In a groundbreaking move that marries athletic achievement with French heritage, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games unveiled a unique design for their medals earlier this year. For the first time in Olympic history, each medal will incorporate a piece of the iconic Eiffel Tower, creating a tangible link between the world’s greatest sporting event and one of the most recognisable landmarks on the planet.
Luxury jewellery brand Chaumet, renowned for its expertise in French jewellery craftsmanship, was chosen to design these extraordinary medals. Their creation symbolises not just athletic excellence, but also pays homage to Paris, the City of Light, as it hosts the Olympics for the first time in a century.
Clementine Massonnat, Head of Design, Studio Chaumet, notes, “For the return of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Paris 100 years later, we had to revive this symbol in an exceptional way.”
At the heart of each medal lies a hexagonal piece of iron, carefully cut from the original metal used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower. This precious fragment is set like a gemstone, crimped into the centre of the medal. The design radiates outward from this central point, with asymmetric rays that catch and reflect light, symbolising the brilliance of the athletes’ achievements and the luminous spirit of Paris itself.
Benoit Verhulle, Workshop Head at Chaumet, explains the significance behind the design of each medal. He says, “It embodies our city, promotes our heritage, as for the athletes, it’s a lifelong quest.”
Chaumet’s designers approached the task with meticulous attention to detail. The process involved extensive research, numerous sketches, and 3D modelling to achieve the perfect balance of form and symbolism. The result is a medal that is not just an award, but a living object that captures the essence of Paris and the Olympic spirit.
Massonnat explains, “The radiance symbolises the richness of three heritages: France, its capital and the Maison Chaumet. A first design is put on paper, supported by all these inspirations. And then comes the formatting with the 3D tests. We modelise until we reach perfection.”
The medals feature a “mirror-polished gold” surface, according to Verhulle, designed to maximise their radiance. A “unique facet allows light to be caught and reflected”, creating a dynamic visual effect, with “a piece of the Eiffel Tower, cut into a Hexagon, set in the center like a precious stone with the Parisian jewellery technique”. The thickness of the metal has been carefully worked to give the medals a sense of life and movement, ensuring they are never static.
For the athletes who will wear these medals, they represent more than just victory. As Verhulle eloquently puts it, the Olympic medal “is the Holy Grail for any athlete. It’s the highest achievement in their sport; a dream come true.”
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