Abstract: A seal (10) includes a seal structure (130) for engagement with first (24) and second fluid components (26) in first (84) and second counterbores (88). The seal also includes a holding plate (20, 30) structure for engagement with first (81) and second surfaces (85) of the components. The holding plate structure includes one or more layers that are preferably formed with the outer layers of the seal structure (30). The seal structure preferably includes at least three abutting layers of metal, the inner layer (70) having a hardness that is selected to be greater than the hardness of the first and second outer layers (20, 30). The invention also relates to a method of achieving a metal to metal seal between two relatively hard metal components in a fluid System.