Precious Metal Clay, PMC, is an exciting material developed and patented in the 1990s by Mitsubishi Materials of Japan. Microscopic particles of silver are mixed with an organic binder to create a material that has the feel and working properties of modeling clay.

Designs are created by the artist using many different techniques to give shape, texture, and character. After air-drying, the objects are refined and sanded by hand and then heated to temperatures approaching the melting point of the metal. At this point the particles fuse together to make an almost pure silver product.

Fired PMC work can be polished and a patina can be added to enhance designs. The end result is a lovely silver piece of jewelry (.999% silver) which is a higher content than sterling silver.