The Paris-based jewelry house is the inaugural jeweler in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to craft the medals. In the center of 12, Place Vendôme, the iconic hôtel particulier housing the Chaumet jewelry workshop, LVMH unveiled the medals created and produced to honor victorious athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Chaumet has made history as the first jeweler to design medals for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The LVMH-owned brand collaborated with the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, led by Olympic canoeist Tony Estanguet, to create the medals, which were first unveiled in February.
More about 2024 Olympic Medals
Antoine Arnault of LVMH Image and Environment stated, “This inaugural Olympic medal crafted by a jeweler symbolizes LVMH’s role as a creative partner for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through a collaborative creative process between Paris 2024 and Chaumet, the maison’s artisans drew inspiration from their archives and powerful Olympic symbols to design a medal influenced by high jewelry. This creation marks a new chapter in Chaumet’s storied history, leaving a lasting legacy for the Maison.”
One side of the medal honors Paris, while the other reflects Chaumet’s design heritage and the history of the Olympic Games. LVMH described the medal design as “confident and bold,” capturing the spirit of the athletes’ achievements. The medal features a series of rays, symbolizing the radiance of Paris, known as the City of Lights, with faceting designed to reflect light and enhance the medal’s brilliance, symbolizing the athletes’ accomplishments.
In a nod to tradition, the medals are crafted from gold, silver, and bronze, but with a unique twist: the hexagonal center of each medal contains authentic iron from the Eiffel Tower, preserved during its renovation, allowing winners to carry a piece of Paris with them. This iron center is set using a “griffe setting,” a technique Chaumet uses in its high jewelry, evoking the ‘Clous de Paris’ hobnail motif and the rivets of the Eiffel Tower.
The hexagon shape not only represents France but also echoes a motif frequently used in Chaumet’s jewelry, symbolizing the brand’s deep connection to its heritage and the host nation.
