📌 Updated October 2026: this guide now also covers how our own silver clay compares with Art Clay Silver, and answers the questions we are asked most often. See also the complete silver clay guide.
If you have been researching metal clay, you have probably come across two terms: silver clay and PMC (Precious Metal Clay). They sound similar, and they are — but there are some important differences that can affect your results, your budget, and your creative process.
In this guide, we break down the key differences between silver clay and PMC so you can make the best choice for your projects.
What Is Silver Clay?
Silver clay (sometimes called Art Clay Silver) is a crafting material made from microscopic particles of pure silver (.999 fine silver) mixed with an organic binder and water. You shape it like regular clay, let it dry, then fire it with a torch or kiln. The binder burns away, and the silver particles fuse together into solid silver through a process called sintering.
What Is PMC?
PMC stands for Precious Metal Clay, and it is actually a brand name — the original metal clay developed in Japan in the 1990s by Mitsubishi Materials. PMC works on the same principle as silver clay: shape, dry, fire. Over the years, PMC has released several versions (PMC Original, PMC+, PMC3, PMC Flex) with different firing requirements and shrinkage rates.
Key Differences
1. Shrinkage Rate
All metal clays shrink during firing as the binder burns away. Silver clay (Art Clay Silver) typically shrinks about 8-10%, while PMC3 shrinks about 10-12% and the original PMC shrinks up to 25-30%. Less shrinkage means more predictable sizing, especially for rings.
2. Firing Temperature and Time
Silver clay can be torch-fired in as little as 2 minutes for small pieces, making it very beginner-friendly. PMC3 can also be torch-fired, but some PMC varieties require higher kiln temperatures and longer firing times. For most hobby users, both modern versions (Art Clay Silver and PMC3) are comparable.
3. Workability
Silver clay tends to dry slightly faster than PMC, which means you need to work a bit more quickly. PMC Flex was specifically designed to stay workable longer. Both can be rehydrated with water if they start to dry out. The feel and texture vary slightly — some artists prefer one over the other, and it often comes down to personal preference.
4. Price
Prices fluctuate with the silver market, but generally silver clay (Art Clay Silver) and PMC3 are similarly priced. The main cost factor is the silver content per gram. Both are available in various package sizes, from small 7g packs for beginners to larger 50g packs for experienced makers.
5. Availability
PMC originated in the US market and is widely available in North America. Silver clay (Art Clay Silver) is more common in Europe and Asia. In the Netherlands and EU, silver clay is typically easier to find and more affordable due to distribution.
Which Should You Choose?
For beginners, we recommend starting with silver clay (Art Clay Silver) because it has a lower shrinkage rate, is easy to torch-fire, and offers predictable results. It is also what we include in our Silver Clay Starter Kits, so you can get started right away with everything you need.
Experienced makers often try both and develop a preference based on their working style. There is no wrong choice — both produce beautiful, solid .999 fine silver jewellery.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Silver Clay (Art Clay) | PMC3 |
|---|---|---|
| Silver purity | .999 fine silver | .999 fine silver |
| Shrinkage | 8-10% | 10-12% |
| Torch firing | Yes (2-5 min) | Yes (2-5 min) |
| Kiln firing | Yes (650-800C) | Yes (650-900C) |
| Drying speed | Moderate-fast | Moderate |
| Best availability | Europe / Asia | North America |
Art Clay Silver And Our Own Silver Clay
Art Clay Silver is the Japanese brand that helped invent this craft, and it is the clay most people meet first when they start reading about it. We are asked nearly every week how our own clay compares, so here is an honest side-by-side — including the cases where the Art Clay range is the better buy.
Purity and firing
Both clays sinter into real 99.9% fine silver, and both are torch-firable, so neither needs a kiln. Shrinkage sits in the same 8-10% band, which means sizing works the same way for both; the shrinkage guide explains how to allow for it when you are making a ring to fit. Our clay is formulated for a slightly longer working time before it starts to dry, which is the part beginners find hardest. If you want the detail on heat, the firing temperature guide covers what a properly sintered piece looks like.
What comes in the pack
Art Clay Silver is sold as clay on its own: you source the torch, the tools and the finishing materials separately. Our silver clay starter kit includes the clay plus a torch, the tools, cubic zirconia stones and step-by-step instructions, so you can make a first piece on the day the parcel arrives. If you already own the equipment, our silver clay refill is the like-for-like comparison to a loose Art Clay pack.
Price per gram
Loose Art Clay packs and our clay refills are comparably priced per gram, and both move with the silver market. The difference shows up in the kit route: buying a torch, tools and finishing materials separately usually costs more than a complete starter kit, and it carries the risk of buying firing equipment that turns out not to suit the clay.
Support and learning
This is where we are openly biased. Every kit comes with step-by-step instructions, we publish free tutorials, and when something goes wrong — a crack while drying, a piece that will not come up shiny — you can message us and get an answer from people who fire this clay every day. If you would rather read first, our step-by-step guide to using silver clay walks through a whole piece from packet to polish.
When Art Clay Silver is the right choice
If you are an experienced metal clay artist with a full toolkit and you want a specific specialty product — a paste type, a syringe type, an oil paste — the Art Clay range is excellent and widely stocked. We make a silver clay syringe too, but the Art Clay catalogue is broader. For a first silver clay project, a complete kit gets you to a finished piece faster, and usually for less.
So Which One Should You Buy?
Stripped down to a single line each:
- First time making silver jewellery: a complete silver clay kit, so the clay and the firing equipment are known to work together.
- Already set up, buying clay only: silver clay or PMC3 — take whichever is cheaper per gram where you live, since both fire to 99.9% fine silver.
- Experienced and after a specialty form: the Art Clay or PMC ranges, which carry more variants than we do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PMC better quality than silver clay?
No. Both fire to 99.9% fine silver, and a finished piece from either is solid silver all the way through. The differences are in shrinkage, working time and what is easy to buy where you live, not in the metal you end up with. If you are wondering whether that really counts as silver, see is silver clay real silver.
Do I need a kiln?
Not for either of the modern clays. Silver clay and PMC3 are both torch-firable, and a torch is what we include in the kit. A kiln becomes useful for firing several pieces at once or for larger work, not for a pendant or a ring.
How much will my piece shrink?
Expect about 8-10% with silver clay and about 10-12% with PMC3, so a ring band has to be built oversize. The original PMC shrinks far more, up to 25-30%, which is why it is the hardest of the three to size.
Does it matter which I buy if I live outside Europe?
Availability used to decide this, which is why PMC is the familiar name in North America and silver clay in Europe and Asia. We ship worldwide with duties covered, so the clay and the kit arrive at the price shown wherever you are.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are starting from nothing, the silver clay starter kit is the short path: clay, torch, tools, cubic zirconia stones and instructions in one box. If you only need clay, the silver clay refill does that job, and the full range of packs, syringes and tools sits on the silver clay page.
