Loupe / eyeglass / eyepiece

[Alaskamick]

1 hour ago, Folkvisor said:

My feeling is you should use whatever works best for you.

 

I'm In a similar position to you Folkvisor. 

Very well said and I think it's true of everything we use in life,. What works for you is good, never mind the fancy yellow label    syndrome.

[aswatchmaking]

Sorry. I am just trying to say that they were not made for watchmaking. Loupes are for watchmaking and they make watchmaking much easier. Just saying 

[Bill3]

I have an inexpensive optimist with very low magnification, but the binocular vision it affords more than makes up for the low magnification.  

[oldhippy]

For close work with watches I had a 2x eyeglass I found it good for my eyes.

[Bill3]

10 hours ago, Bill3 said:

I have an inexpensive optimist with very low magnification, but the binocular vision it affords more than makes up for the low magnification.  

If not not for auto-correct the above would have said "an inexpensive Optivisor".  Damn modern conveniences.  

[jdm]

11 hours ago, aswatchmaking said:

Sorry. I am just trying to say that they were not made for watchmaking. Loupes are for watchmaking and they make watchmaking much easier. Just saying 

You could expand on "why", but you don't. Seems like you come from an inflexible traditional position which can't be discussed. But, you are contradicted by the many experienced members here, and the simple fact that visors are made and sold specifically for watchmaking. A bit like your other posts that are one-liners stating the superiority of this or that brand but not adding other details.

By the why why not taking the opportunity of introducing yourself in the dedicated section?

[aswatchmaking]

On April 16, 2016 at 7:59 AM, jdm said:

You could expand on "why", but you don't. Seems like you come from an inflexible traditional position which can't be discussed. But, you are contradicted by the many experienced members here, and the simple fact that visors are made and sold specifically for watchmaking. A bit like your other posts that are one-liners stating the superiority of this or that brand but not adding other details.

By the why why not taking the opportunity of introducing yourself in the dedicated section?

Well, a loupe is smaller so there is less that can get in the way. You can easily remove it when you need to use a 10x or 20x loupe. I think the visor is more for the hobbyist or model maker when you want magnification but you are farther away. Not to mention you could not possible use it on a watchmaking bench. It may have some applications in watchmaking but for sure not assembly or anything like that. 

[Tricati15]

I want to replace the balance spring in my Tissot watch (with 871 movement) but am struggling with sufficient magnification. I have a set of lenses which, when inserted into the headband type holder, increases the magnification X5, but I`m still struggling. Can anyone recommend something that can be added to the existing set-up, or an alternative? (I wear specs).

                                  Thanks     

[RogertheDodger]

Hi...I use these clip on loupes from Cousins...the main one I use is a x10, but I also have a x15 for real close work, like getting train wheel pivots in place. (I wear reading specs.) They clip to the top of the frame and flip up out of the way when not required.

I think they were about a tenner each.

This black one is x10

...and you can see how it flips up.

This red one is x15.

[Tricati15]

Many thanks; I'll try one of those.

[vinn3]

it is the magnification that counts.    my dentist  uses 9x (with  good lighting).   5x  is not enough for me, but I am old.  I will go over 10x for short times.

Quote

 

 

[Deggsie]

Hello to all.  I wonder if you could help me please?  I'm new to this hobby and confused as to what I should be using in terms of eye assistance whilst working on a watch.  I've seen single eye loops of various magnification, glasses with two eye loops attached, large magnifying glasses on an angle poise type stand and expensive video cameras which sit over the job and relay the image back to a monitor.

I bought a cheap pair of glasses with two eye loops and led lights attached (off fleabay), but to be honest, I can see more with the naked eye - they are useless. Could anyone advise how I should be working with respect to magnification? Do I keep an eye loop in all the time, or only as and when needed?

Thank you in advance.  Kind regards, Deggsy.

 

[Deggsie]

I have tried these, and can see nothing!  lol  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272329270820

Regards, Deggsy

[Cad101]

I just use normal loupes in varying degrees of magnification depending on what I'm doing 5x 8x 10x and 20x the latter is a must for me in checking jewels,hairspring,pivots and the such I usually have the 8x on my head with one of those spring holding wires which I can lift up if I need to use a higher mag for a minute. But in the end its all about what your happy using some people use microscopes others use glasses with clip on lenses.

[Chopin]

I'm sure that those things work more or less as intended Deggsy but you have to use them up close. You have to hold or look at the item you want to see from a few centimeters away.

It also depends what magnification they have... Maybe they're weak and you need stronger loupes.

[oldhippy]

I just used an eye glass, I had many that were different magnification from a size 2 3½ 4 and a 5. I could keep the thing in all day; I wear specks but never had them on while working.  

These days due to diabetes I now have very bad sight, things I could take apart years ago I cant even **BLEEP** see. 

 

Edited March 4, 2017 by oldhippy

[sstakoff]

When I first started in this hobby I used standard Bausch & Lomb loupes of varying power (4,10,20). I never got used to the wire strap and just held the loupe in place with my eye. It was never an issue. Now, however, I wear eyeglasses so things have changed. I have tried all types of clip on loupes, but I just don't like them. These days I use a visor that I can easily flip up or down and I like them quite a lot. They cover my eyeglasses and have a good working distance so I can get comfortable. For really tough spots, like jewel inspection or even oiling, I find it easier to use my stereo microscope. It takes quite a bit of practice to get used to working through a scope, but once you get it down it's very handy! 

[digginstony]

I have tried these, and can see nothing!  lol  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272329270820
Regards, Deggsy

20x magnification ! No wonder you can't see anything. You would need to be a few mm from the watch before the lense would focus.
I like a head band type and use 5x for general and 8x for the fiddly bits.

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[Ishima]

My go to magnification is 3x then 5, then 12, i do have a 20 but it's rarely used. a little lower than other people by the looks of it. but yeah you do have to consider the practicality of a more powerful eyeglass, generally the more poweful they get the more finicky they get. But lower power, such as 3x you can focus on things relatively easily pretty much still look at the entire movement in focus and at a reasonable distance, go up to 20x and the 'focal point' the point in which its possible for anything to come into focus is often smaller than a pea and the eye glass practically has to be touching what you're looking at.

Standard loupe eye glasses should be sufficient for almost any body, the trick is to make a surprised expression, dig in lightly into the skin at the bottom of your eye with the ridge of the eyeglass and then bring the top of the loop under your brow and then relax your face, then the skin should hold it in place without any real active effort on your part, takes getting used to though. 

The loupe keepers, the wire things that go around your head are good as well, and many professional watchmakers use them their whole career, they can hang around your neck when you're not using the eye glass and then easily be pulled up the top of your head and once you have the eye glass in position you just have to find the optimal point on the other side of your head to rest the little nub, might take a little experimentation but they are very simple and they do work well (Theres no chance of the eye glass falling out and dropping onto the movement sending parts flying), and they can be bought cheaply. I'd suggest it though I don't use one myself.

Edited March 4, 2017 by Ishima

[atimegoneby]

Hello Deggsy,

I bought a set of anchor aluminium eyeglasses for only a few pounds and find them ok, I think I use the No 3 most of the time,

I also bought a nice 10x from Cousins for closer work.

I have one of those 20x magnifiers on a spectacle frame with a light on top but like others say here the focal point is so close it's not really practical to work with.

Good luck with your watch repair. 

[adiorio110]

I use an optivisor for pocket watches .. With a DA-10 lens 3.5X magnification with a 2.5x optiloupe attachment for when I need a little closer look...Also have a 10X loup for getting in real tight

Edited March 4, 2017 by adiorio110

[phuckaduck]

hy all , what of those glasses type that the doctors wear . it is a pair of reading glasses but on the actual spectacle lense left and right is a mounted loupe of sorts . what distance do they see with them when they are operating , i do not think that they would putting thier head way into a body while they are doing surgery

[Deggsie]

Thank you all for some excellent responses. The information about the 20x eye loupes now makes perfect sense. I disconnected one from the spectacle frame and wore it as a single eye loupe..... bingo. Once very close, everything came to life, fantastic. But impractical to work up that close as I could not even get a screwdriver between the job and loupe. Also there are slightly heavy and small in diameter causing the loupe to fall from my eye. Time to shop around this weekend. One good thing came from the 20x though. I bought a lovely old Russian rakita which would stop intermittently and it was my intention to completely strip clean and rebuild it in the hope to revive it. Viewing the movement at 20x I noticed a small gold object hanging over the hair spring. When I carefully revived it with rodeo I resembled the shape of a Jews harp, symmetrical like an elongated circlip. Any ideas please? The movement does now work which is good news, but I'd like to identify where said part has come from. Any ideas please? Regards deggsy


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[Rob]

3 hours ago, Deggsy said:

resembled the shape of a Jews harp, symmetrical like an elongated circlip. Any ideas please?

The Incabloc lyre spring

.

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by Rob

[Rob]

4 hours ago, phuckaduck said:

hy all , what of those glasses type that the doctors wear.

http://www.watchrepairtalk.com/topic/2417-introduction-and-a-cool-toy/