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Weighing gold with a balance scale

Metal Kiwi		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:16:33 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,210 Location: Auckland Thanks: 498 times Was thanked: 484 time(s) in 322 post(s)		I have a set of Gold scales that were my Grandfathers and I have been playing around with the weight of a gold ring. The ring seems to weigh 5 pennyweight plus a 4 and a 3 but I dont know what the 4 and 3 represent. Is it just 5.7 pennyweight? Any ideas people? My new digital scales should be here soon but in the meantime ...... Metal Kiwi attached the following image(s):
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goldnugget		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:36:07 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 11 time(s) in 9 post(s)		Posted a quick reply but hasn't come through???

goldnugget		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:41:25 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 11 time(s) in 9 post(s)		Ok, try again. 4 plus 3 = 7 grains (gr) NOT to be confused with grams (gm) Believe it or not there has been an ebay scam/con using gr and people assumimg gm. Anyhow you have roughly 5dwt plus 7/480 of an ounce. There's roughly 1.5gms to a pennyweight. Hope this helps. Cheers, Rick.

Metal Kiwi		Posted : Monday, 23 January 2012 10:48:18 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 19/06/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,210 Location: Auckland Thanks: 498 times Was thanked: 484 time(s) in 322 post(s)		Thanks Rick. Yes grains of course. I can calculate that now. Chris.
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Lammerlaw		Posted : Tuesday, 24 January 2012 10:38:13 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Ingot Groups: Registered Joined: 24/05/2011(UTC) Posts: 1,721 Thanks: 72 times Was thanked: 579 time(s) in 396 post(s)		The 4 and a 3 are grains - 24 grains equals one penny weight - 20 penny weight equals a troy ounce - 12 troy ounces equals a troy pound. You have 5 penny weight plus a little over another 1/4 penny weight As the man said there are 480 grains in an ounce so you have 127/480ths of an ounce - a really nice heavy ring. Wouldlike to see a photo of the full set of scales - what typoe are they? I asusme you have the box as you have the weights - well at least a 5 pennyweightone and a 4 grain one and a 3 grain one! If they are Avery are they the later Avery as in W&T Avery or are they the old label W&T Avery Late T Beach Edited by user Tuesday, 24 January 2012 1:01:06 PM(UTC) \| Reason: Not specified

Skiwi		Posted : Tuesday, 24 January 2012 11:08:21 AM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Dust Groups: Registered Joined: 22/01/2012(UTC) Posts: 6 Location: Central Otago Thanks: 10 times Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)		Whats is the most common unit for measuring the amounts of gold we are likely/hopeful of finding using manual techniques?

goldnugget		Posted : Tuesday, 24 January 2012 12:49:41 PM(UTC)
Rank: Gold Flake Groups: Registered Joined: 2/07/2010(UTC) Posts: 16 Location: New Zealand Thanks: 1 times Was thanked: 11 time(s) in 9 post(s)		I think the most common unit nowadays is the gram, however the Troy ounce is the recognised medium size: 31.1gms (don't I just wish!!) If even larger, then I think it generally reverts back to the metric system i.e. kilograms. Some of us (durst I say 'oldtimers') still like the romance of the old system, however. I have been known to collect the occasional old scale, and to me nothing looks nicer than the combination of richly coloured wood, and the glow of the brass scales and weights. (Apart from the additional gleam of the 'huge' nuggets resting thereon - as seen through a 10 power magnifying glass!! Cheers, Rick.