Betts Group and Osmium Institute to expand rare metal access for jewellers

The Betts Group has announced it will be working with the Osmium Institute, the global organisation which certifies and distributes crystalline osmium, to make the rare platinum group metal more accessible to bespoke jewellery designers and manufacturers.

The Birmingham jewellery quarter-based precious metal business said it formed its connection with the institute over their mutual commitment to responsible mining, sustainability and transparency in precious metal supply chains.

The institute is governed by strict requirements concerning osmium’s sourcing, processing and documenting, such as logging the unique crystalline ‘fingerprint’ of individual pieces in a global database.

Each piece is certified and registered with a unique Osmium Identification Code (OIC), promoting complete traceability, fraud prevention and honest ownership documentation for the material’s entire existence.

Osmium will now join the Betts Group’s expanding range of responsibly sourced precious metals, including SMO Gold, AgAIN Silver, Fairtrade Gold and Fairmined Gold.

With the Osmium Institute’s headquarters in Germany, The Betts Group said its sale of the material simplifies the purchasing process for UK customers who can benefit from UK-based invoicing, local VAT charges and forgo managing imports, customs procedures or international administration.

As the scarcest precious metal in the Earth’s crust, osmium is many thousands of times rarer than gold and silver.

It occurs only in trace quantities within platinum ores and is therefore never mined as a primary material. Instead, it is obtained exclusively as a by-product of existing industrial processes, meaning its recovery does not create any additional environmental impact.

In 2014, Swiss scientists developed a process that purifies the metal and transforms its structure into a stable, crystal form that is safe, dense, durable and reflective.

Today, osmium is crystallised into flat discs that can be wire-cut into the shapes needed to make inlay materials.

Bespoke jewellers can also access ‘osmium diamonds’, precision-cut round osmium elements that can be used in place of traditional gemstone solitaires.

Scarlett Clauss, vice director of the Osmium Institute, said: “We deliberately chose The Betts Group as our UK wholesale partner because of its commitment to responsibly sourced precious metals. Osmium’s unique profile – no primary mining, full traceability, and a responsible market structure – aligns perfectly with The Betts Group’s values and long-term vision.”

The Betts Group managing director, Charlie Betts, added: “Crystalline osmium is a scarce precious metal that is really making waves internationally as a decorative material for jewellery design. The Betts Group is proud to partner with the Osmium Institute to introduce this material to our customers and highlight the unique characteristics that make osmium such an interesting character in the platinum group of metals.”