Beijing Winter Olympics: 11 Days Out, the Medals Are Already Famous ❄️

The Beijing 2022 medals feature jade-and-metal construction echoing ancient Chinese bi disc designs — a 5,000-year cultural reference embedded in modern sport iconography. Worth studying the design choices before opening night.

Concentric Ring Construction

The Beijing medals layer concentric rings — center metal disc, faceted ring, polished outer rim — each catching light differently. This multi-zone construction is what makes the medal photograph dimensionally instead of flat. For any custom medal you brief, ask the designer for at least three discrete surface zones.

Cultural Reference Over Generic Iconography

Beijing chose the ancient bi disc form rather than generic snowflake-and-pine iconography. That specific cultural anchor makes the medals immediately identifiable as host-nation craft. For Thai regional sport events, lean into one specific local cultural detail (Naga serpent, lotus, temple roof line) rather than five generic ones.