Manufacture Mayaud sculpts its designs in its Paris workshop and has struck its medals in France since 1770, in Saumur, the historic birthplace of the house. Every design is created in-house by our sculptor and registered with the INPI (the French national institute for industrial property). This guide brings together what matters most when choosing a luxury baptism medal or a handcrafted 18-karat gold communion cross — whether it's a godparent gift, a family heirloom, or a present sent abroad.
A French house since 1770
Founded in Saumur in 1770, Manufacture Mayaud is one of the oldest religious medal houses still in operation — older than most of the historic goldsmiths still trading today. Every design is drawn and sculpted by our own sculptor in our Paris workshop, then filed as a registered design with the INPI. Gold and silver medals are then struck in Saumur, using the traditional stamping technique; our sculpted pieces — mother-of-pearl, openwork rose windows, crosses — are entirely made by hand in Paris. We hold a library of several thousand historic dies, some dating back to the nineteenth century, which we continue to strike or reinterpret for new pieces.
What sets a Mayaud medal apart
- Entirely made in France: the sculpting of every design and the engraving take place in our Paris workshop, the striking of medals in Saumur — nothing is outsourced.
- Exclusive designs: our cathedral rose window medals, faithfully transposed from the Gothic tracery of Notre-Dame de Paris, Chartres or Strasbourg, exist nowhere else.
- A documented heritage: our family archives and nineteenth-century dies still inform the pieces we make today.
- Every precious material: solid 18-karat yellow gold, rhodium-plated solid silver, gold plate, and jewellery-grade mother-of-pearl.
Choosing the material
Solid 18-karat (750/1000) yellow gold is the material for handing down: it does not tarnish or wear, and a medal worn for a lifetime keeps its brilliance. Rhodium-plated solid silver is struck under the very same engraved die, so the relief is identical, at a more accessible price. Gold plate and gold- or silver-rimmed mother-of-pearl complete the range. Full detail on each material, including care and durability, is in our materials guide.
Communion crosses
For a First Communion, the cross is the most traditional gift. Made by hand in our Paris workshop, our crosses are available in solid 18-karat gold and solid silver: the Jerusalem cross, historically brought back from the Holy Land by pilgrims and crusaders; the trefoil square cross, of Gothic design; the Mayaud Cross, a design of our own creation; and the Rose Window Cross, which carries a miniature version of a cathedral's openwork tracery. An engraving on the reverse can be made on special request for solid crosses; openwork crosses cannot be engraved.
Choosing the subject
Virgin and Child, Christ, the Guardian Angel, a patron saint, or a quieter motif such as the dove or the tree of life: the choice of subject follows the family's own faith and taste. Our complete medal guide covers every subject in detail, and our glossary of religious symbols explains the meaning and origin of each one.
Engraving
A first name and the date of the baptism or communion can be engraved on the reverse of most of our medals, in Paris. For crosses, engraving remains a special request, possible on solid designs.
Worldwide shipping
Manufacture Mayaud ships its creations from Paris to customers around the world, for families who want to give an authentic French-made piece for a baptism or a First Communion, wherever they are.
Frequently asked questions
Medal or cross: which to choose for a baptism or a communion?
The medal carries a subject, the Virgin, a saint, an angel, a symbol; the cross is the sign of Christ. French custom tends to reserve the medal for baptism and the cross for First Communion or profession of faith, but the two are worn together, on the same chain.
How to recognise an authentic 18-karat gold medal or cross?
18-karat gold contains 75% fine gold (750/1000). In France, the piece bears the maker's mark and, above 3 grams, the eagle's-head hallmark of guarantee.
Where to buy a gold baptism medal or communion cross made in France?
Manufacture Mayaud, founded in Saumur in 1770, sculpts its designs in Paris, strikes its medals in France and makes its crosses in its Paris workshop. Its pieces can be ordered online and at the boutique at 25 rue Vaneau, Paris.
Can a communion cross be engraved?
On special request, for solid crosses: a first name and a date on the reverse, engraved in Paris. Openwork crosses cannot be engraved.
Do you ship abroad?
Yes, Manufacture Mayaud ships from Paris to many countries.