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Cameo jewelry has had a varied past and has often fallen in and out of favor. After
the fall of the Roman empire Cameo jewelry did not see any real renaissance until
the 17th and 18th centuries, with important developments taking place in the 19th
century when an exceptionally high quality deposit was discovered and mined in southern
Germany. This region quickly became the world's leading location for the production
of Cameo and the techniques developed at this time have changed little since.
Agate has commonly been used to cure insomnia and to bring about pleasant dreams.
It is also said to enhance the wearer's courage, improve perception and concentration,
and to provide protection from dangers. Agate is believed to enhance trust and honesty,
and to assist with acceptance to circumstances and emotions. In addition to this, Agate is believed to be able to improve memory, to bring protection from all dangers,
and to be able to bring about victory and strength.
Availability:
Agate in general is a widely distributed gemstone but is not currently in high demand.
Cameo (Agate) however, is somewhat rare as less then two percent of all mined Agate
is of high enough quality to be used for detailed cameos. This is because the Agate
gemstones used need to exhibit even and parallel levels of color. The top layer
needs to be lighter than the layer below.
Sources:
It is documented that Agate was originally mined in any significant quantity in
the Nahe River Valley in Germany in 1497. These findings gave rise to the cutting
center of Idar-Oberstein, Germany. When the deposits of Agate began to dry up in
the Nahe River Valley in the nineteenth century, deposits were found in Brazil which
sparked the discovery of the country's wide and varied gemstone deposits. There
are also known sources of Agate in
Australia, China, Congo, Egypt, Iceland, India,
Italy, Madagascar, Mexico, Nepal, Russia, the United States, and Uruguay.
Evaluation:
Agate is rated at 6.5 to 7 on Moh's Scale of Hardness. There is not any specific
care required, but general gemstone precautions are always a good idea so that the
original condition of the stone can be retained.
Agate can be acquired rather easily and generally at affordable prices. The price
of the Cameo (Agate) stone primarily depends on the carat weight and the structure
and make up of the bands present.
Common Cuts:
The cut is a very crucial trait for the end look of Agate. The colors of this stone
are found in strips, bands, or blended in clouds. The cutter must concentrate on
these natural strips/bands well, cutting to assure that their beauty will be enhanced.
Agate is often found in Cabochon cuts but can actually be cut into most of the common
gemstone shapes/cuts.
Routine Enhancements:
Agate is often dyed with bright colors in order to enhance its beauty and appearance.
This is particularly true of Cameo (Agate) where the lower darker layer is routinely
dyed a dark blue chalcedony color in order to enhance the white / creamy raised
portion, which is harder and does not accept dyeing.
Care & Cleaning:
Agate can be cleaned using warm
soapy water and a soft brush. As with most
gemstones, Agate should be kept away from household chemicals and
from prolonged exposure to extremes of heat that can cause damage to the stone. Do not use commercial or ultrasonic
devices to clean your Cameo (Agate) jewelry. Agate should be kept
in a fabric-lined box away from other harder jewelry items so as to avoid scratching.
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