How to Determine the Weight of Jewelry Without a Scale

Determine the worth of your jewelry by determining its weight.

If you want to find out how much a piece of jewelry is worth, the weight is a good indicator. One of the methods used to value jewelry is weight. If you don't have a set of jewelry scales, you can determine the weight by using a simple calculation involving the volume and density of the jewelry. Each metal has its own density, and once you know this you can easily determine the weight of your jewelry and have a better idea of its worth.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure or ruler
• Precious metals density table
• Measuring cup
• Water

Instructions

1. Look up the density of the metal in the jewelry you wish to weigh. You can find the density of metals on sites such as the Israel Science and Technology Homepage. A lot of jewelry is gold, which has a density of 19.32 grams per cubic centimeter.

2. 

   Use a measuring cup to find the volume of the jewelry.

   Measure the dimensions of the jewelry to find its volume if it has a regular geometric shape. If it does not you can find the volume by displacement. You do this by filling a measuring cup with water and making a note of the volume. Then place the jewelry in the cup and see what the volume is. The difference between the two measurements will give you the volume of the jewelry.

3. Multiply the volume by the density. This will give you the weight of the jewelry.

References

• "The Complete Jewelry Making Course: Principles, Practice and Techniques: A Beginner's Course for Aspiring Jewelry Makers"; Jinks McGrath; 2007
• Israel Science and Technology Homepage: List of Periodic Table Elements Sorted by Atomic Number
• Baruch College: Measurement of Density
• Gold and Precious Metals: Gold Facts