Not all cameos are created equal. The era they come from shapes everything — the material, the setting, the sentiment, and the story.

Cameos have been worn, collected, and treasured for centuries. But look closely and you'll notice that each period left its own unmistakable mark on the craft. Here's how to read what you're looking at.

Victorian · 1837–1901

Romantic, ornate, and deeply sentimental. Victorian cameos typically feature shell or hardstone carvings set in gold, with intricate scrollwork and classical profiles inspired by antiquity. They were worn as declarations — of love, of mourning, of status.

Edwardian · 1901–1915

Where the Victorians were heavy, the Edwardians were light. Platinum replaced gold, diamonds replaced garnets, and the overall aesthetic became more delicate and refined. Edwardian cameos feel like lace — graceful, feminine, and quietly expensive.

Art Nouveau · 1890–1910

The rule-breakers. Art Nouveau jewellers rejected symmetry in favour of flowing, organic forms — women with unbound hair, trailing vines, iridescent stones. These pieces feel alive in a way that earlier cameos rarely do.

Art Deco · 1920–1935

Bold, geometric, and unapologetically modern. Onyx, platinum, and diamonds replaced soft shells and gold. Art Deco cameos are architectural — strong lines, high contrast, and a confidence that still reads as contemporary today.

Which era speaks to you? Browse the Vault's current cameo collection and find the one that was waiting for you.