Jewelry designers and repairers use loupes to magnify and evaluate their work. A loupe allows the jeweler to focus on small details or hallmarks engraved in jewelry. Loupes have one to three lenses and jewelers wear them on a neck chain for ease of use. A triplet lens skillfully stacks three lenses to compensate for single lens deformation. Most jewelers choose "10X" magnification and use it for inspection of expensive gemstones. Pits, cracks or blemishes in jewelry that are missed in a visual inspection can be identified with a 10X loupe.
Flex-shaft jewelry machines save valuable jewelry-making and repair time. The flex-shaft's ability to polish, cut, smooth and drill makes it a bench jeweler's workhorse. Jewelry designers can perform additional many tasks thanks to the flex-shaft's multiple functionality.
Gravers are made from steel and some have carbide cutting tips. They have sharpened tips with specific shapes for specific uses during jewelry making or repair. Gravers have handles that give the user enhanced control and comfort while working. The most common types of gravers are the flat graver, round graver, oval graver, knife graver, beveled graver and Florentine finish graver. Gravers are used to carve thin flourishes in jewelry and to cut out and engrave larger projects.
Engraving blocks hold a piece of jewelry firmly in position while the jeweler performs delicate work such as stone setting. Each block has a wood base with a rubber pad over it and a turntable with jaws that open and close via screws. Straight pins, clamps, ring clamps, contour vises, vise jaws, peg clamps and inside ring holders are used alongside engraving blocks and bowls.