What is precious metal clay?

• A. Clay containing extremely small fragments of precious metal making it easily moulded and cheaper.
• B. A ceramic clay with metal glaze.
• C. Clay used in traditional pottery.
• D. A polymer clay.

Answer: (A)

Precious metal clay is a clay-like material that has tiny particles of precious metal suspended in a binder. It can be rolled, molded, and carved like clay, allowing fine detail. When you fire it, the binder burns away and the metal particles fuse together, giving you a solid piece of real metal. This makes it easier to work with than solid precious metal and usually cheaper, which is why it’s popular for jewelry and small metalwork. It isn’t ceramic clay with a glaze, it isn’t traditional pottery clay, and it isn’t polymer clay.