The Private Reserve
Ideal Cut Diamonds
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The Ideal Differences

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Degrees of Magnification

The instrument pictured to the left 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.

It is important to note that while most jewelers use 10x power magnifying loupes in the buying room, many only have 5 - 7x loupes available on the front counter...  Such tactics are intended to make the inclusions more difficult for you to see so that you mistakenly think that the diamond is of a higher clarity than it actually is.  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 above 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.

This is a GIA Gem Scope manufactured by Leica™ it is considered to be standard equipment by more reputable jewelry stores who usually keep it in the main showroom area of their store for customer use.  This particular GIA Gem Scope has a range of magnification between 10x and 70x.  Interestingly enough we attended a Health Fair a few years ago and the same set up was being used by a vitamin company to demonstrate how their product entered the blood stream...  At 70x magnification you can actually watch your blood cells move about quite well on a glass slide...




So how do things look at various degrees of magnification?  It is important to understand how the different degrees of magnification effect the look of an inclusion because otherwise every little thing is going to look outrageously large to you...  For instance, here is a picture of an eraser from a #2 pencil and the tip of the same pencil as seen through our GIA Gem Scope at 10x magnification, click on the thumbnail below to view the full size image.  Note that in "real life" the pencil eraser has an outside diameter of about 6.9 millimeters which is the average outside diameter for a 1.20 carat round brilliant ideal cut diamond...  Wouldn't you like to get your hands on a diamond that was actually this size?  Needless to say, even 10x magnification is going to make even the tiniest of inclusions within a diamond look pretty substantial.

Just for fun, here are a few pictures of the backside of a dime as seen at various degrees of magnification as seen through our GIA Gem Scope.  Click on the thumbnail size images below to view the full size image, take a dime out of your pocket and hold it up to the picture on the screen to get a reference point as to the various degrees of magnification.

All right, so what about a diamond?  The diamond used in this example is an AGS Graded, round brilliant ideal cut diamond weighing 0.811 carats with an outside diameter of 6.10 - 6.15 x 3.66 mm.  The inclusions responsible for the clarity grade are two small feathers located on the underside of the stone within the pavilion main facets.  The inclusions are not visible to us without magnification.  Here is what the feathers look like at the various degrees of magnification available on the standard GIA Gem Scope.  Click on the thumbnail size images to view the full size pictures, the location of the inclusions are indicated by the red arrows on each picture.

So let's take a moment to think about this...  In real life this diamond measures 6.01 - 6.15 x 3.66 mm, the outside diameter is just a little smaller than the eraser on a #2 pencil, but in these pictures the feather looks massive!  They can't be seen in real life by us without a loupe even if we squint our eyes and stare at the diamond to the point where they start to burn.  We photograph all of the diamonds in our Private Reserve at various degrees of magnification so that you have an idea of what to expect when you get a chance to evaluate the diamond through a loupe or GIA Gem Scope for yourself.  However, it is important to realize that no matter how large and ominous the inclusions within a diamond might seem on your computer screen while you are looking at the diamond as if it were the size of a small car tire, that in reality the inclusions are extremely minute and insignificant.  We very carefully examine every diamond that we purchase for inventory, we send back anything that we don't like to the cutters for our competition to buy.  Did you know that most on-line diamond dealers never see the diamonds that they sell?  They simply list diamonds for sale and then drop ship the orders to their clients.  Now that's scary!  An inclusion at 10x - 70x that's not scary, that's merely providing you with insight into the diamond you are about to buy.

More pictures will be added to this page as we get a chance.  Let us know if there is something else you would like to see at 10x or higher magnification.  Just for kicks, we thought we'd end this page with a picture of a standard household black ant which measures about 2 mm in length as seen through our GIA Gem Scope at 20x magnification.  Totally gross, but you know you love it =)

May we help you find the diamond of your dreams?
Send us an email diamonds@niceice.com and tell us what you are looking for.
Or give us a call at 206.319.8152 or Toll Free 877.844.5443

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AGS® is a registered trademark of the American Gem Society (702) 255-6500
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