Pulse radiolysis results suggest that the very first steps of silver aggregation in water involve the formation of Ag-3(2+). We present a 3 mixed classical quantum simulation of the absorption spectrum of this aggregate which is in agreement with the experimental spectrum. The formation and structure of this aggregate are discussed with the help of additional Monte Carlo and ab initio calculations. The results tend to confirm the formation of Ag-3(2+). (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.