Intarsia is the art of inlaying hard stone, wood, or any other fashionable material. In the jewelry industry, it's specifically a method of creating and displaying gemstone mosaics. Intricately cut, polished, and fitted together into patterns or scenes, these gem designs are then set as jewels in either objets d'art or jewelry. History. Lapidaries are following in the footsteps of woodworking artisans, who have been creating wood mosaics for six centuries. Gem intarsia is thought to have originated in Florence, Italy, four centuries ago. Items such as snuffboxes made from thin slices of agat