Italian Cameo Jewelry

Cameos have come into the scene very early in mankind civilization. The first documented cameo was traced back to 332 B.C. Today the cameo is still a precious piece of jewelry that is enjoyed by cameo lovers and collectors. Cameos can also be the perfect gift that will last for generations after generations. Furthermore, Italian cameo jewelry can also be a great investment.

Cameos may seem expensive at first, but if you knew a little more about what is involved in the creation of those beautiful little pieces of art, the price might not seem as high to you anymore.

Cameos have to be hand-picked in the warm waters of the ocean off the shores of the Caribbean, Bahamas, Central America and West Africa. They are then shipped to a small town of Italy named Torre del Greco which is literally the world’s center of the shell cameo. This Italian town is where the shell cameos will take shaped from A-Z.

The different steps in the creation of an Italian shell cameo are: The first layer removal, the outlining and cutting of about three oval shapes per shell, the cutting, the sanding, the cameo shape outlining in pencil, the engraving and the polishing. The shell cameo must be handled with care, making sure that they are not bumped around or dropped, since during this process the object is very fragile and could be ruined by a simple bump.

After the cameo itself is finished, the artist creates a frame to fit the cameo perfectly. Since the frames are also made by hand they are as unique as the cameo itself. Another reason for the high value of cameos is that no two cameos are exactly alike.

Italian Cameos are one of the best investments you can make. When you purchase one of those beautiful pieces of art you can enjoy them or sell them. Collectors are ready to pay a high price for an original Italian antique cameo piece of jewelry.