The Encyclopedia · Metals & marks
Pennyweight
A unit of weight used in the American jewelry trade, equal to one twentieth of a troy ounce, or 1.555 grams.
Pennyweight, written dwt, is still the usual unit for gold and for mountings in the United States, while most of the world uses grams.
What to look for
Weight is useful when comparing a piece with a genuine example, especially for signed gold jewelry such as bracelets and chains.
Related terms