Digital scales and calipers: small tools that make a real difference

A jeweler's scale accurate to a tenth of a gram or better is genuinely useful well beyond specific gravity testing, weight is a real, comparable piece of identifying and cataloging data for any specimen. Digital calipers let you record precise dimensions consistently, which matters for cataloging and for tracking a cabochon or faceted stone's exact size during cutting. Both tools are inexpensive relative to most other lapidary equipment and pay for themselves quickly in better records and more consistent cutting results.