The finest, more expensive cameos are those made from semi-precious and stone materials. Agate is one of the most popular since its difficult to carve and requires significantly more talent to produce. Those made of stones will outlast the less expensive recreations made from shells or plastic.

Is cameo jewelry expensive?

Inexpensive, mass-produced cameos from the 1940s are sometimes carved out of shell but set in brass. These are technically real cameos because they are made from a shell, and they are worth more than the plastic cameos, but they are still considered costume jewelry and thus are not very valuable.