Urs Wolfensberger is global market manager, jewelry at Mettler-Toledo and is based in Switzerland, where he directs sales and distribution of the company's range of precision performance gold and carat scales. He has over 20 years of experience across international sales, marketing and product development in the science and technology sectors, as well as expertise in the fields of transportation, international trade compliance and logistical support in industrial environments.

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As tougher regulations regarding weighing procedures have a huge impact upon jewelers around the world, technologically advanced scales can help retailers protect their businesses.

One of the first measuring instruments invented in the world, weighing scales are now used widely across the globe. Their original design consisted of a simple pivoted horizontal bar with a weighing pan suspended from each end. Since their invention, markets and trades requiring precision weighing, such as the jewelry industry, have heavily relied on their use.

However, current scales have little in common with their rudimentary ancestors, thanks to the development of technology and their digitalization. For example, today’s scales can weigh extremely small quantities and record the results with advanced software.

With the recurring economic crisis, the scarcity of gold and the growing availability of imitation gold in the market, known as "Chinese Gold," regulations to ensure fair trade have increased globally. The latest developments in scale design and weighing technology enable retailers to comply with the strictest regulations, ensuring not only profitability, but protecting their businesses’ reputations in the short and long term.

This article will focus on the international regulations for weighing devices and how advancements in the manufacturing of scales ensure that jewelry retailers comply with international laws.

Regulations and international organizations
The regulatory bodies that monitor weighing conventions vary internationally. In Europe, the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) supervises the global harmonization of legal procedures and drives the creation of international standards of metrology involving measurement procedures and devices.

The OIML also supervises other areas in the world that do not have official organizations regulating metrology, such as Hong Kong. In some other emerging markets, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) works on consumer protection and the development of a national system of measurement to strengthen its national jewelry market.

In the United States, the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) oversees the testing of weighing equipment, guaranteeing that scales comply with the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Handbook 44. This document contains the most up to date legislation regarding specifications, tolerances and technical requirements of weighing and measuring devices. 

Some of the latest laws affecting the manufacturing of scales are concerned with providing customers with the most accurate results through precise calibration, readability and tamper-proof mechanisms. These regulations ensure that traders dependent on weighing devices perform their duties fairly, adding value and credibility to their businesses.

First, calibration is generally regarded as the process of determining the deviation between the measurement value and the true value of the result, which can vary under different measuring conditions. The accuracy of the calibration process can be affected by factors such as temperature and the positioning and leveling of the scale.

To ensure accuracy in results, scales must be calibrated on a regular basis. Traditionally, calibration required the use of external approved weights. Currently, NIST legislation in Handbook 44 establishes that scales may now be fitted with automatic or semi-automatic calibration mechanisms, increasing precision by eliminating the external use of additional weights.

In the jewelry industry, authorities might perform spot checks of retailers’ weighing devices to ensure that they are trading fairly. For example, ESMA reported that traders might sometimes adjust scales slightly in their favor in order to earn what they call the “manipulative” or “hidden” margin. However, this is a high-risk maneuver, as any evidence of manipulation in the calibration of the scale can lead to high fines and even the closure of their business.

Thus, a major concern for jewelry retailers is the need for tamper-proof weighing devices. The latest U.S. regulations state that scales should have security seals that break when any adjustments are performed to the weighing technology within the scales, alerting the respective authorities during their spot checks of any fraudulent activity.

Another important aspect of a quality scale is the readability of its results, not only regarding the numeric difference between values on the display but also the position of the display itself on the scale. The measurements should be accurate and easily readable and the information should be accessible to both the retailer and the customer.

For example, U.S. regulations state that weight results should be displayed on the customer’s side of the scale, either be it net weight, unit price or total price, when these are used for direct sales to retail customers. This data can be provided via an auxiliary display, which can be attached quickly and easily to all high quality jewelry scales.

Legal for trade
For jewelers to legally operate and trade, they need to have a scale denominated “Legal for Trade,” allowing their use where a product is sold or purchased by weight. In order to obtain this classification, scales must comply with the regulations stipulated in the NIST’s Handbook 44 and be tested by the NTEP. It is important for retailers to be aware of the fact that not all scales have this approval, and that retailing without a Legal for Trade scale could result in a fine and/or the closing of their business.

Moreover, Legal for Trade scales in the United States are marked with a Chamber of Commerce number, which can be used to track the device on the Department of Weights and Measures website. This is of importance for jewelers trying to making a decision about which type of scale they should purchase, as this website also notes which modes or weighing units for certain models are NTEP approved.

Technological advancements
With increasingly strict regulations, the jewelry scale manufacturing industry is working on developing new applications that can help jewelers to comply with the toughest laws and preserve their businesses and credibility. The latest built-in calibration systems are tamper-proof, ensure precise and reliable results and are also cost-effective as they do not require the purchase of extra weights for external calibration.

For example, Mettler-Toledo’s built-in Fully Automatic Calibration Technology (FACT) automatically initiates internal adjustment of the scale whenever external conditions change, such as temperature fluctuations. During the manufacturing of these scales, internal weights are traceably connected to international measuring standards by means of primary calibration. In this process, the mass of the internal weight is determined by placing a certified weight on the scale and storing its value in it.

Moreover, the leveling of a scale, meaning the setup of a balance horizontally on a flat surface, can also affect calibration and the weighing results. Currently, Mettler-Toledo’s scales provide a clear and user-friendly indication of whether they are level, via an integrated spirit level.

In addition, the scales offer sensitive detectors that do not show the final results until the balance is completely stable. Protective functions, such as the Overload function, also help to maintain the reliability of results, by ensuring that even if a heavy item accidently falls on the scales, the ultra-sensitive weighing cell will not be damaged.

Auxiliary displays are also an important element for jewelers worldwide. Mettler-Toledo scales offer separate auxiliary displays that enable users to simultaneously view the weighing result from over the counter. This makes the scales ideal for use in countries where auxiliary displays are a legal requirement, or countries where it is not customary for female clients to come into close contact with male vendors.

Adding value to your business
Regular inspections of retailers’ scales are increasingly becoming a common practice. For example, ESMA recently declared that in 2012 it will check an estimated amount of 12,000 scales at jewelers across the UAE. This action is a result of a survey published in ESMA’s official website that found that more than a third of the scales being used across the Emirates were not giving accurate results. Any evidence of tampering within the calibration system of a scale could lead to the closure of any inspected business.

Purchasing a scale that complies with international regulations and is equipped with the latest technological advancements can help jewelry retailers across the world to protect their businesses and adhere to the toughest laws regarding inspections, calibration, readability, tamper-proof devices and weighing practices in general.

Moreover, good weighing practices also aid in the development of strong customer relationships, building trust through the use of certified scales that allow transparency in weighing. In summary, using internationally approved scales adds value to all gold and carat businesses, demonstrating the retailer’s ability to meet legal requirements for commercial weighing and measuring scales across the globe.