Buying a Watch Loupe: Which Magnification is the Best?

[@truxton1000]

I got the Belomo 10x, and a Bergeon that clips on to my glasses and magnify 4 times. I use both equally, if I do work on watches I tend to use the 4x more also as it gives a wider field, and I can keep my hands free ads it is attached to my glasses. The 20x magnification is probably not needed for "normal people". The Belomo's are great, cost around £30 delivered from Belarus, great old school quality.

[@robertwilliamson6121]

The 10x seems to be the "go to" loupe for Watchmakers, Gemologists, Meteoriticists, Geologists, Prospectors et al. For true Hastings Triplets...the Belomo is excellent... also excellent is Bausch & Lomb. There are a few excellent ones made in Europe... but priced astronomically. The best bang for your buck is probably Belomo. I have a couple Belomo 10x with pouches and neck lanyards..... I also have a set of Bausch & Lomb Hastings Triplets... the 10x, 14x and 20x. The one I use the most is the 10x. The 14x times once in a while... the 20x almost never. Buying the 20x was a waste of my money.

[@m3tek44]

can't agree more to owning a loupe. you can see so much details having one and personally own Bergeon 1458A and can't be happier!

[@melodychest9020]

I got the Belomo 10x and even that has quite a shallow depth of field and I had to learn how to use it by holding it close to the eye and moving the object close and moving it gently to pull focus. 10x is enough like you said for most case scenarios. I would recommend a small microscope for more details, no point buying 15x and 20x which will be so hard to focus.

[@davidstopps5887]

Just what i wanted to know ! Cheers Austin

[@Saints-Forever]

10x is good enough and a 15x is the max one can use to see the finer details on the dial but hard to focus as you indicated. However, a good loupe like the one Austin using Belomo is one of the better ones.

[@jim5148]

Excellent video, thanks! I have a 30x lens/tube arrangement that is designed to be mounted in an instrument that I salvaged. It is 100% completely useless trying to hand hold it.

[@CraigMarett]

I asked the question in my local Rolex & Omega AD about a week ago, and they advised x4 is ideal, and get the one that you hold in place with your eye. It’s currently on its was to me, so I guess I’ll see if it delivers what I’m after.

[@scottd7615]

so is 4x enough?

[@adiands850]

which loupe did you get in the end and how do you rate it? Thanks

[@sluggger]

I don't really use mine for watches but for coins, scale models, and other hobbies. For me having a good depth of field where I get clarity at a wider range of angles and distances is the most important thing, even if the power is technically very weak. For instance, I have a 10x triplet that I suspect is not actually 10x, but worse than that, it has very finnicky DOF which for me causes a lot of eyestrain when examining and trying to grade coins, to the point of causing severe headaches. When doing coins, it involves longer looks and looking at coins in series, and that can really hurt the eyes in my experience, even with some breaks thrown in.

[@oyster_3694]

Great video! I've recently been doing some research on loups! And came to the same conclusion! But you make it clear why!👍🏾

[@irvkettering1752]

BelOMO is no longer sold by Amazon. From Wikipedia: " On December 5, 2023, the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has added BelOMO, LEMT BelOMO and JSC Zenit BelOMO, another BelOMO subsidiary, as well as their Directors general, Moroz, Shkadarevich and Gaichuk, to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List."

[@Portland_Living_Life]

I've got a Paragon 10X loupe and agree that 10X seems to be just about perfect.

[@Nexus.Achiles]

I always carry a loupe with me when checking out a watch at a preowned dealer or when I visit an AD to buy a new watch. It's never been an issue. In fact, dealers completely understand. Better be safe than sorry.

[@Harry_16710]

Yes, gotta have a loupe (or two) to enjoy the serif fonts!👍🏼 I use a number of loupes at various magnefications based on the environment.

[@Treetopflyer777]

I bought a 15. It seems to have the issues that your 20 has. Could be I have a heck of a time focusing on things close to my eyes. I’m starting to lose that close-up vision... Maybe a 10 would be better for me.

[@jacobpaint]

As someone who knows nothing about loupes it seems like they could just add a ring light to the 20x loupe (or any other) but the fact that you don’t even bother to suggest such a thing (and a quick google search doesn’t have a light in this form factor) suggests that there is some reason why it wouldn’t work.

[@fortisflumen1371]

Thank you so much! You the best.

[@jhodini]

Nice video. I recently ordered a Belomo 10x triplex and am awaiting delivery. I do wonder if LED loupe would be better. I suspect not, but not sure why...anyone?

[@watchsymposium]

I'm a stickler for natural light, but it could be useful in some of those darker watch shops.

[@geezer8294]

get a loupesystem loupe, Austin!

[@juniorjohnson5961]

What's your thoughts on a magnifying Glass with a light ?

[@cozyhomeone]

Excellent video. Thank you !

[@Biblicalgiants]

On ebay there's some Japanese loops made of red and blue plastic but I cant find them on any other web sight. Have you seen these? What do you think about those if you have? Good upload!

[@NickCoburnPhillips]

Brilliant little video! Thank you! :D

[@pukenanginang]

I owned an omega moonphase and I bought a diamond eye loupe to see the moonboot print in it.

[@omar10213245]

i own the same watch, and yes, seeing that print with a loupe is just awesome

[@ManMan-eo4ns]

He rambles get the 10x magnification ONLY!

[@Rckhlld1]

Is a eye loop as good ?

[@levehajdu5748]

I agree! I also have both the 10x is very good the 20x provides no more detail and is harder to use.

[@andreasd6857]

i recommend to have several and one loupe with the highest magnification. I went with my Explorer 1016 to an independent dealer and wanted him to say a word about it. He took his loupe and said "oO!" my heart bottomed down you can imagine.😵 He said that something is strange with my dial 😨 he gave me his loupe, and in contrast to my loupe wich has a smaller magnification, i looked in detail the 3 6 9 and he said that the numbers are not in normal size and he has to ask his boss about that. 🙄 it turned out that the dial is original but not that beautiful. 😆 puuhh.... That learned me a lesson. So if you are planning buying a used Rolex get a loupe with the highest magnification and learn to use it 👌

[@andreasd6857]

@Nigel Molesworth Thank you 😆

[@seansnowden3153]

Got a ‘15’ that seems to work best for me, maybe it’s my old eyes 👀👍

[@ref6122]

My Hastings 10X is all I need.

[@malcolmalexander5246]

One with a light?

[@SA-ku5oe]

Using the loop on the iconaut hhhh love it.

[@danarami6378]

You’re right, 20x no light , unless you have lights from all side hitting the object, cheers

[@robertwilliamson922]

For use in examining rocks and minerals in Geology, and Chondrite meteorites and coins…I find my 10x BelOMO is my go to loupe. Even though I have 10x, 14x and 20x Bausch and Lomb loupes also. My Bausch and Lomb loupes are great…I would not get rid of them. I keep the 10x on my key ring. The 20x is next to useless except for the very rarest of occasions. The 14x almost as bad. I find 10x the perfect sweet spot. But my 10x BelOMO is my go to workhorse loupe in the field. Love it….bought a second BelOMO 10x for a backup…. Ha, ha. 👍🏼 👏🏼 😃

[@watchsymposium]

Agreed, my 10x is my go to, and I hardly bother with the 20x.

[@TimWrite]

Ha, I have a really cheap x30 lupe, but it has a built in light which makes It a lot easier to use in low light. Austin is right about the depth of field though, sometimes I have to bring the watch in and out in order to focus on part of the part that I’m interested in. Maybe I should get 10x as well, haha 😂

[@Makeit101]

I just bought a 10X Belomo from Belarus on eBay for $39 plus $15 shipping so they are still available new shipped to the US.

[@babsiegirl3731]

GIA diamond graders use 10X, so it's good enough in my book!!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Cool, thanks. I just got Adam Savage's head mounted typed loupe (but mine has a third lens, it's very Blade Runner, Cyberpunk :-) God bless, Rev. 21:4

[@โมโมทาโร่-ฬ8ถ]

Very good

[@HHIto]

Zeiss 5x Triplet, Bausch & Lomb 5x Loupe, thoughts?

[@watchsymposium]

I've never tried those, so I can't say.

[@Makeit101]

You cannot go wrong with Zeiss which always has the best optics available.

[@mrluis2479]

Should i get one with LED light? I use a BELOMO 10x but it has no light

[@robertwilliamson922]

The ones with lights are almost all cheap lenses. The lights just a sales gimmick. There will be almost always plenty of light around you. And you can use a little LED flashlight if you have to. I got a high quality triplet BelOMO 10x loupe…..no lights.. don’t need them. And can’t be happier. Ignore gimmicky loupes. Stick to simple….high quality.

[@omar10213245]

yep, 10X is all I ever use.

[@Ceviche956]

Thanks!

[@terencemorrissey4413]

For photography, examining negatives and slides, the standard is 4x.

[@oneRella]

You seem pretty cool for a rich guy.

[@watchsymposium]

Lol, thanks! But I'm not rich...I just spend all my money on watches.

[@marcocastagnetti7086]

I bought a loop as part of my watch box tools but hesitate using on the dials as it will no doubt high light imperfections and my lead to seeing the watch differently, sounds silly maybe I should just use it and except it, however if it was a snowflake i'am sure I would use it.

[@roberthamblett9619]

Belomo supply the sights and optics for the Russian army

[@watchsymposium]

Interesting - I didn't know that!

[@robertwilliamson922]

BelOMO also has an agreement with Zeiss and makes their optics with Zeiss equipment. Another thing to consider.

[@roberthamblett9619]

Wheels within wheels

[@bentravis99]

Great info, thank you!