How to Measure an Ounce of Gold

Worth its weight: An ounce isn't an ounce when it comes to measuring gold.

Gold is measured in troy weight. One troy ounce weighs more than a standard ounce. A troy ounce is equivalent to 31.1 grams; one standard ounce is equivalent to 28.35 grams. This may seem confusing, but there are conversion methods to get the correct weight of an ounce of gold.

Things You'll Need

• Digital scale

Instructions

1. Place a digital scale on a flat surface. Press the "On/Tare" button to activate the scale.

2. Press the units of measure button on the scale to obtain the weight in grams. If your digital scale weighs only in grams, skip this step.

3. Place the gold on the scale top in the center. Allow the digital display to hold fast on one number.

4. Read the digital display in grams. Divide by 31.1 to convert the weight of your gold to troy ounces.

5. Read the digital display in standard ounces if you prefer -- or if your scale does not measure grams. Multiply the figure by .912 to convert the weight of your gold to troy ounces.

Tips & Warnings

• If using a container to weigh your gold, place it on the digital scale and press "Tare" to zero out the scale before adding the gold to the container. This function subtracts the weight of the container from the total weight so that you get the weight of only the gold.