Watchmaker's glasses

Can anyone here recommend decent watchmaker's glasses? I don't work on watches, but I do often need some serious magnification. My eyesight isn't great to begin with, so trying to see small stuff (like repairing regular eye glasses) is frustrating. Even something simple like pulling a splinter out of my finger is difficult due to not being able to see anything that small.

I don't want some cheapo plastic crap from Amazon. On the other hand, I don't need $500 jeweler specs from Zeiss either. Just something of decent quality that won't fall apart in a month.

I've tried one of those big magnifying lenses with the built-in light, but those don't work well for my needs.

Maybe something like an optivisor? https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/optivisors-head-band-magnifiers

If it's just for quick checks you could also get a loupe in an appropriate magnification.

have you checked OttoFrei
https://www.ottofrei.com/jewelry-tools-equipment/bench-tools/magnifiers

also chk out Eschenbach.com

M_Six wrote

My eyesight isn't great to begin with, so trying to see small stuff (like repairing regular eye glasses) is frustrating. Even something simple like pulling a splinter out of my finger is difficult due to not being able to see anything that small.

For some quick basic magnifying stuff: my Samsung mobile phone features a pre-installed app called "Magnifier" (version 10.0.56). Strong zoom in + features a torch/flashlight and the possibility to photograph.

Plenty of magnifier apps for all phones exist.

Helps to locate your splinter quickly.

Trivia. A friend of mine was on holiday in Brazil. On a Sunday late afternoon he had his return flight to Europe. So he went for a final morning swim in the ocean ...but lost his glasses in the sea. Search to no avail. Given his very bad eyesight that was kind of a problem as he had not brought spare glasses and doesn't wear lenses. And optician shops were apparently closed that Sunday. So he used the camera of his mobile phone as a substitute for his lost glasses for the journey back to Europe and bought a power bank at the airport to ensure not running out of phone battery. All went fine.

Caravaggio wrote

have you checked OttoFrei
https://www.ottofrei.com/jewelry-tools-equipment/bench-tools/magnifiers

also chk out Eschenbach.com

Thanks. I ordered an Optivisor from Otto Frei. Looks like decent gear. Their website needs work, though. Checking out was painfully slow.

I have a visor-type magnifier from Harbor Freight. Gets the job done for mobile phone/PC types of things.

M_Six wrote

Thanks. I ordered an Optivisor from Otto Frei. Looks like decent gear. Their website needs work, though. Checking out was painfully slow.

Did you get the auxiliary lens too? I find that very helpful.

///Rich

I build watches as a hobby and these have worked well for me.

Beileshi Head Magnifier LED Illuminated Multi-Power Helmet Magnifying 1.5X 3X 8.5X 10x Magnifying Tools for Watch Repair, Arts & Crafts or As General Reading Aid https://a.co/d/duQkNh9