Why Do Jewellery Scales Need to be Trade Approved?

Jewellery is an incredibly vast and productive industry – rings, bracelets, necklaces and other accessories adorn men, women and children of all demographics. Some pieces of jewellery, as we all know, are more expensive than others, and a large factor in that is the weight of the product. This is where trade approved scales come in. This blog will discuss what a jewellery scale is, why jewellery needs to be weighed in the first place, and which trade approved jewellery scales we recommend.

What is a Jewellery Scale?

A jewellery scale is any scale that is designed to weigh gold, silver, gemstones and pearls, among other precious metals and materials that jewellery is typically constructed from. Jewellery scales must be able to weigh in the unit of measurement suitable for the material being weighed – gold is weighed in carats, grams, or troy ounces, pearls are weighed in carats, grains or momme, for example. Jewellery scales are also required by UK law to be trade approved.  

Why Does Jewellery Need to be Weighed?

As mentioned above, jewellery scales must be trade approved according to UK law if the price of the jewellery is determined based on its weight. Trade approval is an extra certification that guarantees your scale is accurate, so both you and your customers have peace of mind that they are getting what they paid for, no more and no less.

The weight of jewellery is a heavy (pun intended) determinator of its monetary value, as is the purity of the jewellery. For example, a gram of twenty-four karat (not to be confused with the weighing unit carat) gold will cost more than a gram of fourteen karat gold due to the difference in purity. However, two grams of fourteen karat gold will likely cost more than one gram of twenty-four karat gold. Because purity and weight both correlate so strongly with the price, weighing jewellery is imperative throughout the jewellery production process.

Weighing jewellery also helps to ascertain whether the product is in line with the market price. Potential customers will be unlikely to buy from your company if the price of a diamond ring is hundreds of pounds above your competitor’s comparable product of the same weight, construction and quality. To learn about other factors that affect the price of jewellery, check out our previous blog Inscale’s Guide to Weighing Jewellery.

Which Trade Approved Scales Do We Recommend for Weighing Jewellery?

Inscale supplies a variety of trade approved scales that are suitable for weighing jewellery. Here are our top three suggestions.

Adam Equipment’s HCB ‘Highland’ Approved Portable Precision Balance

Capacities: 600g – 1kg

Readability: 0.01g

Adam’s HCB ‘Highland’ Approved Portable Precision Balance is the perfect choice when you need an affordable, reliable jewellery scale with simple operation. With seven available units of measurement (g, ct, kg, lb, oz, ozt, GN) you’ll be able to weigh silver, gold, pearls and gemstones with ease. The HCB also boasts Adam’s patented ShockProtect technology as a safeguard against accidental overload or shock loading. Take advantage of the HCB’s rechargeable battery to bring it on the go with you and keep thorough records by connecting the HCB to a printer or computer via the RS232 and USB interfaces.

Kern PNJ Approved Precision Balance

Capacities: 620g – 12kg

Readabilities: 0.001g – 0.1g

Sometimes it may be necessary to weigh jewellery in bulk – in that case, you may need a trade approved scale with a higher capacity. Kern’s PNJ Approved Precision Balance features a high-quality tuning fork measuring system for continuous weighing and steady weight values. The PNJ also offers a unique capacity display bar that shows you how much of the weighing range is still available to use, which helps to prevent overloads. Should you need precise results, such as when weighing a solitary gemstone, the PNJ comes with a drought shield for protection against wind and air currents.

A&D FZ-i Trade Approved Jewellery Balance

Capacities: 120g – 3200g

Readabilities: 0.001g – 0.01g

A&D’s FZ-i Trade Approved Jewellery Balance is specifically designed for the jewellery industry. The FZ-i offers thirteen different weighing units to cover any necessary requirements. This balance boasts one-second stabilization as well as a Shock Absorber Function as a safeguard against overloading. Its compact footprint saves space on your bench top for other necessary equipment or work.

Are you still unsure about what jewellery scale is right for you and your needs? Our phoneline is 01908972660 or you can contact us here.