- KNOW-HOW AND MATERIALS -

Cameos, history and know-how

58 Facettes

AAppearing for the very first time during the period of Ancient Greece, cameos are real treasures steeped in 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 fine stones which consists in creating relief to highlight the character represented as on this cameo ring 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 the cameos come from the time of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, the jewel was mainly worn by women in order to seduce. Then the cameo went through the ages with more or less success. But it is with the arrival of the Renaissance that it will reach 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 in demand by royal personalities, it was notably worn by Napoleon Bonaparte or Queen Elizabeth I. At the end of this period, the cameo has disappeared. But that's without counting on the new generation and the vintage trends that are coming back into fashion to see the cameo make its big comeback in the world of jewelry.

Meticulous craftsmanship 

You should know that the production is done entirely by hand. It is a very meticulous manipulation that requires concentration, patience and precision. There are different steps to follow. The first is therefore to choose the stone or the shell. The most popular is agate, but there is also carnelian, chalcedony or sardony. The second step is to cut the stone so as to have a homogeneous stone to be able to work it afterwards. The next step is to define the precision of the shape of the jewel. Finally, all that remains is to fix the parts on a wooden pin with hot putty, polish the surface and burn the pattern to be depicted on a transparent layer. The cameos have now become trends declined in several jewels such as earrings like this pair in cameo, rings like this pearl cameo ring or bracelets like this yellow gold cameo bracelet or else pins like this. Brought up to date, they have seduced the new generation.

Find all our cameo jewelry on our site 58 facettes. 

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