Beijing, Aug 20: The Olympic medals have caught the eyes of athletes and spectators from around the world. According to The Sun, for the first time in Olympic history, the Olympic medals blend metal and jade. The technique of inlaying jade into metal can be dated back to the Han Dynasty 2000 years ago. In Chinese culture, jade is a symbol of class and elegance.

According to Games officials, the medals combined western and eastern elements. For example, 13 kilograms of gold and 1.3 tons of silver were sourced from Australia, and nearly seven tons of bronze was sourced from Chile. While jade were collected from west China's Kunlun Mountain.

The designers put a seal between the inner layer and a groove to bond metal and jade. The seal can also buffer the effect of vibration to protect the jade against impact.

Shanghai Mint was the official manufacturer of the medals. In Beijing, the jade medals have become the talk of the town.

ANI