Pardo is a German polymer clay from Viva Decor, and the thing that sets it apart is in the recipe: it is made with real beeswax. That is unusual among polymer clays and it is what gives Pardo its particular feel in the hand. It is odorless in the oven, and once cured it is sweat- and saliva-proof, which is why the range was built for jewelry and things that get worn.

It also bakes up genuinely tough. Ginger Davis Allman puts it plainly: Pardo is “very, very strong, even when paper-thin,” and “possibly the strongest clay that I’ve used when it’s baked hot.” That is the property that lets it carry thin, projecting detail which would snap off a more brittle clay.

Pardo Art Clay — sold by Viva Decor as Pardo Professional Art Clay — is the firmer, more serious member of the family, made with natural beeswax and premium pigments. Viva Decor describe it as “especially suitable for delicate techniques,” and that firmness is the reason: a stiffer clay holds a cut edge and keeps fine detail where a soft one slumps.

Good for: detailed sculpting and fine modeling, crisp cut shapes, and work where the clay has to keep the form you gave it.

It is stiffer than Pardo Jewelry Clay and wants a patient hand when conditioning — work it warm, in smaller pieces, rather than forcing a cold block.

Baking. Viva Decor's instruction is a pre-heated oven at 248°F (120°C) for 30 minutes. That is cooler than Sculpey and cooler than Kato, so do not carry an oven setting over from another brand. As always, an oven thermometer is worth more than the dial on the front.

Discontinued. Viva Decor stopped making Pardo, and we can’t get any more of it. What we have is the last of it — so if you are planning a piece around a color, it is worth buying enough to finish the job while it is still here.

• Color: Violet
• Size: 56 g block
• Viva Decor reference: 310250080
• Baking: 248°F (120°C) for 30 minutes