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Emblems • Assets • Look of the Games • Pictograms • Medals • Torch Relays • Other |
Overview[]
On 8 February 2024, POCOG unveiled the medal design for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.[1] The medals were designed by members of the Paris 2024 athletes' commission, along side eminent Parisian jewellers Chaumet; a subsidiary of LVMH, themselves are a premium-level partner of the games. The manufacturing of the medals is undertaken by the Monnaie de Paris; the world's longest continuously running mint.
In creating the medals for these games, the muse from which the designers drew inspiration was the Eiffel Tower; the iconic structure synonymous with the city and nation in which it stands. The inclusion of the tower far exceeds that of a superficial etching, with every medal awarded at these games prominently displaying a piece of the structure.
When the Eiffel Tower was being constructed for the 1889 Universal Exhibition, cast iron was the material of choice for the structure. Much of the cast iron used was replaced over the twentieth century, as part of the tower's upkeep. These components were stored and preserved by the operators; the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel. The games provided an opportunity to give the material a new purpose, and imbue the medals themselves with profound piece of Parisian history.
English captions in video
Obverse Side[]
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The cast iron is reforged in hexagonal ingots that sit at the centre of the medal. The shape is a geometric representation of France; a country that also goes by the nickname, l'Hexagone. The hexagon is also embossed with the games' emblem.
At the six corners of the ingot sit hobnail-like embossing in the 'Clous de Paris' style, chosen for its resemblance to the rivets used in the Eiffel Tower. The hexagon is cut to appear as if it is held within the medal with a "claw setting", a common method of setting gems in jewellery by Chaumet.
The medal outside the hexagon has a ridged surface, giving the medal a 3D effect and symbolic of the radiance of both France and the games' competitors. In a first for both the Olympic and Paralympics Games, the obverse sides of the medals for both events are near identical.
Reverse Side[]
Olympics[]
The reverse side of the Olympic medal follows the standard for Summer Olympic Games medals; the Greek goddess of victory Athena Nike against the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, commemorating the origin of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. The design also includes the Olympic Rings and the text 'JEUX DE LA XXXIIIe OLYMPIADE - PARIS 2024' set in the Paris 2024 custom font.
One feature unique to the Paris 2024 medal is the inclusion of the Eiffel Tower, opposite the Acropolis. Also, the edges of the radiating beams from the observe side briefly continue onto the edge of the reverse.
Paralympics[]
The reverse of the Paralympic medal is a depiction of the Eiffel Tower as seen from centre of the base looking upwards. The Paralympics Agitos is included at the center of the medal, as is the text 'PARIS 2024' and 'PARALYMPIC GAMES' at the top and bottom respectively. 'PARIS 2024' is also written in Universal Braille on the left and right sides of the medal.
Edges[]
The edges of the Olympic and Paralympic medals are engraved with the name of the sport and event in which they are awarded. To accommodate athletes with visual impairments, the Paralympic medals are further engraved with dashes to distinguish gold, silver and bronze.
Ribbon[]
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The ribbons of the Olympic and Paralympic medals share a design based on the Eiffel Tower's crosspieces, but in different colours. The Olympic ribbon is coloured a "sober blue", while the Paralympic ribbon's red hue is a mix of the Eiffel Tower first two colour coats: 'Venice red' and red-brown.