Parisian Brand Mellerio Designes French Open Trophies, and It was Favored by Marie Antoinette
2026 French Open main draw will kick off on May 24. This year, the five trophies of the French Open are once again designed and crafted by the Parisian jewelry brand Mellerio.
2025 French Open champions Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff
Mellerio is one of the oldest family-run jewelry brands in the world, currently led by its 14th-generation descendant, Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, who serves as President and Artistic Director. The brand was founded in 1613—when 15-year-old Jean Baptiste Mellerio began selling jewelry outside the Château de Versailles. The fine craftsmanship and delicate designs quickly won royal favor. Marie Antoinette was Mellerio's first royal client.
Today, Mellerio's products retain a classical aesthetic, with lines including jewelry, fine jewelry, and high jewelry.
Mellerio has been crafting the men's singles trophy for the French Open since 1981. At that time, French Tennis Federation President Philippe Chatrier launched a public tender inviting Parisian jewelers to redesign the men's singles trophy. Mellerio's design—a wide-mouthed silver cup adorned with vine leaf motifs and swan-shaped handles—won the competition, becoming the now-famous "Coupe des Mousquetaires".
Since then, Mellerio has been the exclusive manufacturer of all French Open trophies, a role it continues to hold. Other trophies designed by Mellerio include:
"Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen" (below): Awarded to the women's singles champion, originally designed in 1979 and redesigned by Mellerio in its current form in 1986;
"Coupe Jacques-Brugnon" (below): Awarded to the men's doubles champions, designed in 1989;
"Coupe Simonne-Mathieu" (below): Awarded to the women's doubles champions, designed in 1990;
"Coupe Marcel-Bernard" (below): Awarded to the mixed doubles champions, designed in 1990.
Notably, the original trophies belong to the French Tennis Federation. Champions only briefly hold them during the awards ceremony and media events for photos, and ultimately take home only a sterling silver replica made by Mellerio, typically small in size—21 cm high and 19 cm wide.
However, in 2017, when Rafael Nadal won his 10th French Open title, the French Tennis Federation specially awarded him a full-size replica as a memento.
Since 1956, Mellerio has been crafting the famous "Ballon d'Or" trophy for world football, marking its official entry into the field of sports trophy manufacturing.
In addition to the French Open trophies and the Ballon d'Or, Mellerio has also crafted trophies for sailing, equestrian, and golf events.
| Sources: journalduluxe, Forbes, Mellerio official website
| Image sources: French Open official website, Mellerio official website