Sigma Metalytics PMV PRO UAE: Features, Applications and Benefits
Quick answer: The Sigma Metalytics PMV PRO is the flagship precious metal verifier for businesses that buy, sell, store, or refine gold and silver coins and bars. It combines resistivity testing and density (specific gravity) testing, with dual onboard sensors that read all the way through samples up to 12.50 mm thick and an optional External Bridge that extends testing to bars up to 45 mm thick. It tests non-destructively, needs no chemicals, runs for about six hours on its rechargeable battery, and carries a 2-year warranty. It is not for jewellery. Telos Instruments is the exclusive distributor of Sigma Metalytics in the UAE and GCC, supplying the PMV PRO with local demonstrations and support from Al Uthman Building, Deira, Dubai.
If you run a bullion dealership, coin shop, refinery, vault, or a jewellery business that also trades bars and coins, this guide explains what the PMV PRO offers, where it’s used, and the benefits it brings.
PMV PRO at a Glance
| Specification | PMV PRO |
|---|---|
| Intended use | Business use: dealers, refiners, vaults, bullion traders |
| Testing methods | Resistivity and density (specific gravity) |
| Onboard sensors | Dual sensors testing through samples up to 12.50 mm thick |
| Optional External Bridge | Resistivity and density tests on samples up to 45 mm thick |
| Sample range (per Sigma) | From about 1/20 oz gold up to 100 oz silver with the Bridge |
| Interface | Full keypad for menu navigation and weight entry |
| Display | Shows resistivity and density results together |
| Power | Built-in rechargeable battery, about 6 hours of continuous testing |
| Included wands | Small, Large, and Bullion |
| In the box | PMV PRO unit, three wands, manual, charger, case |
| Warranty | 2 years, plus the Sigma Metalytics Gold Standard Promise |
| Tests jewellery? | No, coins and bars only |
Key Features Explained
Resistivity testing through the sample
The PMV measures the sample’s characteristic resistivity. A sensor generates a small electromagnetic field, measures how the sample affects it, and compares the reading with the profile for the alloy you select. On the PRO, the onboard sensors read all the way through the sample rather than only the surface, which is the point of a “thru reading”: inserts and substitute metals have nowhere to hide.
Density (specific gravity) testing
Using known metal densities and an automatic thickness measurement, the PRO takes the weight you enter and calculates the expected size of the sample. You compare your coin or bar with the calculated size to confirm the density is right. Sigma describes this as putting the calipers away, because the device measures thickness for you.
Dual onboard sensors
Two sensors work together to test through samples up to 12.50 mm thick, which covers a wide range of coins and many bars.
The optional External Bridge
For larger bars, the External Bridge provides resistivity and density testing on samples up to 45 mm thick, such as 100 oz silver bars and 400 oz gold bars, and 1 kg silver bars. Each Bridge is factory-calibrated to its specific parent unit, and paired units carry matching serial numbers.
Full keypad and combined display
The full keypad speeds up menu navigation and weight entry, and the display shows resistivity and density results in one place, so operators can read both checks at a glance.
Rechargeable battery
The built-in rechargeable battery lasts about six hours of continuous testing, enough for a long verification session without needing a socket.
Three wands
The PRO comes with the Small, Large, and Bullion wands, giving flexibility across coin and bar sizes.
Non-destructive, chemical-free, low maintenance
No acids, no cutting, no marks, and no ongoing calibration maintenance in normal use.
Tests through non-metal packaging
PMV devices can test through plastic cases, coin flips, holders, and sealed assay packaging, provided there is no metal in the packaging, so graded and sealed items can stay sealed.
Applications: Where the PMV PRO Is Used in the UAE
Bullion dealers and coin shops
Verify coins and bars at the point of purchase and again before resale, including sealed and graded items, without opening packaging.
Refineries and assay operations
Check incoming bars and coins before accepting them, using resistivity and density as independent checks, with the External Bridge for larger bars.
Banks, vaults, and storage operators
Audit stored holdings periodically without breaking seals or disturbing certified items.
Jewellery businesses that also trade bullion
Use the PMV PRO for coins and bars, and an XRF analyzer such as the Terra Scientific Aurora 900 for jewellery. Together they cover everything crossing the counter.
Pawn businesses and secondary-market buyers
Screen unfamiliar bars and coins from the public before paying, with a defensible measured result.
Precious metals auditors and inspectors
Carry out verification work for institutional clients quickly and non-destructively.
Benefits for UAE Businesses
- Two independent checks. Resistivity and density together are much harder for a counterfeit to satisfy than either alone, which matters most against non-gold cores.
- Protects value. Testing without damage or opened packaging keeps bars and coins at their full resale value.
- Speed at the counter. Fast keypad entry and a combined display keep verification moving.
- Scalability. The External Bridge lets a business handle large bars as its trade grows.
- Defensible records. A measured result gives you something concrete to point to in a dispute or an audit.
- Lower running costs. No chemicals to buy and no calibration maintenance routine for the device.
- Local support. Buying through the exclusive UAE and GCC distributor means demonstrations, guidance, and a regional contact.
Important Limits, and How to Use the PMV PRO Properly
Sigma Metalytics states that the PMV should not be the sole means of identifying counterfeits. It recommends using the bar’s specified weight and size together with the PMV’s readings, because other materials can share the resistivity of pure gold. In practice, that means:
- Check the seller and paperwork.
- Weigh the item on a certified balance, and enter an accurate weight for the density test.
- Select the correct alloy and run the resistivity test.
- Read the density result and compare the sample’s thickness with the calculated size.
- Test through packaging where the item is sealed and the packaging has no metal.
- Investigate any inconsistency before paying, and consider a specialist assay for very high-value or disputed bars.
- Record results with your documents.
PMV PRO vs PMV Original vs PMV Investor
| Feature | PMV Original | PMV Investor | PMV PRO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intended use | Personal investment (entry) | Personal investment (larger holdings) | Business use |
| Resistivity testing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Density testing | No | Yes | Yes |
| External Bridge option | No | No | Yes |
| Tests through non-metal packaging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jewellery testing | No | No | No |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
The Wider Toolkit From Telos Instruments
The PMV PRO works best as one layer in a verification routine. Telos Instruments also supplies:
- Precision balances from Adam Equipment and Kern & Sohn, for the weight that feeds the density test
- Terra Scientific XRF analyzers: the Aurora 900 benchtop gold analyzer and the Pi900E, EulerX 900, and EulerX 900S handhelds, for jewellery and surface composition
- GemOro AuRACLE PRO for fast jewellery screening
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sigma Metalytics PMV PRO?
The flagship PMV, a business-use verifier for gold and silver coins and bars that combines resistivity and density testing.
How thick a sample can the PMV PRO test?
The onboard sensors test through samples up to 12.50 mm thick, and the optional External Bridge tests samples up to 45 mm thick.
What does the External Bridge do?
It extends resistivity and density testing to large bars, such as 100 oz silver and 400 oz gold bars. Each Bridge is factory-calibrated and paired to its parent PRO unit.
How long does the battery last?
About six hours of continuous testing on the built-in rechargeable battery.
What comes with the PMV PRO?
The unit, Small, Large, and Bullion wands, a manual, charger, and case, with a 2-year warranty and Sigma’s Gold Standard Promise.
Can the PMV PRO test through packaging?
Yes, through non-metal packaging such as plastic cases, holders, and sealed assay packaging.
Can it test jewellery?
No. It is for coins and bars only.
Is the PMV PRO enough on its own?
Sigma recommends combining it with the item’s specified weight and size, and good practice includes paperwork and provenance checks.
Is the PMV PRO the right model for me?
It’s the business-use model. The PMV Original and Investor are aimed at personal investment.
Who is the exclusive distributor of Sigma Metalytics in the UAE and GCC?
Telos Instruments, based in Al Uthman Building, Deira, Dubai.
Where can I buy the PMV PRO in the UAE?
From Telos Instruments, with demonstrations and local support. Contact the team for availability and a quotation.
Final Thoughts
The PMV PRO gives UAE bullion businesses a fast, non-destructive way to check what’s inside the coins and bars they handle, with two independent tests, through-readings on thick samples, and a Bridge option for the largest bars. Used with a certified balance, an XRF analyzer for jewellery, and sound paperwork checks, it forms a solid verification routine. With Telos Instruments as the exclusive Sigma Metalytics distributor in the UAE and GCC, you can see it test your own coins and bars before you decide.