BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Folding Magnifier

by Amateur Geologist

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 1.4 x 1.2 inches ; 2.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0002OVC9W
• Item model number: 1001B
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,229 in Office Products (See Top 100 in Office Products)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 21, 2004

Product Description

The BelOMO 10x21mm(0.85'') Triplet Loupe Magnifier has a viewing area of 0.65" (17mm), much larger than the Bausch & Lomb Hastings Triplet Magnifier (see the image with both loupes for a size comparison). The large 21mm (.85") 3 elements lens making up this achromatic triplet gathers lots of light to provide a bright, clear, and color correct view. The 10x power magnification provides the best magnification to depth of field ratio and is the most poplular power for a handheld magnifier. The housing and cover have a matte black finish for gem grading. Belarusian Optical and Mechanical Association (BelOMA), makers of telescopes, camera lenses, and other optical components manufacuturs these loupes. Highly recommended by the Amateur Geologist. This is the lens we use all the time. Don't let this price fool you. The BelOMO loupe is a FANTASTIC buy. These are optical quality lenses, each one inspected and certified just like a camera lens, that stand on their own against the higher priced competition. BelOMO loupes are assembled using screws rather than rivets which allows them to be adjusted. Every BelOMO loupe shipped by Amateur Geologist is custom treated to prevent the screws from coming loose with usage. Don't be fooled by cheap loupes selling for nearly the same price of MORE! Many don't even tell the manufacturer. Why? Because they're cheap imports from China, Japan, Tawain or elsewhere which typically cost less than a dollar at import. If you don't know the manufacturer how can you know the quality? Is each lens tested and does it include the certification just like a camera lens? The BelOMO does. Triplet means three lenses made of different types of optical glass bonded together and designed that, together, they straighten out the light that comes into the front of the loupe lens so that it's the same when it leaves. Cheap mport triplets are just three identical pieces of glass, not bonded, that distort the image.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Loupe, a true must have for jewelry, December 5, 2005

By 

Robert Hollis (Saint Peters,MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Folding Magnifier (Office Product)

I bought this loupe to replace a Bausch and Lomb Hastings triplet 10x loupe that I lost. Although this loupe cost $13 (compared to $45 for the B&L) I like this one better. It has a much larger viewing area and is just as clear.

By the way, I know it looks cheap and plastic in the picture, but it actually has a metal frame that has been powder coated. The manufacturer is located in a former Soviet Republic, Belarus. The plant was originally set up to produce optics for spy satellites, but now has diversified into everything optical. Although the companies name, BelOMO, unfortunately sounds like BLAMO, it actually stands for Belarusian Optical and Mechanical Association. Do a Google search on the company and you will be impressed.

By the way, I really think anyone who is thinking of purchasing jewelry should own a loupe. Buying jewelry without viewing it with a loupe is quite literally the same as buying it without looking at it. Diamonds are graded by what can be seen with a 10x color corrected triplet loupe (this item). Once you try it out, you will be amazed at what you can see.

As a final note, I bought this item through an Amazon seller called mgcgmh (I have no idea what that is supposed to stand for) and I was very pleased. I ordered it on Friday and my new loupe was in my mailbox on Monday. This is a $13 item, and it was refreshing to see a seller take the time to immediately ship it. I have lost track of the number of very expensive items I have ordered that took days to ship. I wish all sellers were this eager to please.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best loupe, November 24, 2006

By 

Fred K. Johnson (Aurora, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Folding Magnifier (Office Product)

I own one of these loupes. While I haven't compared it personally there have been product reviews that compare it to the B&L triplet loupe costing much more and being of equal or better quality. This is a true Hastings triplet loupe. This is very important. As the previous reviewer pointed out if you are buying a diamond you absolutely need to have a loupe and learn how to use it for checking out diamonds. I am an amateur geologist and have a broader use. The only downsides are the price here is extremely high. Do a google and you will find sites that sell it for under $15. It is also held together by machine screws that can come loose. Use some locktite on them and you won't have a problem.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost perfect! But shop for a better price., March 25, 2008

By 

Elizabeth A Triano "lizziewriter" (In Transition, NY (watch this space)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: BelOMO 10x Triplet Loupe Folding Magnifier (Office Product)

This really is the premiere 10x loupe for hobbyists and amateurs of all sorts, and many professionals as well. It is sturdy and the glass is clear and of a generous size. The price can't be beat either. Fortunately for us, the BelOMO seems to be available pretty regularly, from a number of sellers, which hasn't always been the case.

In my case, I think I purchased four of them at one point, and mine has since been misplaced but my kind hubby loaned me his. I have several other loupes but this one is just my favorite. It was not so long ago that these lenses could be found for $15 apiece... shop around and you should be able to find them for $20 - 25 -- do Not pay $50 unless you have a special fondness for the supplier(!) Note that the BelOMO also comes as a 7x, so be sure to look for the 10x as you are shopping.

My only complaint about this lens is that there isn't a good spot to attach a clip or lanyard. You can clip or tie some things onto a bar opposite the swing-hinge, but nothing very thick or the lens won't close.

If you haven't used a loupe before, you generally hold it very close to your eye, and then hold the object (mineral, gem, dead insect, whatever) very close to the lens, and focus by moving it closer or farther away. Good luck!