Why is a fragment of the Eiffel Tower embedded in every Olympic medal

Chaumet He had to meet two requirements when he designed the 2024 Olympic medals: reflect the greatness of Paris and honor the sacrifice of the athletes. Napoleon Bonaparte’s emblematic jewelry is embedded with a steel fragment of Eiffel Tower to meet the same goal.

“Athletes sacrifice a lot of time to compete. It’s a huge sacrifice and the medal needs to live up to their sacrifice”Benoît Verhulle, the company’s chief jeweler, explained to EFE.

At the request of the organizing committeethe emblematic house founded 240 years ago had to be managed to introduce a small piece of the Eiffel Tower, the quintessential symbol of the French capital.

“That work, to give more shine and grandeur to the medal, is important, along with the work behind it to respect the work of all athletes. It was necessary for this Holy Grail to be equal.”he added.

That hexagonal piece, which unites the structure of the monument itself, is located in the center of the medal. “The organization wants more than anything to have a part of the Eiffel Tower in the medals. Permission was sought from the company that manages it and then we did our part.”

The medals of the Paralympic Games, which will be held shortly after the Olympics (July 26-August 11), It also includes the Braille language. “It was something that seemed logical to us. The athletes of those Games must also feel proud and be able to read the medal,” said Verhulle.

For the organizing committee, the design was what they were looking for, as they wanted an emblem that resonated “in what Paris and France represent”he taught EFE Mathieu Prigent, responsible for the brand, events and ceremonies for Paris 2024.

“That’s why it’s clear the medal winners have to get a little piece of the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris and France,” Prigent highlighted.

Jewels of Josephine Bonaparte

The ancient and legendary jewelry store is a pioneer in occupying an exclusive space Place Vendômenow a global sanctuary of luxury.

In fact, it was bought in 1999 by the luxury brand group LVMH, it has a history that goes back almost two and a half centuries, since It was founded in 1780 by goldsmith Marie-Étienne Nitot, an apprentice of what the official jeweler of Marie Antoinetteeven during the monarchy.

This is after a convulsion French Revolution (1789-1799) when the house was listed as a world jewelry reference.

Nitto He made a name for himself by decorating the crown of Pope Pius VII and the sword used at his coronation as emperor of Napoleon Bonaparte (1804) to be later the official jeweler of the Empress Josephine.

Since then, expensive jewelry, located in the Place Vendome since 1812adapts to the taste of the different times it passes through, from romanticism, to Belle Époquepassing through cubism and futurism as its clientele became increasingly international.