The stately profile of King Philip II of Spain was depicted by a wide array of artists in an even broader range of materials throughout the course of his rule, 1556–1598. Perhaps most famous among these portraits were those by Titian, whose skill in conveying the King’s magisterial authority over the Spanish Empire is well-known. This essay, however, takes up a much smaller but no less powerful image of statecraft: a carved portrait cameo of Philip II by the Italian medalist Alessandro Cesati. Undoubtedly a stately gift, the stone suggests an unusual combination of rare, foreign material, virtuosic carving, and imperial iconography. No previous study has situated this compelling object in a more precise nexus of political or artistic allegiances. By recovering these particulars, however, we can better understand how such a gem projected Philippine authority on a global stage, despite its diminutive scale.