Precious Metal Clay


Precious metal clay has taken the jewellery and craft industry by storm.


It is a material that can be used with little or no experience, yet can achieve professional results in a short space of time thanks to its versatility and crucially its accessibility.


It can be used with only a handful of inexpensive tools, some of which you may already have around the house which means you don’t need to spend a lot to get started.


If you are unfamiliar with the concept of precious metal clays then you are in for a treat. Sit back and let us guide you through the basics and you could be making silver clay jewellery within the hour.


What is it?


Precious metal clay or PMC for short is a metal based clay made up of microscopic metal particles which are mixed with an organic binder and water. It can be moulded, rolled, drilled and shaped like any other clay, and dries out gradually when exposed to air. Most clay comes in lump form but a selected few also come as a paste (used for joining and coating), a stiff paper like sheet, (good for cutting and punching out shapes) and a softer consistency which is delivered via a syringe and great for fine detail.


How does it work?


Once fully dry, PMC can be fired using either a hand torch or kiln to burn off the organic binder leaving only the metal particles to fuse together (sinter) forming a solid mass. This can then be finished like any other piece of jewellery or metal work and in most cases even hallmarked such is the purity of the material. The metal particles are effectively suspended in the organic binder which allows the clay to be ‘worked’. Once the shaping is complete, the binding agent is simply discarded (burnt away) leaving only metal. (The water content evaporates as the clay dries out).


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