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Cameos-Agate Precious Jewelry

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The Agate Cameo

The stone "agate" is named after the river "Achates" (today Drillo river), in Sicily, Italy. Agate is an opaque variety of quatz from the Silex family. The agate is the same stone as the onyx with a difference only in the cut. If the stone is cut to show the layers of colors it's called agate. If the stone is cut parallel to the lines, it's called onyx.

Agate stone is harder than steel and makes a perfect material for cameo carvings. Its close grained texture makes it possible to carve the finest of details without splintering or shattering the stone.

Hardstone cameos have been carved in gemstone since ancient times and used on helmets and military accessories such as breastplates and sword handles. Cameos have also been used on rings, vases, cups and other dishes.

Yes, indeed, Agate makes beautiful cameos.

Where Does Agate Cameos Come From?

The agate cameo is carved in the stone cameo world center, Idar-Oberstein in Germany. It is there that the best stone cameo carvers are found and create the gorgeous agate cameos that you see here.

The hardness of the agate stone makes the carving rather difficult. The technique used can create incredible work of art cameos. Agate cameos are carved ultrasonically, because of the extreme hardness of the stone. Agate cameos are resistant to shipping, peeling, cracking and fading, and they will not discolor with age. Agate cameos have been here for some two thousand years,and are here to stay.

The white agate used for cameo carving is found only in the region of Idar-Oberstein and some part of Brazil.

Agate Stone Treatment

Originally agate stone is white. For cameo carving the agate is first dyed black, red or green. A computer is set, using a template from an original hand carved work of art for the ultrasonically carving. A film of diamond slurry is used to aid cutting and the die vibrates ultrasonically in a vertical motion.

Once the cutting is over, the dye is then chemically drawn back out of the face of the cameo, leaving it in the original white of the natural stone.

Ultrasonically carved cameos are produced from a human hand-carved masterpiece, and this can be reproduced as identical cameos.

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The Timeless Beauty Of Agate Cameos

The timeless beauty of cameo jewelry has been enjoyed by jewelry designer for centuries. These miniature sculpture have been traced back as far as 6 BC in Rome. The themes of cameos were usually mythological from both Greek and Roman histories. Other popular motifs included various Bacchante maidens, The Three Graces and religious scenes of angels and baby Jesus.

During the renaissance only royalty and members of the clergy wore cameos. The popularity of cameos picked during the reign of Queen Victoria who loved to wear them and give them as gift.

Of course, today cameos are admired and worn by all classes and stations of life, and became part of the investing community.

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