| Cameos are gem stones that are carved into respite. | | | | Queen Victoria, Emperor Napoleon and his wife and |
| Most often they are carved into contrasting colors | | | | many others used cameos as jewellery. It was a |
| background They are generally used as decoration | | | | symbol of prestige, status and wealth. |
| pieces of value because they are priceless. | | | | There are different designs in which cameos are |
| Very old cameos, as old as 1800s are available today. | | | | carved. There are different themes like religious ones |
| These are considered priceless and people have great | | | | with saints, prophets, Mary Jesus etc. Then there are |
| desire to possess them. In modern times a collection of | | | | some with scenic ones with animals and plants carved |
| cameos had become a hobby for the people and they | | | | on them, portraits, Greek and Roman mythological acts |
| are prepared to pay any price for them. Still it is | | | | and beings, then there are romantic cameos with |
| necessary to distinguish between the genuine ones | | | | Cupid or couples on them. In 1800s the popular motif |
| with the rest to get the real value for your money. | | | | for the cameos was the long straight noses of the |
| There are many parameters for the evaluation of the | | | | Romans. After that different designs depending on the |
| cameos like the quality of carving, the condition in | | | | artists and jewelers have come up. |
| which it is at present, the age, the type of setting that it | | | | The material used for cameos is also of different |
| is in, material that is used for setting and any other | | | | kinds. Shells are somehow the most popular material, |
| material that is used. The ones that are more in | | | | for making cameos. Pearl cameos is also a variety. |
| demand depends on the subject matter being the | | | | What is used least is the stone and that is what |
| most unusual. The rarer the more desirable. | | | | people want to possess. |
| Alexandria in Egypt is the place where the oldest | | | | The antique cameos were made with lava stones or |
| cameo was found. It belonged to the 3rd century BC | | | | agate. There were different colors in which the stones |
| and it is made of agate. In 1800 in Italy the earliest | | | | were available namely brick, beige, black and white. |
| cameo making tool was discovered and ever since | | | | Even semi prcious stones were used for carving |
| them cameos have been carved and have now | | | | cameos. Things that are natural like ivory, coral, bones |
| become antique pieces. Many famous people like | | | | were also used for this in Georgian period. |