Cameos, history and know-how

Appearing for the very first time during the period of Ancient Greece, the cameos are true treasures full of history. Thanks to their vintage side, they are now returning to the jewelry industry.

Cameos, historical treasures

THE cameo is an art used on shells or even fine stones which consists of creating relief to highlight the character represented as on this ring cameo where the portrait of Michelangelo is represented there. THE cameo is very often used in jewelry, but it can also be found on pieces of tableware such as vases or plates for example. As stated in the introduction, cameos come from the era of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the jewel was mainly worn by women with the aim of seducing. Then the cameo has passed through the ages with more or less success. But it was with the arrival of the Renaissance that it reached its peak thanks to the great artistic wave that came from Italy at the same time. Worn by men and women to display their social status, the cameo was also much sought after by royal personalities, it was notably worn by Napoleon Bonaparte and Queen Elizabeth I. At the end of this period, the cameo has disappeared. But that's without counting on the new generation and vintage trends which are coming back into fashion to see the cameo making its comeback in the world of jewelry.

Meticulous know-how 

You should know that the manufacturing is done entirely by hand. It is a very careful manipulation that requires concentration, patience and precision. Different steps must be followed. The first is therefore to choose the stone or the shell. The most popular is agate, but there is also carnelian, chalcedony and sardonyx. The second step is to cut the stone so that you have a homogeneous stone so you can work with it later. The next step is to define the precision of the shape of the jewelry. Finally, all that remains is to attach the parts to a wooden pin with hot putty, polish the surface and engrave the pattern to be depicted on a transparent layer. Cameos have now become trendy, available in several pieces of jewelry such as earrings like this pair in cameo, rings like this ring cameo in pearl or even bracelets like this bracelet cameo in yellow gold or else pins like this. Brought up to date, they have appealed to the new generation.

Find all our cameo jewelry on our site 58 facettes.