In the style section for Sunday’s NY Times, the shopping snapshots feature showed cameo brooches and rings worn by stylish fashion editors and other taste-makers. I’ve long loved cameos and always like to see a vintage accessory appreciated. For me, it’s like is a tiny piece of art. I like that cameos are carved out of seashells and generally reveal one side of the subject in only one color but with much detail, providing a bit of mystery (find more about the beautiful art of carving them in this much older NYT story).
I also love mermaids and my mini-collection of cameos includes a mermaid cameo ring (pictured). It was an eBay find and I remember being thrilled to see it during a general search for cameo rings. Many others share my love of mermaids, but the mermaid cameo was an unexpected, double-the-pleasure discovery. (Like accidentally dropping a piece of chocolate in peanut butter and realizing they tasted better together?) This cameo one is set in a sterling silver ring and the siren is sitting with her arms wrapped around her tail, resting peacefully (and, I imagine, soaking up the sun’s rays before diving back into the sea).