While the exact origin
of the first cameo is unknown, the style dates back
to ancient Greece and Rome when cameos depicted
morals and themes from mythology. Cameos came back
into fashion largely through the interest shown
in them by Empress Josephine, Napoleon's first wife.
Her jewelry collection included several cameo tiaras,
one of which is still owned by Sweden's royal family
today. Throughout the subsequent generations, the
cameo has been transformed into a delicate form
of art and treasured piece of jewelry. The antique
cameo jewelry we value today usually features intricately
carved profiles.Cameos are made from a variety
of materials. Mother-of-pearl, coral, agate, and
more than 25 types of shells are all commonly used
because of the availability and the ease with which
they can be carved. Much of the world's hand-carved,
antique cameo jewelry comes from the small town
of Torro del Greco, located on the Bay of Naples
in Italy. The craftsmen in this town use a carving
style that dates back thousands of years to create
unique, ornate pieces that are used in many forms
of jewelry.
Cameos are set in a variety of jewelry styles,
creating unique pieces that often become family
heirlooms. Cameo brooches were a common fixture
on the collars of women during the Victorian era.
Because many antique cameo brooches often feature
both a pendant bale and a pin, many antique cameo
necklaces are actually brooches worn on a chain
as a pendant.
In addition to brooches and necklaces, antique
cameos are also used in earrings and rings. Antique
cameo earrings are unique because each piece is
hand-crafted so the earrings do not always match
each other exactly. Traditionally, cameo earrings
are crafted in such a way that when they are worn,
the two profiles are facing each other.
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