Rely on the Expertise of Picchiani & Barlacchi for the Creation of Your Custom Medal
The medal is the only object that, since classical origins and refinement in the Renaissance, symbolizes the symbiosis between memory, culture, and art. It has always been given as a reward for a valorous action.
Today, thanks to this long and historical tradition, the medal is the tangible symbol of corporate success, an anniversary, an achieved milestone, or a conference/event. It is gifted to associations, institutions, municipalities, suppliers, and employees to celebrate their memories.
Why give a precious and unique item? It stimulates a sense of belonging among colleagues, rewarding achieved goals. To clients, it demonstrates the value and importance of your relationship, nurturing mutual trust.
Unforgettable Custom Medals
P&B has dedicated over a century to metalworking and the minting of custom medals for companies that have found in us the ideal and reliable partner to strengthen their value and prestige.
Since the founding of Picchiani & Barlacchi, we have immortalized memories and special occasions with medals created in accordance with our country’s and our city’s traditions.
For instance, in 1972, we had an opportunity that made us reflect on a delicate topic. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations organization, asked us to mint a medal to be issued on October 16, on World Food Day.
We found ourselves immersed in drawings and sketches dedicated to the fight against hunger by artists from every corner of the world. We put our professionalism and artisanal tradition at the service of this initiative.
This collaboration has continued until today, supporting, in our small way, this cause.
Read the article here “La medaglia FAO 2015”.
Another unforgettable example is the creation of the medal given to the Holy Father during his visit to the Tuscan capital on November 10, 2015.
Pope Francis’s visit to the city of Florence was prepared with immense enthusiasm and attracted numerous faithful from all parts of Italy. On this significant occasion,
Picchiani & Barlacchi created a special minting for the Opera del Duomo di Firenze, of which the only silver specimen was gifted to the Pope.
A similar bronze version bearing the historic emblem of the Opera, the “Agnus Dei” holding the crusader flag, and the image chosen by the Pope for his pontificate was given to other conference attendees.
Creation of Custom Medals
With Picchiani & Barlacchi, the creation process is not standardized but a work that requires the skill and meticulous attention of everyone involved in all its phases. This ensures that you can best appreciate the value and prestige of the object representing your association.
The creation of custom medals according to the Picchiani & Barlacchi method involves numerous stages.
It all begins with the sketch, created exclusively for your use, like a tailor-made suit and protected by copyright. Subsequently, a plaster cast is created, larger than the final size of the medal, to intervene with maximum precision on reliefs and make the cast perfect for subsequent operations.
Molten bronze is poured into the impression obtained from the plaster, and the “artistic model” obtained is smoothed and refined to then obtain a reproduction of the real size, thanks to the pantograph.
This steel block, the “punch,” is perfected and tempered to 850°C to make it even more resistant. Finally, by compressing the punch onto a steel cylinder using a balance, the die, i.e., the mold to produce the actual medals, is obtained.
Each phase is carefully supervised by professionals, artisans, and engravers who hand-tweak any machine inaccuracies to maintain even the smallest detail.
Once the process is complete, the created pieces are individually checked and selected so that the order is perfect for delivery.
The Advantage of Having a Fully Customized Medal
In all companies, you won’t find the same processing method for your medals. We were the first metal company in Italy, and we remain the only ones to leave ample room for the artisanal work of engravers and other professionals who meticulously perfect every detail to give you a product worthy of the meaning it conveys.
Nothing compares to the standardized promotional gadgets found everywhere.
Contact us on the contact page to tell us about your custom medal project.
