The instrument pictured below is a standard 10x diamond grading loupe. The industry standard for diamond grading is 10x magnification and this is the minimum degree of magnification that you should rely on when evaluating a diamond for purchase. In addition to the GIA Gem Scope pictured below, we use 10x, 15x, 20x and 30x magnification diamond grading loupes as part of our evaluation process. The degree of magnification is often stamped on the case of the loupe.

It is important to note that while most jewelers use 10x power magnifying loupes in the buying room, many jewelry stores only have 5x - 7x loupes available on the front counter for use by their customers. Such "sales tactics" are likely intended to make the inclusions appear less prominent because people naturally seem to gravitate towards diamonds with fewer flaws. Imagine how many more diamonds a store can sell by leaving 7x diamond grading loupes on their sales counter if their competition up the street is legitimately using 10x magnification with their customers. A diamond with a clarity grade of SI-1 will look dramatically better when viewed through 7x magnification than it will when viewed through the industry standard of 10x. "Oh honey! This SI-1 is so much nicer than the one we saw up the street... It's so much cleaner inside!"

Most of the time you can determine the level of magnification by a stamp located on the outside of the fold out case on the loupe which will state the level of magnification just like in the picture (provided previously) that reads 10x. If you're not willing to rely on the loupe provided by your jeweler, you can purchase a variety of diamond grading loupes on our Diamond Grading Tools page. If you're buying a diamond from us online, a 10x diamond grading loupe will be included in the box!