The word "agate" is derived from the Sicilian river Achates where agates were probably found in antiquity. Agate is a very special semi-precious gemstone which is classified as a banded chalcedony or micro-crystalline quartz. The individual bands or layers give this gemstone its uniqueness and character. The art of cameo engraving can be traced as far back as the second and first centuries B.C. to the ancient Greco-Roman Empires where cameos enjoyed a golden age. The decline of the Roman Empire also brought with it a period of dormancy for cameo development. It was not until the fifteenth century during the period referred to as the Renaissance that cameos resurfaced as an art form and as a medium for jewelry. The Medici family of Florence is credited with restoring cameos as jewelry. At about the same time a very high quality mine was discovered in southern Germany. This region soon became the center of cameo technology and by the beginning of the 19th century possessed the most important agate deposits in the world. Over the past one hundred years, this area pioneered and is largely responsible for developing and refining the techniques used to carve and color today's cameos. The once rich deposits of these mines have been exhausted and the world is now dependent on South America for its supply of high quality layered agate material. The layered agate material that is used in producing agate cameo gem carvings is usually cut from agates with even parallel layers, a lighter layer above a darker one. The Brazilian agate used in today's cameos is naturally multiple shades of gray in color, ranging from a milky white translucent to dark gray. The lower and softer layer is dyed to produce the highly desirable blue chalcedony color; while the lighter colored upper layer which is harder does not accept dying and remains white or milky in appearance. Only 2 percent of all agate material mined is of a quality suitable for detailed cameo cutting. It is important to note that of this small percentage that an even an smaller percentage can be dyed blue making the enclosed cameos precious and rare. The exquisite motifs and silhouettes featured in our cameo offering have been carved relief style, employing the use of a highly sophisticated ultrasonic etching process and elegantly framed in karat gold. |