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Merrick, NY—When Miuccia Prada likes something, the fashion world sits up and takes notice. A pioneer of the “frumpy chic” look more than a decade ago, Prada almost singlehandedly brought pleated skirts out of parochial school and elevated mustard from a condiment to a fashion statement. Without the trail she blazed, Celine’s fur-lined Birkenstocks (fall 2013 runway) wouldn’t stand a chance.

So when she redesigned a cameo for her playful Miu Miu diffusion line, women around the world took a new look at a jewelry classic.

While most people associate cameos with the Victorian era—and with good reason, as that’s when they became popular as personal ornaments--carving something into semiprecious gem materials is an ancient art that far predates the good queen. In fact, carvings like the face of a woman or a bouquet of flowers on a backdrop of stones like onyx or coral can be traced back as far as the fourth century BC. (The cameo’s reverse twin is the intaglio, which is a hollowed-out carving rather than a raised image.)

Playful riffs on the cameo made these Miu Miu bracelets a favorite for Harper's Bazaar editors. Photo: Harper's Bazaar. Right, Miuccia Prada's pleated lipstick print skirt took pleats from elementary school to totally cool. Photo: itcantallbedior.blogspot.com

Like pearls, cameos are a perennial favorite that sometimes get a re-working. For example, recently, fashion designer Anna Sui dressed models in cameo necklaces (left) and even teen fast-fashion behemoth Forever 21 worked the look with this cameo-set cross.

Anna Sui photo: Vogue Italia

But for sophisticated luxury customers, there’s nothing better than a modern take on a classic. Here, a few examples:

From Syna, left to right: 18k yellow gold swan cameo earrings have black diamonds (0.85 ct.); retail, $4,950. Right, 18k yellow gold Mogul peacock cameo pendant with tsavorites (1.8cts) and blue diamonds (1.8 cts.); retail, $9900.

18k gold, onyx, and pearl cameo necklace with magnetic clasp, Clara Williams Company

Rose gold, diamond and ruby Alexander ring with cameo carving, Gavello. Photo: Vogue Italia

Top image: Actress Jessica Alba wears a vintage 1960s cameo necklace by the House of Lavande.  Photo: Dan Steinberg/AP Photo from InStyle magazine