a freezer or car or small appliance…look at the reviews and specs, etc. I have bought things gemological on Ebay as well as a lot of other stuff. Be sure to get a return privilege and check the gem instrument for proper operation on receiving it. Often you can buy Chinese items from a vendor with a US office at about the same price and it arrives quicker and is easier to ship back if a problem arises.
In particular, the Chinese refractometers are a good value new at about $100 or a little less, sometimes even cheaper used. Just be check by measuring some quartz, which tends to be invariant, and return any instrumnet whose calibration seems to be off. Far better value for money than a used GIA instrument at $485, which I just saw on ebay. If you have the money for something premium, go for it, but be aware that both the cheap instrument and the expensive one will probably return equal results. It’s kind of like choosing whether to get a Mont Blanc pen or a Bic.
I did buy a used Rayner Dialdex refractometer on ebay a few years ago to replace a stolen old GIA refractometer, both for the nostalgia value and the added accuracy that this instrument provides. The prism and the provided filters do seem to be a little cloudy but I’m still able to read the instrument well and accurately. I paid $245, and felt the extra accuracy was worth that. At $500, I probably would have passed…
So check your options before deciding what to buy. Older instruments sometimes are a good value, particularly older stereo zoom microscopes, but the new stuff from China has changed your investment in gem instruments from thousands to hundreds of dollars. It used to be that a gem microscope would cost you $4000 and a refractometer $600 or more before the Chinese started manufacturing these. Now you could get both of these for $600, maybe less. Ditto with other instruments. So count your blessings and don’t be afraid…just take reasonable precautions. -royjohn
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thank you ,i may have to consider to check it out