Very old cameos, as old as 1800s are available today. These are considered priceless and people have great desire to possess them. In modern times a collection of cameos had become a hobby for the people and they are prepared to pay any price for them. Still it is necessary to distnguish between the genuine ones with the rest to get the real value for your money.

There are many parameters for the evaluation of the cameos like the quality of carving, the condition in which it is at present, the age, the type of setting that it is in, material that is used for setting and any other material that is used. The ones that are more in demand depends on the subject matter being the most unusual. The rarer the more desirable.

Alexandria in Egypt is the place where the oldest cameo was found. It belonged to the 3rd century BC and it is made of agate. In 1800 in Italy the earliest cameo making tool was discovered and ever since them cameos have been carved and have now become antique pieces. Many famous people like Queen Victoria, Emperor Napleon and his wifeand many others used cameos as jewellery. It was a symbol of prestige, status and wealth.

There are different designs in which cameos are carved. There are different themes like religious ones with saints, prophets, Mary Jesus etc. Then there are some with scenic ones with animals and plants carved on them, portraits, Greek and Roman mythological acts and beings, then there are romantic cameos with Cupid or couples on them. In 1800s the popular motif for the cameos was the long straight noses of the Romans. After that different designs depending on the artists and jewellers have come up.

The material used for cameos is also of different kinds. Shells are somehow the most popular material, for making cameos. Pearl cameos is also a variety. What is used least is the stone and that is what people want to possess.

The antique cameos were made with lava stones or agate. There were different colors in which the stones were availabkle namely brick, beige, black and white. Even semi prcious stones were used for carving cameos. Things that are natural like ivory, coral, bones were also used for this in Georgian period.