Cameo Brooches

Among the oldest jewellery traditions is the art of cameo carving. A cameo is carved as two pieces – a positive, or raised image and a contrasting negative image. Cameos have been found dating back to the civilisations of ancient Greece, well-preserved pieces from the Roman Empire can be viewed in museums around the world and popularly chic pieces from the Victorian era are widely available on the vintage jewellery market today.

A cameo is made one of two ways – either they’re made by carving one sort of material into a profile or scene, then placing the carving over a contrasting piece of similar material or they’re carved from agate or another material with similarly contrasting layers. Today, cameos are commonly made from resin, shell and agate.

Shopping for cameos online is easy – there are a number of jewellers online specialising in the sale and manufacture of cameo brooches. Many jewellery boutiques offer cameos in a wide range of colours, shapes and styles to suit most tastes. Today, the majority of cameos are carved in one of two places: Torre Del Greco, Italy where cameos are hand carved from carefully selected shells in a method passed down through centuries of artisans. The other world-leading centre for cameo manufacture is Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Germany’s cameos are carved from gemstones and agates – often, the agate is treated with dye to achieve unique colour combinations – these cameos are also different because often, they are carved by computers rather than human hands.

When purchasing a cameo brooch online, ask the merchant which carving method was used, as well as what material the brooch has been carved from – this will give you an idea of the quality of the brooch you’ll receive. Also, ask for a photo of the back of the brooch, this should help you confirm the jeweller’s claims. As always, ask the online jeweller about their return policy.