Osmium - The Sunshine Element
Osmium: the world’s rarest precious metal. Its occurrence is vanishingly small, its extraction process lengthy and costly. Although the metal was discovered over 200 years ago, it never rose to prominence as either an industry metal or luxury metal due almost entirely to its rarity and to the toxicity of its crude form. Only in 2013, following years of extensive research, was a process discovered that enabled this powder-like metal to be crystallized into a non-toxic solid form. The resulting crystalline metal was extremely pure and completely forgery-proof. As such, it quickly became a popular investment asset, especially in the European DACH region of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. As its reputation as an investment metal grew, so did its allure as a luxury metal. This is because, along with being unforgeable, crystalline osmium is stunning. The metal, nicknamed the “Sunshine Element,” is quickly becoming recognized and sought after by luxury jewelers and exclusive watchmakers worldwide.
Osmium’s foray into the world of luxury jewellery began in 2014 with a collaboration with Swiss watchmaker Hublot. The resulting timepiece, Firmament, of their Classic Fusion line, featured a dial made entirely from crystalline osmium. Housed in a 45mm casing of polished ceramic, Firmament put the Sunshine Element on full display. The piece was lauded for its innovative use of the precious metal and its bold design. The next collaboration with Hublot saw the development of the Tourbillon, another 45mm timepiece that featured multiple custom-cut crystalline osmium inserts within its skeletal structure. The natural blue-silver lustre of osmium blended perfectly with the charcoal-black body of the watch.
The next watchmaker to feature osmium was Ulysse-Nardin. They used osmium diamonds (small coin-like bars from three to nine millimetres in diameter) as embellishments in their Executive Tourbillon Free Wheel. Hailed as “a poem of mechanical mastery, a symphony of aesthetic artistry and a highly functional work of art,” the timepiece marked another milestone in osmium’s venture into the world of luxury jewelry and accessories.
The company responsible for certifying and distributing crystalline osmium, the Osmium-Institute Germany, is tasked with the worldwide distribution of the metal to everyone from investors to jewelers. Their latest collaboration with producers of exclusive timepieces was with UNE. The custom wristwatches they created featured dials composed entirely of crystalline osmium.
In addition to luxury wristwatches, osmium is a prominent jewelry inlay. Its blueish hue – a unique color amongst all the other precious metals – is particularly complimentary to pieces made from rose and yellow gold. The combination has been used in everything from dynamic colliers to subtle wedding bands. A feature of crystalline Osmium that is particularly attractive to jewelers is its ability to be cut into superfine inlays without having to be separated into multiple pieces – a trait not seen in any other high-value shining material in jewelry production.
In 2020, Oslery was founded in southern Germany. The first ever company to exclusively feature crystalline osmium in their products, Oslery helped push osmium into the luxury spotlight. It gained immediate attention, and many were quick to notice how osmium outshone diamonds to a remarkable degree. (This is because, unlike diamonds, crystalline osmium reflects one hundred percent of all incident light, creating a dazzling sparkle.) Osmium’s crystalline surface makes it an ideal replacement for the diamond carpet, or “pavé.” Nothing demonstrates this better than Oslery’s Wave Ring line, which shows off expertly set diamonds alongside a striking cut of crystalline osmium.
Osmium’s rarity alone is enough to make it a conversation topic. The rarest metal on Earth; why haven’t we heard about it before, and where can I get some? The fact that the metal has a stunning natural appearance only adds to its allure. In its crystalline form, the metal’s best traits are put on full display: Unforgeability, unmatched value, and unbelievable natural beauty all in one. Osmium’s journey in the world of luxury is just beginning – where the Sunshine Element will go remains to be seen.
To find out more, visit www.osmium.com or contact the Osmium Institute directly at 1-888-8OSMIUM (867-6486) or info@osmium-institute.com.
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