Hobbies And Interests
Dichroscope
While a dichroscope can help its user tell if a gemstone is genuine or not, it's principally used as a very good indicator of what the final color can be for a clean, uncut, rough gemstone. Shades of color can make a big difference in the value of a gemstone. No less important, the dichroscope is also used to identify rough gemstones, by helping its user to view the different colors of dichroic or trichroic colored rocks.
Loupe
If you've ever seen someone examining a precious stone with a little hand-held magnifying glass, you were more than likely viewing a sophisticated magnifying glass, called a loupe. Loupes are the handiest pieces of equipment for anyone serious about gemstones. They are usually 10x the magnification of the naked eye, although loupe magnification can reach as high as 400x.
Spectroscope
Every chemical element has its equivalent line of color or colors, or spectral fingerprint. Precious gemstones are certainly no exception. Viewing them through a spectroscope and matching the color or colors to authoritative gemstone charts and graphs, the user of a spectroscope identifies whether a colored rock is a precious gemstone and which gemstone it is.
Refractometer
Not only do colors have to be examined, but how light refracts in and through a colored rock has to get measured for identification of a precious gemstone. A refractometer is used to examine the refractive index of a gemstone. Once it is measured and compared to already established values for precious gemstones, the purity of the stone is made evident.