The
precious metal osmium, which only occurs in small quantities in the earth's
crust and has mostly been used in alloys and medical devices to date, is a real
insider tip in the world of jewelry due to some outstanding features. Osmium
can and is used in earrings, necklaces and pendants, rings (including wedding
rings), brooches and pins as well as many other types of jewelry.
Jewelry
made from osmium...
- ...is highly exclusive due to its rarity and complex processing, which makes wearing osmium jewelry a statement.
- ...is one of a kind due to its unique structure and arrangement of the osmium crystals.
- ...sparkles more beautifully and brighter than jewelry set with diamonds.
Osmium is
usually lifted with other platinum metals such as iridium, palladium, rhodium,
ruthenium or platinum and offers an unprecedented innovation in jewelry making
due to its unique properties such as its hardness, density and unique sparkle.
Some experts
see osmium in the luxury jewelry segment, slowly but surely, as serious
competition to other precious metals such as gold, platinum or silver. This
applies in particular to diamonds, as osmium outperforms the long-established
gemstone with its particularly striking sparkle.
Jewelry
made from processed osmium with a high purity (>99%) is particularly rare
and is therefore considered valuable, which is reflected in its price. For this
reason, some of its wearers consider osmium jewelry to be an investment. An
investment in a personal statement on the one hand, and a potentially interesting
investment on the other. As the value of pure and processed osmium has risen
dramatically since it was commercialized, it is particularly important in this
area to buy from trustworthy dealers such as MetaMetals, for example.
Production of osmium jewelry and differences to traditional precious metals and gemstones
The
production of osmium jewelry is a complex topic that touches on various aspects
of metallurgy (the process of extracting and using metals as a whole) and
jewelry production. Osmium (Os), as an element of the platinum group, is
characterized above all by its extraordinary density, hardness and the
aforementioned extraordinary sparkle. These properties, combined with the rare
occurrence of osmium, make it an extremely interesting material for
high-quality jewelry.
Precious
metals such as gold, silver and platinum are popular in the jewelry industry
due to their corrosion resistance, ductility (the higher the ductility, the
higher the malleability of the metal) and their shine. Osmium, although a
platinum metal, differs from these traditional jewelry metals in some key
aspects. Its density and hardness make it particularly challenging to work and
shape for use in jewelry.
The
hardness of osmium, which results from its high density, is considered to be
particularly high. In this category, osmium is the absolute leader compared to
other (precious) metals. The so-called "Brinell hardness" is used as
a measuring factor here. The Brinell hardness measures the hardness by
penetration depth. This means that the individual atoms of osmium are
particularly close together.
Whereas
other precious metals such as gold or silver can simply be cast for use in
jewelry, this is hardly possible with osmium due to its high melting point, or
only with extreme effort. For this reason, osmium is usually either pressed
into the desired shape or osmium crystals are cut and then used in various
types of jewelry such as necklaces, rings, brooches, earrings, watches or
piercing jewelry.
Despite or
precisely because of these challenges, osmium is increasingly making a name for
itself as a jewelry material. Its exceptional brilliance (the shine or sparkle
is often described as more beautiful than that of diamonds) and its rarity make
osmium a sought-after material for exclusive pieces of jewelry.
Due to the
limited availability of osmium and the complex production and processing
methods, the price of such jewelry is noticeable. This in turn is conducive to
exclusivity, which is a desirable side effect for many wearers.
What types of jewelry can osmium be processed into?
Although
working with osmium in jewelry production is considered more complex than with
most other precious metals due to its high melting point and hardness, the
applications are nevertheless (almost) unlimited. Just like other precious
metals and gemstones, osmium can be shaped into almost any desired form. This
applies to osmium crystals and osmium in sintered form. However, there are
differences depending on the initial form of the osmium:
- Crystallized osmium: similar to diamonds, for example, osmium crystals can be cut and set in other materials (silver, gold, platinum, stainless steel, ...).
- Sintered osmium: "Sintering" refers to a special process that is used to produce materials such as metal or ceramic parts. During sintering, the osmium is heated to a high temperature, but remains below the melting point. In this way, even raw materials that are difficult to process, such as raw osmium, can be shaped into various forms.
- Monocrystals: As the term "mono" (Greek for "single") suggests, monocrystals are larger, mirror-smooth, individual osmium crystals. These individual crystals, just like several smaller osmium crystals, can appear in earrings, rings or other types of jewelry.
Osmium can
be used in almost every conceivable type of jewelry. This includes, for example
- Necklaces
- Earrings
- Watches
- Brooches
- Pins
- Bracelets
- Anklets
- Necklaces
- Cufflinks
- Hair accessories
- Nose rings and nose studs
- Belly chains
- Piercing jewelry
- Pendants
- Wedding rings
- ...
The journey
of osmium: from obscurity to the spotlight of the jewelry world
Originally, osmium was only used for industrial purposes, for example as filaments in light bulbs or in medical devices. However, this changed over time and osmium also became interesting for other areas thanks to the crystallization process. This includes the investment sector as well as jewelry production. By overcoming the challenges posed by the material's high melting point and brittleness (in powder form), jewelers were able to shape osmium into various fashionable forms, opening a new chapter in the world of high-quality jewelry.
Investing in osmium jewelry: exclusive beauty and potential investment
Osmium
jewelry, which is prized for its rarity and special properties, is not only a
fashion accessory, but can also be an interesting investment. Due to its
limited availability and careful craftsmanship, owning osmium jewelry, whether
as a necklace, watch, ring or any other type of jewelry, has the potential to
be an investment. In principle, this also applies to jewelry in which
traditional precious metals or gemstones have been processed, although some
experts see the potential for osmium as particularly high due to its
comparatively recent history and scarcity.
What to look out for when buying osmium jewelry
As in any
valuable market, there are also various dealers in the world of osmium who sell
the rare jewelry creations. Some online stores, such as MetaMetals, have
committed themselves to certain quality standards and principles. These principles
include:
- Highest purity and quality: osmium from MetaMetals has a guaranteed purity of over 99.9%. The jewelry is also subject to the highest quality standards during production.
- Certified osmium: The osmium sold by MetaMetals is certified.
- Support, secure payment methods and fast shipping: MetaMetals ships quickly and offers support for all questions before or after the purchase.