{"product_id":"london-dichroscope-c-1996","title":"London Dichroscope (c. 1996)","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eIntroduced in 1996, the London Dichroscope represents a pivotal shift in 20th-century gemological instrumentation toward practical portability and manufacturing efficiency. Prior to its release, dichroscopes depended almost exclusively on Iceland spar (optical-grade calcite) crystals. While calcite provides superior light throughput for identifying subtle color shifts, its scarcity, weight, and high cost restricted widespread accessibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe London Dichroscope replaced the traditional calcite prism with two adjacent linear polarizing films oriented at right angles (90°). Positioned inside a matte-black anodized housing—styled after a standard jeweler's loupe—the design shields the internal films from dust, abrasion, and ambient reflections. When held close to the eye toward a light source, the instrument presents twin viewing windows that isolate orthogonal directions of polarized light side-by-side, eliminating the need to manually rotate the optical body during inspection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs documented in the Journal of Gemmology (1997), the device was developed jointly by Gem-A’s Education section and Gem Instruments Ltd. Its low weight, impact resistance, and economic production made it a global standard for field collecting, trade shows, and classroom instruction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gems.studio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53148587688256,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0963\/0397\/2672\/files\/GemA_Dichroscope1.avif?v=1789342229","url":"https:\/\/gems.studio\/products\/london-dichroscope-c-1996","provider":"Gems.studio","version":"1.0","type":"link"}