Vernier calipers are an instrument with a sliding ruler designed to hold an object for measuring its dimensions. The name derives from a German word nonius that means a vernier.

Picture 1 shows a vernier caliper that’s reminiscent of designs typically found in France and Britain after the Industrial Revolution. It is equipped with a fixing device at its edge near the hand, which allows its users to finely adjust its movement. It measures in inches on the front side and employes the metric system on the back side. I gather that it was produced in Japan as a copy of the original product when the country was trying to meet the military demands.

This pocket-size American-made vernier caliper comes with no vernier scale. It’s convenient as it works for very small sizes like one-sixty-fourth of an inch. It is equipped with jaws suitable for measuring both internal and external diameters. It is easy to carry in a pocket as it can be fixed by tilting its small dial at the root of the jaws. Its roughly made structure shows something American products have in common.

The product in the upper side of Picture 3 is made by Mauser in Germany. The one in the lower side is an M-type vernier caliper produced by Japan’s Mitutoyo based on Japan Industrial Standards. It keeps almost the same shape since 60 to 70 years ago, presumably because its shape and dimensions have been strictly regulated by the JIS method. Currently, all products of this type come with the same shape.

Takayoshi Mugikura

Product Design Dept.

Design Director