The Frozen Star S dial is made from the rarest precious metal on Earth – osmium. Very hard, dense and heavy, and one of the six platinum group metals, it was discovered in 1803 by British chemist Smithson Tennant. Found mostly in the Americas and in the Russian Federation, and 11 times rarer than gold, osmium is the least abundant stable element in Earth’s crust. Moreover, pure osmium does not occur in nature; it can be obtained only as a by-product from processing nickel or copper ore and, it is estimated, only about one tonne is produced globally each year.

Twice as dense as lead, hard yet brittle, unstable unless crystallised, and resistant to extremely high temperatures (with a melting point of 3,000 C), osmium is notoriously difficult to work with. However, with a pronounced structure that creates a unique surface texture, and an intense natural brilliance, crystallised osmium has a profound and intriguing beauty. Shimmering as the light catches it – from a deep bluish-grey to almost white-blue – the osmium dial of the Antarctique S creates a dramatic contrast to the cool silvery tones of the steel case and bracelet.