Aston Martin badge maker offers free repair for tarnished Paris Olympic medals won by British athletes

Britain’s Olympians whose Paris 2024 medals have become prematurely tarnished have been offered a free repair and revamp by a company that makes the bonnet badges for Aston Martin.

The offer to refurbish the recently awarded prizes given out at the Paris 2024 Olympics follows complaints from medallists who say some of those awarded at the games have already lost their lustre.

The proposal has been made by 200-year-old specialist medal, badge, civic regalia and insignia maker Vaughtons, which is based in Birmingham’s famous jewelery district and which for more than 60 years has produced the emblems for the British luxury car firm.

A British 200-year-old badge-making specialist, which produces the emblems for Aston Martins, has offered to repair worn Paris Olympic medals awarded to Great Britain athletes

The company also supplies Royal Households around the world and is known in the motor industry as the maker of the iconic ‘Wings’ badges for Aston Martin as well as badges for car firms including McLaren, Bentley, and Surrey-based Gordon Murray Automotive.

Vaughtons said it has been contacted by parties interested in refurbishment of the Olympic medals from Paris 2024.

But ahead of any official commissions, Vaughton’s managing director Nick Hobbis, has already offered to help any British Olympic medal winner free-of-charge with any work on their medals.

That offer applies to both the recently ended Olympic and upcoming Paralympic Games.

Mr Hobbis said: ‘We are so proud of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes. It would be an honor to help provide those athletes with a lifetime of care for their medals.’

It’s not Vaughton’s first link to the Olympics.

It already has a long and distinguished heritage of making iconic pieces includes medals for the 1908 London Olympic Games, an earlier FA Cup, Premier League medals, and even the door plaques for the ill-fated Titanic.

During the Covid pandemic it also made ‘Thank you’ pin badges to raise money to help support NHS services.

Vaughtons said it has been contacted by parties interested in refurbishment of the Olympic medals from Paris 2024

The company supplies Royal Households around the world and is known in the motor industry as the maker of the iconic ‘Wings’ badges for Aston Martin as well as badges for car firms including McLaren, Bentley, and Surrey-based Gordon Murray Automotive

The company said The Olympic Games and Vaughtons were ‘a match made in heaven’.

It added: ‘When it was announced that the 1908 Games were to be hosted in London, our expert craftsmen were called upon to create the medals for the event.

‘Each of these medals were created as a symbol of triumph, greatness and the unfaltering determination to be the best – something that Vaughtons were a natural fit for.’

Nyjah Huston shared the shocking condition of his bronze medal days after the Olympics

Huston’s bronze medal from Paris started chipping after his celebrations in the States

Last week organizers from the 2024 Olympics vowed to replace athletes’ rusty medals after Team USA skateboarder Nyjah Huston revealed the condition of his bronze piece a week after winning it in Paris.

The 29-year-old showed his Instagram followers how his medal had begun chipping shortly after returning to the States.

Huston posted online: ‘Alright, so these Olympic medals look great when they’re brand new.

‘But after letting it sit on my skin with some sweat for a little bit and letting my friends wear it over the weekend,’ Huston continues, before pausing and flipping the camera to reveal the flaws in his new medal.

USA rugby sensation Ilona Maher has also showcased the fading condition of her Olympic bronze medal during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Team USA fencer Nick Itkin also recently revealed the ‘grisly’ state of his Olympic bronze medal just two weeks after earning it.

A spokesperson for the games told Mail Sport: ‘Paris 2024 is aware of a social media report from an athlete whose medal is showing damage a few days after it was awarded.

‘Paris 2024 is working closely with the Monnaie de Paris, the institution tasked with the production and quality control of the medals, and together with the National Olympic Committee of the athlete concerned, in order to appraise the medal to understand the circumstances and causes of the damage.’