< How to recognize the authenticity of a cameo >

Genuine, hand-engraved cameos can be made of mother-of-pearl or natural stone.

As a general rule, any cameo made from a natural material can be considered authentic.

Some materials include mother-of-pearl, agate, carnelian, ivory, amber, coral, jet, bone, or all kinds of gemstones.

A cameo is considered an imitation when it has been made from plastic or resin.

A cameo should have a matte, not shiny, appearance. This applies to most cameos, as it is almost impossible to gloss a natural material that has been engraved.

Note that some genuine stone cameos may have a slight shine.

Genuine cameos are mounted on 14 or 18-carat gold frames.

Silver frames are also very common, and some models will be frameless.

Cameos with rounded cheek faces and straight noses are usually from the Victorian era.

Portraits with a rather strong “Roman” nose usually date from before 1860.

A nose that appears “cute” or small indicates a more recent cameo creation, dating from the early 20th century.

An antique or vintage piece will feature a rounded closure.

This type of closure resembles a metal half-moon in which the pin is housed.