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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:38 am 
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Gosh, I posted a request to do beta testing yesterday, and thought I saw it, but it's not there now! :shock:

I said I'd like to help with the beta testing, and asked if the beta testers would get a discount on purchasing one. Even went looking for the piggy bank to see how much more I'd need to get one....where'd it go?..... :lol:

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:09 am 
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gem-n00b wrote:
I wouldn't mind getting signed up for the beta test too. ;) Sounds like this is a gemologist's dream...


Well I did try and listen to what everyone had to say about the prior equipment...

Still open to any suggestions or features..

Often times it's "you don't know what you don't know, because you have to see it to know the next steps..." so that's what comes out in the testing process..

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:17 am 
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Still open to any suggestions or features..


I think the ability to test RI below 1.5 is important.


:idea: I have an idea for a shorter list, jleb.

Please add your name if you do NOT want to be considered for beta testing. :wink:


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:31 am 
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How low should I go Barbra? I saw phosphosilicate glass at 1.47.. I could trim the 3.0 at the top down a bit.. to say 2.75 ..

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:05 am 
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I would assume that you are looking for people who have mastered a refractometer already for beta testing, and preferrably use it constantly. That would leave me out.

Can you put me on the list NOW for the perfected final product though? I suspect that if the results are positive from the testers, it's going to be difficult to get one's hot little hands on one of these. :wink:


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:28 am 
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Don't worry, i'll announce it here first so everyone can load up ahead of the crowd..

I would love to have this in high demand... how many you think would sell a month??

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:33 am 
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How low should I go Barbra? I saw phosphosilicate glass at 1.47.. I could trim the 3.0 at the top down a bit.. to say 2.75 ..

fluorite 1.434
opal 1.450
obsidian 1.450
sodalite 1.483
etc.

I recently was given a cab to identify that looked like jadeite.
But SG was 2.63.
Microcrystaline quartz?? I thought, until I got a spot reading between 1.45 and 1.50.
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed glass. Never would have spent 1/2 hour looking for a bubble if I didn't get that low RI.

Perhaps you could offer 2 units, low end and high end.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:44 am 
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jleb wrote:
I would love to have this in high demand... how many you think would sell a month??


The lower the price, the higher the volume :wink: .

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:22 pm 
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Morning Dove wrote:
jleb wrote:
I would love to have this in high demand... how many you think would sell a month??


The lower the price, the higher the volume :wink: .


To some extent I agree but this is pretty specialized device. Within some reasonable limits, the people who want one aren't going to be all that price sensitive and the people who don't want one aren't likely to be talked into it by a low price. As I recall, the Jemmeter died over difficulties with marketing, not with production or even with the acceptance of their tool as useful. I would hate to see you on the same road. Talk to GIA about representing you. They’re pretty good at it although they do have an annoying habit of only wishing to sell things under their own brand name. Howard Rubin has been having this battle for years over selling his GemDialogue system. If you can’t make a deal with GIA, consider one of the other major tool suppliers. Kassoy and Stuller come to mind. If you can find a sales representative, talk with them frankly about the pricing issues. You're not the first innovator to face this question.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:25 pm 
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I agree with Neil... this is a device that fills such a specific need that "low low prices" will not spur widespread adoption. People who need/want this will pay what they need to (within reason, of course), and those who don't... well, they're simply not going to be interested, regardless of the price.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:04 pm 
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I just bought the Eickhorst refractometer, cost me almost $1000, but it works flawlessly. I've read too many posts by people having a hard time working with their $225 made in China units. I don't mind paying for quality.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:26 pm 
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I think that even with a cheap refractometer and when you add in the fluid, over time this would still be cheaper.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:15 pm 
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neil wrote:
As I recall, the Jemmeter died over difficulties with marketing, not with production or even with the acceptance of their tool as useful.
Neil


Gee, that's good to hear. I remember it being preached on another board that GIA put Jemmeter out of business. :roll:


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:58 pm 
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HEY! I remember that too :lol:


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:59 pm 
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jleb, you may want to include some calculations to produce the optical charactor and optical sign from the RI readings.
I wrote a small .Net program to do this given a few readings from the refractometer. It's not a complicated calculation, but the program makes it simple so you don't have to think.

If any one is interested in the program I wrote, let me know, and I'll post it for download on my website.

Here is a screen shot

Image

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