Precious Metal Clay: An
Innovative and
Accessible Technology
Marion Baker
Art 2040
For centuries, jewelry making has been an infinite channel for artistic creativity,
imagination and innovation. Artisan’s conceptions today have a rich diversity of resources,
materials and techniques to draw from.
The focus of this paper is of an innovative material called Precious Metal Clay (PMC),
developed by a “Japanese metallurgist named Masaki Morikawa in the early nineteen-nineties
as a means of opening up jewelry making to a greater range of artisans” (wikipedia).
“Mitsubishi Materials of Japan introduced PMC to the United States market place in 1996”
(Haab).
Precious Metal Clay is a malleable substance that consists of particles of metal powder
mixed with “Methyl Cellulose as filler” (Tools). After the Precious Metal Clay is sintered and
the fillers been burns away either by a torch or kiln, only the solid metal artifact remains.
Clay is available in four varieties of metal, Silver, Gold, Bronze and Copper. Sherri
Haab, author of “The Art of Metal Clay: Techniques for Creating Jewelry and Decorative
Objects” categorizes the clays by brand and type. “PMC Standard, PMC+ and PMC3 which is
also available in slip, (a premixed paste used for joining pieces and repairs) and PMC + Paper
and Art Clay in oil Paste, overlay, syringe type, sheet type, and paper type”, (Haab).
Tools used for working with metal clay are readily available in most craft, hardware and
leather shops. Listed below are the most frequently used tools and some of the uses.

PVC tubing, used for rolling out the clay.

Deck of playing cards or two strips of card stock. Used for rolling out the clay.
The number of cards used determines the thickness of the clay. The recommended
thickness ranges from 1.5 to 2mm to give durability to the jewelry.

Razor blade (single sided) or a craft knife.

Ruler with metric scale.

Small metal file.

Wire jewelry brush either with brass or stainless steel bristles.

Small hand drill and bits.

Burnisher for setting stones. Cubic zirconia stones can be set into the clay before
firing.

Needle tool

Toothpicks

Plastic straws for making holes as desired.

Hand held butane torch is optional but very handy. Used to fire some types of
metal clay like PMC3; it has more of a versatile temperature range. Jewelry or
enameling kilns are required for most of the Precious Metal Clays as temperatures
needed for firing range from “1200 degrees to 1814 degrees” (Haab). It should be
noted for firing object in the kiln, flat objects can be laid on kiln shelves, while
other object require a fiber glass blanket.
There are a few suggested supplies to have on hand as listed below.

Olive oil, used for applying to work surfaces and tools to preventing the clay from
sticking.

Jar of water with a lid, used for storing the syringe clay so it will not dry out.

Plastic wrap and baggies, used for keeping the clay moist

Spray bottle for misting clay to prevent moisture loss while working with it.
You can also use a variety of household objects like laces, burlap, buttons, cookie cutters
and other interesting objects to make designs and textures in the clay.
To illustrate the ease and flexibility of Precious Metal Clay more effectively, it will be
helpful to describe one of the many methods that are available for making a pendant using
Precious Metal Clay. This project is hypothetical. I will need to determine what clay is best
suited for the process I will use to fire my clay and for the durability that I need to have in the
finished piece. PMC3 works well as I will fire this project with a handheld butane torch. I will
also need a syringe of pre-mixed slip to join the pieces and to make the bail.
The tools I will need include a piece of PVC pipe, four playing cards, small paintbrush,
craft knife, needle tool, metal file, toothpick, sandpaper (320 and 600 grit), wire brush and a
handheld butane torch” similar to a glazing torch for pastries and a firebrick” (utube). I will also
need a small amount of olive oil, a Styrofoam block and a piece of floral lace.
I have decided to make a flower petal pendant.
To begin I make a pattern for keeping all the design elements of my pendant uniform.
Lightly coat your work surface and roller with olive oil so the clay will not stick. Roll the clay
out using two playing cards stacked on top of each other, spaced a little wider than the desired
width of the piece. Take a small piece of Precious Metal Clay making sure to reseal the plastic
bag and roll the clay out gingerly. Using the pattern, lightly trace the petals as to know where to
apply the texture. Carefully lay the lace down on the wet clay, rolling the PVC pipe to create the
desired texture. Remove the spent lace. Cut the petals out using the craft knife. Form the veins
and bend the pedals to the desired shape. Layer the petals one on top of another using the slip
clay (just a little), attaching them around the toothpick—as the toothpick will act as a support
stand while the flower is drying. Clean up extra slip with the small paintbrush. Push the
toothpick up right into the Styrofoam block and dry at room temperature overnight or until
leather hard. Next, form a small bail for the pendant by rolling a small coil of clay. Seal the ends
of the coil together with slip. Remove excess slip with the paintbrush. It will also need to dry
overnight. After pieces have dried, use the slip to attach the bail to the flower pendant while it is
standing and allow drying. File and smooth any rough surfaces with a metal file and sand paper
to prepare the piece for firing. Set the pendant on the firebrick, “slowly approach the pendant
with the butane flame moving in a small circular motion” (Jacobson). When the pendant starts to
glow red, continue firing for another four to five minutes using the torch in the same circular
motion. Allow the piece to cool at room temperature until completely cool to touch. Use the wire
brush to clean the piece, sand it using the graduated sizes of sand paper to produce a smooth matt
surface. The pendant now complete has a much more organic feel than that produced by
polishers and buffing machines. The project describes was hypothetical, the research for the
project that provided a good bases for it was not.
Imagination and creativity have no limitations in the ever-expanding extraordinary
innovations that can come about thru technology and as the world embraces these advances
Artisans worldwide can partake of the rich bounties it brings.
Bibliography
Haab, Sherrie. "Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry." Malaysia: Watson-Gutill Publications,
2007. 143. PMC Jewley.
Haab, Sherrie. "The Art of Metal Clay: Techniques for Creating Jewelry and Decorative
Objects." Malaysia: Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 2003. 144. metal work and
jewelry making.
Jacobson, Hadar. http://www.MetalClayGuru.com. n.d. PMC clay torch. 28 April 2013.
Tools, Cool. http://www.cooltools.us/What-is-metal-clay-s/1489.htm. n.d. Web. 26 April 2013.
utube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDH8VyuXrD4. n.d. PMC clay firing. 28 April 2013.
wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org. n.d. 26 April 2013.