Geologist Magnifying Glass 15X Loupe Triplet
SKU: 23231-15
This 15X triplet magnifier delivers sharp, color-accurate views of minerals, crystals, and gemstones; preferred by geologists for reliable lab & field use.
Precision 15X Triplet Magnifier for Geologists: this triplet loupe has three precision-ground lenses that correct for both spherical and chromatic aberrations. This ensures sharp, color-accurate magnification, making it ideal for identifying subtle variations in mineral color and crystal habit in the field or lab.
Accurate Color Rendering: triplets correct for refractive distortion for color accuracy which matters when identifying feldspars, garnets, olivines, and other minerals where hue, luster, or zoning are key diagnostic features.
Durable, Pocket-Ready Field Tool: the protective metal casing makes this loupe both compact and rugged for geologists, gemologists, and serious rockhounds who need a dependable field loupe.
Why Triplet Lenses Matter for Color-Critical Work
Color is a key diagnostic feature in mineral identification, especially when multiple species share similar crystal habits or hardness. A triplet magnifier, which corrects for chromatic and spherical aberrations, ensures that what you see under magnification is as close to true color as possible, a crucial benefit when hue or zoning differentiates one mineral from another.
What Minerals Benefit from Color Accurate Inspection?
Garnet Group (e.g., Almandine vs. Spessartine). Both have similar isometric crystal forms, but their color differs subtly: almandine is typically deep red to reddish-brown, while spessartine leans toward orange-red. Accurate color helps distinguish them in hand samples.
Feldspars (Orthoclase vs. Microcline). These potassium feldspars may show very similar twinning and cleavage. Microcline often exhibits a faint greenish hue, while orthoclase tends to be more white to pink. Subtle color differences are more reliably seen through a color-corrected lens.
Olivine vs. Epidote. Olivine is usually olive-green with a granular texture, while epidote appears green as well but often with a pistachio tint. A triplet lens reveals the nuance.
Tourmaline Variants. Tourmaline can appear in a wide range of colors (pink, green, blue, black). Identifying zoning, such as the pink-to-green transition in watermelon tourmaline, requires faithful color rendering.
Fluorite. Fluorite comes in purple, green, blue, yellow, and clear varieties, sometimes within a single crystal. Zoning patterns and subtle tints can indicate provenance or help distinguish it from look-alikes such as quartz.
Chrysoberyl vs. Peridot. Both are yellow-green, but chrysoberyl typically shows a warmer, more golden hue. Distinguishing the two by color alone is difficult without a lens that preserves accurate hues.
Sapphire vs. Spinel. Both can be blue; however, spinel has a slightly purplish tone. A triplet lens can aid in field discrimination when gem testing equipment isn’t available.
Can this loupe be used outside geology?
Versatile for Minerals, Gems, Fossils & More: while tailored for mineralogy, this loupe is equally useful for inspecting fossils, botanical samples, stamp collections, or even circuitry. The high-quality optics make it a valuable tool across disciplines that require fine-detail inspection.
Browse real-world examples in our related image gallery. See how this 15X triplet magnifier supports accurate identification in geology and beyond.
Summary of Features of Indigo 15X Triplet Loupe
- Triplet Lens Magnifier for Mineral and Gemstone Identification
- Field-Tested 15X Loupe for Geologists & Collectors
- Built for Field Durability & Optical Precision
- Professional-Grade Magnification at 15X
- Loupe can be used outside geology
We've offered this quality geology loupe since 2002. That & delivered cost on quantity beats "free" shipping on all counts! See Branding & Related Products below for adding a logo (NOT included).
Read the full, genuine Google Review from Gene H. "I rarely provide a review, but...service and quality of the loupes...are of outstanding quality."
Thanks for the feedback. The higher the magnification, the shorter the focal length; i.e. the closer you have to be. Unfortunately the physics of optics dictates this. We hope to do a blog about this to explain in greater detail. See Phone Camera Loupe “Dissecting Microscope”. In this case a 10X magnifier was used at roughly 30mm & the phone camera boosted the magnification. We appreciate the freight issue & we charge it at cost. Where we come out on top is when you buy two or three at a time. Having said that, we appreciate the vote of confidence over buying from Amazon.