Convert Pennyweights to Scruples
Convert Pennyweights (dwt) to Scruples (s ap) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
s ap = dwt × 1.2
About Pennyweights
A pennyweight (dwt or pwt) equals 24 grains or 1/20 of a troy ounce - approximately 1.555 grams. Its name derives from the weight of an English silver penny in the medieval period. Pennyweights are the standard unit used by jewellers and goldsmiths in North America for weighing precious metals: gold, silver, and platinum. When a jeweller quotes the gold weight of a ring or chain, they typically use pennyweights. Gold buyers, refiners, and scrap metal dealers quote prices per pennyweight (often abbreviated 'DWT') when appraising jewellery.
About Scruples
A scruple (s ap) is a unit of the apothecary weight system equal to 20 grains or approximately 1.296 grams. Derived from the Latin 'scrupulus' (a small sharp stone used as a counterweight), it was the basic dispensing unit in pre-metric pharmacy across Europe. The apothecary system divided the fluid ounce into 8 drams, each dram into 3 scruples, and each scruple into 20 grains - a hierarchy memorised by every 19th-century pharmacist.
Quick Reference Table
| Pennyweights (dwt) | Scruples (s ap) |
|---|---|
| 1 dwt | 1.2 s ap |
| 2 dwt | 2.4 s ap |
| 5 dwt | 6 s ap |
| 10 dwt | 12 s ap |
| 25 dwt | 30 s ap |
| 50 dwt | 60 s ap |
| 100 dwt | 120 s ap |