For the most part watches and their components are fairly small machines. I would never be able to work on them and properly examine the condition of parts without using some magnification. I don’t really use the loupe pictured at top (it is a presentation piece made in sterling silver, it weighs a ton, and only offers about 2X magnification.) But I will talk about the magnification I do use.

When I first started in watchmaking school I had to get used to wearing a loupe. I started using a loupe with a 2 1/2 inch focal length offering about 4X magnification. As time has gone on I have gotten use to using my 10X loupe and I rarely use anything less than that. I keep it on a wire head band (like in the picture). Some people like to support the loupe in their eye with their facial muscles, but I find that to be annoying, plus then you have to keep track of it. I always know where my loupe is it’s either on my head or around my neck. For close-up examination I use an Achromatique 25X loupe held in my hand. It’s focal length is too short for working with but it works well for examining the condition of very small parts.

In watchmaking school we also had a fantastic Leica Stereo Microscope. It had magnification up to 40X and a working distance of 4 or 5 inches so you could actually work under it for delicate tasks like adjusting a hairspring or the tension on an Accutron pawl.

I don’t have such a luxury in my daily life but I have access to several Gem Scopes which provide the higher magnification but not the working space. When I need to work under a microscope I use the jeweler’s laser welder. It has a built in Leica lens and offers about 2 inches of working space, the big downside is that it looks in at an angle instead of straight down and there is always the potential for accidently shooting a laster beam at the watch Just Kidding!

All of my loupes are made by ASCO in Switzerland. They are very nice loupes with two lenses. They can be disassembled for cleaning and the image is perfectly clear. The 25X loupe is a little bit rare. There are lots of 20X loupes out there, but there really is a huge difference between my 25X loupe and the 20X loupes I’ve tried, but you pay for quality. My 25X loupe is a $150 loupe.

I haven’t personally had the opportunity to try Beco Loupes but I have heard very good things about them and it is my understanding that they have become a standard part of the LWT tool kit. I would order them except that Beco requires a 500 Euro minimum purchase.

If you have a favorite loupe, or know where I can get a Beco loupe for less than 500 Euro, let me know.

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