Italian Cameos

Cameo shell divers pick the right specimens for carving from 90-100 feet bellow the water surface. There are over 100,000 seashells, but only 6 of them are fit for cameo carving.

The shells have the particularity of high quality with no sign of flaws or cracks. The conch shell family is the best fitted shell for cameos. Among them, the carnelian shell is the most used for cameo carving. the most costly one is the Sardonyx shell with a thicker outer wall and a dark interior. Cameos carved from Sardonyx shell resemble marble.

Cameos carved in mother-of-pearl display a muted pale blue color.

Italian Cameos

There are two different distinct cameos and two different carvings. The shell carving happens in Italy, and the stone carving is in Germany.

Carvers in Torre del Greco use a method thousands of years old. They are still using steel gravers with handles. The master carver select the shell to be used, outline the number of cameos to be obtain from that shell, and then supervise the entire carving process.

The other carving center of the world is Idar-Oberstein in Germany. This city is famous for its gemstone and agate carvings. This type of carving seems to be much more difficult because of the hardness of gemstones and agates.

No matter what cameo you choose, shell or stone, Cameos are a great investment.

BEFORE BUYING CAMEO JEWELRY AS AN INVESTMENT

#1. Be sure to know the difference between plastic and stone or shell.

#2. A stress line is ok but a crack in the shell can hurt the retail price of your investment.

#3. Don't be fooled and buy a counterfeit!

#4. Before you invest in a high priced antique cameo. Get some expert advice and not your corner jewelry but someone who deals in old cameos, a specialist who is willing to work with you on your investment journey.

#5. An art cameo of full bodied people or several people well carved is known as an art cameo and will usually appreciate much faster and higher than a regular one profile person. Not always but usually.

#6. You are not necessarily looking for gold or silver as an investment, you are looking for art as an investment. The oldest and best carved cameos can have a brass setting on them!

#7. It might help to know the cameo carvers name so you can check any signature of the carver on the rear of the cameo. (check the list on this website)

#8. Hard stone cameos are a good jewelry investment when they are well carved. They are more expensive but much more difficult to find at a good price. But will appreciate faster and get a higher price eventually.

#9. A collection of one type of cameos will sell higher than any single cameos. The collection can be of art cameos, Medusa heads, a certain carver, etc. Collections sell higher at auctions.

#10. When you get ready to sell, you cannot do this at your corner jewelry store. You must have your cameo or cameos presented in a high end arena, such as an antique auction or high end jewelry auction, or sell in an investment publication.