I AM CONSTANTLY ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS BY BEGINNER GEMOLOGISTS AND GEM COLLECTORS ALIKE: WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO GET STARTED? WELL, MOST OF US START WITH GOOD GEM BOOKS, OF COURSE. THE G.I.A. BOOKSTORE HAS THE BEST GEM AND GEMOLOGY BOOKS AVAILABLE, AND ANYONE CAN PURCHASE THEM! "GEMS AND GEMOLOGY" IS THE TOP RATED, ALL INCLUSIVE BOOK...A MUST HAVE FOR THE BEGINNER TO THE ADVANCED GEMOLOGIST.

FOR THE MOST PART, THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS A GOOD MICROSCOPE.

(COLOR CHANGE BLUE GARNET)

THIS IS A PRIMARY TOOL FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GEMS. WITH IT, YOU CAN SEE THE GEM CLOSE UP, AND NOTICE INCLUSIONS, FLAWS, COLOR, REFRACTION...BE WARNED! ONCE YOU START, THIS WILL BECOME AN OBSESSION! THE WORLD INSIDE A GEM CAN BE AMAZING! GEM COLLECTORS OFTEN PURCHASE GEMS BECAUSE OF THE INCLUSIONS INSIDE (AS IN THE CASE OF DEMANTOID GARNET).

(INCLUSIONS IN ROUGH DIAMOND)

THE MICROSCOPE YOU CHOOSE SHOULD BE BINOCULAR OR TRINOCULAR (IF YOU PLAN ON USING A MICROSCOPIC CAMERA). THIS ALLOWS FOR EASE IN VIEWING WITHOUT SQUINTING ONE EYE, AND WIDER FIELD OF VISION. THE TRINOCULAR HAS AN EXTRA PORT FOR A CAMERA TO ATTACH, SO THAT YOU CAN CAPTURE INCLUSIONS ON FILM. THERE ARE CAMERAS AVAILABLE THAT ATTACH INTO THE EYEPIECE PORT OF A BINOCULAR SCOPE, BUT THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO USE THE READOUT ON THE COMPUTER TO FOCUS, ETC.

(UNUSUAL 'STRINGING' COVELLITE INCLUSION IN QUARTZ)

THE MICROSCOPE SHOULD HAVE 10x-40x MAGNIFICATION BUILT IN, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE EYEPIECES. THIS MAKES IT EASY TO ZOOM IN ON A PARTICULAR AREA WITHOUT HAVING TO DO A LOT OF EQUIPMENT CHANGES. YOU MAY WANT TO PURCHASE EYEPIECES THAT ZOOM TO 60x-65x FOR REALLY CLOSE UP WORK LATER.

LIGHTING IN A SCOPE IS VERY IMPORTANT. THE SCOPE YOU CHOOSE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST TWO FIELDS OF LIGHTING, ONE ABOVE THE VIEWING STAGE AND ONE BELOW. THE LOWER LIGHT SHOULD ALSO HAVE A DARKFIELD IRIS, AN ATTACHMENT THAT OPENS AND CLOSES TO ALLOW A LOT OF LIGHT OR A CONCENTRATED SPOT. (YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT USING THIS IN YOUR GEMOLOGY BOOKS.)

(WIRE GEM CLAMP)

A GREAT EXTRA TO HAVE IS A GEM CLAMP. THIS FREES YOUR HANDS FOR OTHER THINGS, SUCH AS FINE TUNING FOCUS, LIGHTING, USING YOUR CAMERA, ETC. THE  BEST I HAVE FOUND ARE OPEN WIRE CLAMPS, NOT THE ALLIGATOR CLIP TYPE. (I FIND THE ALLIGATOR CLAMPS TOO STRONG, ESPECIALLY FOR VERY SMALL GEMS, OR DELICATE STONES LIKE EMERALD) YOU CAN FIT SMALLER GEMS IN THESE, AND LOSE LESS FIELD WHEN USING THIS TYPE.( FOR VERY SMALL GEMS, A TWEEZERS IS BEST.)

THERE ARE MANY ACCESSORIES YOU CAN PURCHASE FOR YOUR SCOPE LATER ON, SO BUYING A GOOD SCOPE WITH 'ROOM TO GROW' IS ALWAYS BEST. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF PURCHASING A CHEAPER SCOPE WHEN I STARTED OUT, AND ENDED UP BUYING A MORE EXPENSIVE MODEL NOT SOON AFTER.

(FLUORESCENT LIGHT ATTACHMENT)

WHAT BRANDS ARE BEST? THE TOP GEM SCOPES ARE AVAILABLE AT GIA (GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA) AND YOU DON'T NEED TO BE A STUDENT TO PURCHASE ONE. THESE SCOPES ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO BUY ANOTHER! THESE ARE REAL WORKHORSES, DESIGNED TO BE USED ALL DAY EVERY DAY. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HOBBY SCOPE, THE GEMORO LINE IS VERY GOOD, AND YOU CAN ADD ACCESSORIES AS YOU LEARN. THESE CAN RUN $300 OR MORE, DEPENDING ON HOW ACCESSORIZED YOU WANT TO GO. THERE ARE VERY HIGH POWER SCOPES (UP TO 70X) BUT I FIND A 10X-30X WORKS BEST.

(FULLY LOADED TRINOCULAR SCOPE)

GET EXTRA BULBS FOR YOUR SCOPE! THEY DO LAST A LONG TIME, BUT CAN BE HARD TO FIND WHEN YOU NEED ONE! ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU GET A DUST COVER WITH THE SCOPE YOU CHOOSE. IF IT DOESN'T COME WITH ONE, GET ONE. DUST IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH SCOPES, AND IT IS EASY ENOUGH TO BE PROACTIVE.

EARLIER, I MENTIONED TWEEZERS FOR USE WITH VERY SMALL GEMS. MAKE SURE THE TWEEZERS YOU CHOOSE ARE SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR USE WITH GEMS, AND GET A VARIETY OF SIZES AND TYPES. THE 'GROOVED' TYPE WILL HOLD A FACETED GEM EASILY WITHOUT DAMAGING THE GIRDLE, THE LOCKING TYPE ARE A MUST HAVE, SMALL SIZE FOR TINY GEMS, ETC. IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL THEY ARE MADE FROM (PLASTIC DOESN'T DO WELL HOWEVER!) OR THE BRAND NAME.

I ALWAYS WELCOME QUESTIONS, SO FEEL FREE TO WRITE ME ABOUT ANYTHING.

THIS IS AN AMAZING HOBBY, ONE YOU WILL ENJOY FOR A LIFETIME!