CUTS

Cameo appearance

A cameo is defined as a gemstone that has been carved in relief with a picture of a scene, figure or face. One of the most widely-used is a portrait of a face in profile. KATHERINE KOVACS reports.

Gemstones that have two or more reputedly commissioned the first a highly skilled art. For gemstones cut ones as the ultrasonic method layers of colour are favoured cameo in approximately the third like chalcedony, the process in- can’t “undercut” or carve out the for carving into cameos, as the century BC. The rulers of this time volves sketching a design onto the background to leave the image in contrast of a lighter layer against a believed themselves descended stone with a diamond stylus. relief. Some manufacturers try for darker colour makes the detail of from the gods. As such, artists The background is then cut back a balance between the two and the carving stand out. Chalcedony of that first cameo didn’t portray using an increasingly finer and choose to produce cameos with (many varieties of which are simply Alexander realistically, but as their finer number of drill points as the the ultrasonic machine and finish called agate), with its multiple lay- impression of the god, Zeus. image goes from a roughly-formed the piece with hand-carving. ers of colour has been a popular While carving into stone wasn’t shape to an image of greater Hand-carved and ultrasonically- choice since ancient times. new, the introduction of sardonyx detail. Because they are softer, produced cameos may be further Varieties of shell (the helmet and from India enabled the artist to the hand carving of shells requires distinguished using a 10x hand the pink conch) have also been carve away a lighter top layer of less abrasive instruments, such as lens. The cameo produced by the used for cameos since the 15th or the gemstone to create a picture hand gravers and dental drills. ultrasonic will have a slightly pit- 16th century, and this is probably against a darker bottom layer. Polishing should be performed ted surface, and may feel slightly the most popular material for The cameo continued to gain with extreme caution as the rough to the touch; a hand-carved cameo carving today. popularity through the Hellenic and process has the potential to destroy piece will feel smooth. When buying cameos, jewellers Roman times with its artistic zenith fine detail. As the cameo nears Factors affecting the value of an- should look out for plastic that may said to be around the first century final stages, carving and polishing tique cameos include the material be used to imitate shell cameos, BC. Cameos were worn in rings, may be done alternatively. used, provenance, age, condition, and this can be detected with 10x pendants, bracelets and clothing Hand carving a gemstone or subject matter, depth and detail of loupe examination or the potentially ornaments and continued to com- shell into a cameo is understandably the carving. destructive “hot point” test. monly represent myths or artistic a time consuming, and therefore For more modern pieces, the Natural shell cameos can representations of the gods. costly, process, hence the now most important factor affecting be quite thin, making the back With the arrival of the early, widespread use of an ultrasonic value is the quality and detail of susceptible to cracking. If this austere Christians, the cameo cutting machine for cameo mass the carving; however, a cameo happens, the carved part may be declined in popularity before being production. A metal casting is made by ultrasonic will generally cut-out and glued onto new back- revived in the Renaissance, where made of the image to be used, and be worth less than a well-executed ing material – the term for this is artists sought to copy the early loaded into the machine. hand-carved piece t “ doublet”. Opal and other gems ancient gem carvings. The Victorian This machine vibrates at thou- era also saw a revival of classical sands of times per second while are sometimes also used to make Katherine Kovacs BA, cameo doublets with backing ma- themes. Today, some cutters seek an abrasive agent, suspended in FGAA is a gemmologist terials such as onyx or plastic. to replicate the ancients by choos- liquid, hits the stone and chips-off with over 15 years experi- The birthplace of the cameo ing a Grecian or Roman hairstyle microscopic flakes. ence. She is a wholesaler of natural gems and fancy- is said to be Alexandria where for an anonymous profile. Ultrasonically-carved cameos coloured diamonds, and a its founder, Alexander the Great, The hand carving of cameos is can be differentiated from hand- member of the GAA.

Jeweller / March 2010 3