Osmium is a metal with a remarkably strong grey/blue color. The sample, shown in the picture above is made by gas-phase growing. In this way, the samples are smooth on one side, and have a nice crystalline appearance on the other side. Also, a small crystal of osmium is present as well, which is nicely shown in the left of the picture. The total weight of all these pieces of osmium is 580 mg, the crystal at the left has a weight of well over 50 mg and a total length along its longest axis of approximately 2 mm.

The picture below shows the same samples, but turned around. Again, a blue color can be observed, especially at the shiny parts, where the reflected light appears somewhat blue, while the light source is white/grey.

Finally, a strong close-up of the small crystal is made. It nicely shows, how metals can form beautiful crystals, and again, the blue color of the osmium is shown again, especially in the reflection of the image of the smaller upper part of the crystal in the smooth surface of the lower part of the crystal.