In the case of private purchases of goods from the secondary market, the Osmium Institute for the marketing and certification of osmium is the only and proven place where the authenticity of crystalline osmium can and may be confirmed.

For post-certification, a surface scan of the crystalline osmium is used, which is matched with the corresponding database entries of the Osmium World Database.

Using the Osmium Identification Code, each purchaser can download the original 2D HDR scan from the www.osmium-identification-code.com site, with which their photogrphic image of the piece being purchased can be compared.

If the photographic quality does not appear to be sufficient for your own verification, we request that you create a surface scan and send it to info@osmium-analysis.com, citing the OIC of the piece. The lab will usually confirm authenticity and match within one business day. This work is performed free of charge.

If desired or in case of doubt, the piece itself can be sent in to be subjected to post-certification in the laboratory. There is a charge for this work.

Crystalline Osmium documentation includes the following data:

• Unit number, OIC
  
• property code, OCC
  
• basic geometry of the shape
  
• chemical purity in ppm or percent (minimum 99.9995%) 5N5
  
• Type of impurity: Platinum, Tantalum
  
• Frontal image top view in 2D HDR
  
• 3D false color elevation scan
  
• side views for round bodies
• multiple views for 3D bodies
• weight to 0.001 g accuracy for weights up to 10 grams total weight
• weight to 0.01 g for weights over 10 grams total weight with four valid digits
• special features of the piece in the text
• personal wishes of the client for special pieces

The authenticity of osmium depends primarily, of course, on whether 99.9995 percent of the product consists of crystalline osmium. The major part of the residual impurity is usually platinum, which the platinum metal osmium is extracted with.

In the process of osmium extraction, the osmium is separated from the platinum ore.

The chemical authenticity of osmium is confirmed in the certificate. However, there are also many characteristics that already confirm the authenticity on the basis of visual appearance.

For example, the crystal structure of the surface of each piece of crystalline osmium is absolutely clear and it is uniquely identified by scan. In addition, a density test can provide simple proof that it is osmium, since no heavier metal exists.

Moreover, experts immediately recognize osmium by its unique bluish-silver luster.

In the context of a private sale, it is always necessary for the customer to obtain the certificate of authenticity and have it confirmed by the Osmium Institute or to perform verification via the Osmium World Database.

We ask each osmium customer to do the following:

1.) Ask to see the current Osmium Certificate of Authenticity via the OIC at www.osmium-identification-code.com, take a high resolution photograph of the piece and verify the surface similarity. The verification is simple. However, it can also be requested at an osmium institute free of charge.

The OIC is a code consisting of a prefix indicating the type of goods and an eight-digit letter and number code divided into two blocks. With this code you are shown a display of the piece's data on the website www.osmium-institute.com. to be able to see the scan of the piece.

Each seller must be able to provide the OIC and also the Owner Change Code (OCC) to prove ownership of the piece. The OCC can only be used once to transfer ownership of the piece to another person or company.

2) If you are offered crystalline Osmium in quantities of more than 120 g, you are dealing with dubious offers. Also, osmium is sometimes offered as a special isotope 187, to suggest a supposed advantage to buyers. Lately, there are more and more attempts from Turkey to sell alleged osmium by phone. Please do not pay any money and report the sellers.

3) Do not buy 3D crystallized osmium, which has wild grown structures; these pieces are only suitable for collectors and are in no case usable in the jewelry market. Their value is often only a few percent above the value of raw osmium.

4) We strongly advise against the purchase of so-called sintered bars, which, due to the sintering process, have a porous surface that can release osmium tetraoxide, which is harmful to health.

5) Fused osmium beads are beads melted under inert gas in an electric arc. They are worthless for use in the jewelry market and have carbon impurities. These goods are unsaleable and worthless. To turn them back into raw osmium requires a costly process that makes purchasing the pieces uneconomical. Osmium institutes do not buy such goods as raw osmium. To make matters more difficult, there is no valid proof of the origin of the materials.

6) Store your crystalline osmium in your own country. Of course, bonded warehouses can be a solution, but accessing the goods is always a hassle and storage is always costly. In some countries, osmium can be imported duty free because it has a status similar to gold.

7) If you do not trust a source, simply contact a dealer or your regional Osmium Institute.