A reversible force measuring device for ascertaining the magnitude and/or direction of an applied load and having a cavity containing an indicating material such as a fluid, with the cavity configured such that when a load is applied to the device, it causes a reversible volumetric change to the cavity. This change causes the indicating material to move in or out of the cavity in a quantity which corresponds to the magnitude and/or direction of the applied load. By measuring the movement of the indicating material, a user can determine the magnitude and/or direction of the applied load. The device may include a component which generates an electrical signal from the measured movement and transmits this signal to another device to control the tensioning of one or more fastener components and or make other analytical measurements by combining this measurement with other measurements like torque and or angle.