Recommendations for testing kits, please?

Let me know what you think!

 

I have a question @Any Jewelry. I'm getting back into the boxes of jewelry and am using the Diamond Selectior on the stones. If I'm testing random stones (not diamonds) does it matter where I adjust the lights to before touching the stone? If I have, say two bars lit, let's say it goes up to 3 bars. Same stone, if I have say all four of the green lights on, same stone may I get one light into the yellow.

So, in this case, the increase in bars, regardless of where the lights begin, is one. May I surmise that the hardness of the stone is 1?

Clear as mud?

Thanks for any guidance you have to offer!

 

Frankly, I don't know. So far I've only tested hard stones with it, with softer stones you can usually tell what it is from the appearance and touch. It seems odd that one extra bar lights up, whatever you set it on.
But I guess if you have a not so very hard stone, you start with one bar set and see where it goes.

 

It seems that way...I just know so little about stones, and there are SO many, I was hoping to narrow the candidates when trying to ID them ;-). I guess it still does in some ways...it

 

Just popping in to say that I too, went and pulled the trigger on buying one of these ridiculously affordable diamond testers. Got so involved this past weekend with testing stones that I've accumulated over the years (with some pleasant surprises ... and some "yeah, I figured as much"-es) that I forgot go out to hunt for more! Still getting the hang of it as far as distinguishing stones other than diamonds, but it's been so much fun learning!

Thank you @Melissa Brown for starting this thread ... and thanks to all who have contributed to it - especially @Any Jewelry, for showing the photo of the type of tester she uses.

 

These testers are based on warmth conductivity, not hardness...

 

Yes, they do. Which doesn't take away from the fact that I have never tested softer stones with them.

 

I do it all the time; they're... iffy, on softer ones.