In general there are Six Steps involved in the process of examining a diamond. The first is that when ever possible, examine the stone unmounted. We owe gratitiude to many sources in learning these processes, particularly Jewelry & Gems The Buying Guide by Matlins and Bonnano. We lear the diamond can be examined more completely when it is out of its settings. In this way, defects cannot be hidden behind any setting cleverly laid along the line of a flaw.

2. Ensure that the gem is clean. If you are purchasing the gem from a professional jeweler, make sure he or she cleans the gem in front of you. If you are not located where the diamond can be cleaned professionally,breath on the gem in a huffing way in order to steam the diamond with your breath. Then wipe it with a clean cloth not paper hankie; this will at the least remove the superficial stain of grease.

3. Hold the unmounted stone so that your fingertips touch only the base, or the girdle, of the diamond. This is the base where the top and the bottom meet. If you touch the gem your fingers will leave an oily residue, and that will affect the gems color and brilliance. We recommend the careful use of tweezers rather than fingers but only if you are comfortable using tweezers. You must feel certain that you know how to use them, and get the permission of the owner before picking up the diamond. It is all too easy to have the gem pop out of the tweezers, causing consternation, and if the item becomes lost, your cost and responsibility to replace.

4. Ensure Proper Lighting for Best Viewing of Your Gem. Most jewelers use a variety of incandescent spotlights. These are usually recessed in dropped ceilings. Some use special spotlights that will make any gemstones, even glass imitations, look amazing glorious and rich. Fluorescent lights are what professionals use for grading.yet this may also hurt the appearance of some gems.Diamonds may not show the same fire under fluorescent lights. Also,some colored gemstones such as rubies look much better under incandescent light. You might be wise to look at different gemstones including diamonds under several kinds of lights.

5. Rotate the stone, taking care of your grip, so you may view at from each angle.We need to take your time while observing how the various planes and angles work their dazzling sparkles into each ray of wave in the stone.

6.If you are using a loupe, focus it into the interior, adapt the stone slowly, raising or lowering it until you can focus on all the depths within it. It is important that you not only focus on the top of you will fail to see what is in the interior of the stone.

The Best Way To Use A Loupe, which is a special type of magnifying glass. The loupe can be helpful in many occasions, even if you are a beginner. With a loupe you can check a gem for faults and flaws, chips, scratches. Remember now being in possession of a loupe does not make you an expert and there are many learning examples before with your gradually more discerning eye you can pick a fake from a rare gem. But with the loupe you have begun that journey. With a few minutes practice you can learn to use the loupe. Here is how:

1. Hold the loupe between the thumb and forefinger of either hand.
2. Hold the stone of jewelry similarly in the other hand.
3.Bring both hands together so that the fleshy parts just below the thumbs are pushed together and brace by the lower portion of each hand just above the wrists. The wrist is really your pivot point.
4.Move both your hands up to your nose or cheek, with the loupe as close to your eye as you can.
5.Keep your hands still together, and bracing against your face, brace your arms against a table. If a table isnt available, brace your arms against your chest or rib cage. If you do this correctly you will have a steady hand.

Practice with the loupe and keep it approximately one inch from your eye, and about an inch from the object being examined. Learn to see through it cleearly. |A 10x loupe is difficult to focus initially. But with more practice if wont' be long before you are able to focus . You can practice while holding a gemstone at angles, and turning it gradually. You will gradually learned to notice subtle nuances, a scratch, an imperfection, a too sharp cut, and your confidence will gradually grow. The work of gems and diamonds is an enchanting worlds, and it is not that difficult to gradually learn what to look for. A few basic tools and a joy of the unknown and you are embarking on a joy and what could be a highly profitable playtime.