The address is iconic, and the brand is even more so. Mellerio dits Meller, or Maison Mellerio, sits at 9 rue de la Paix in Paris and is the world’s oldest jeweler, founded in 1613. They still work with enchanting stones and metals, however, they’ve been dedicated to a separate cause for decades as well: since last century, Mellerio has been the creator of the most coveted athletic trophies on the planet. This jeweler has always poured emotion into the magic of these athletic feats from the comfort of their workshop.
The composition of these exceptional pieces requires hours of work. Their precious savoir-faire is just as essential when it comes to immortalizing and rewarding the ultimate in human exploit. Strength and dreams come together in these unequalled pieces. One of the first trophies to leave their rue de la Paix atelier was the Ballon d’Or, created in 1959 on order from France Football, who wanted to reward the player of the year with a prestigious trophy. On December 7, it was once more Cristiano Ronaldo who got his name engraved on the iconic trophy for the fifth time. Sitting proudly on its pyrite base, the Ballon d’Or is covered with precious metals, but it’s the work that goes into it that gives it all its magic.
Several years later in 1981, the tennis world would come knocking at Maison Mellerio’s door. The president of the Fédération Française de Tennis, Philippe Chatrier, wanted to offer an Olympic-style trophy to the winner of an increasingly popular tournament. The symbol of victory at the French Open in Roland Garros became the Musketeers’ Cup – a simple silver leaf that’s become a true work of art. It took 50 hours of work to create the 21 centimeter massive silver cup. This trophy was engraved with Rafael Nadal’s name in June 2017 for the tenth time.
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