A Cameo is a jewel, a work of art and a family treasure, all in one.
Cameos are made out of conch shells. The two most popular are Cornellian shell (cypraecassis rufa) with orange background and sardonix shell (cassis Madagascariensis) brown background.
These shells are used because they have two layers with two different colours. Carving a piece of shell from the outside to the inside with different size tools (called "Bulino") the artist works on the first layer of the shell to make subject and live the inside of the shell as background.
Cameos are also made out of mother of pearl shell, Rosalina shell (Strombus Gigas) or coral.