The Best Looking Medal/Order

Has to be the VC. Pure understated meaning. Absolutely awesome. Simple but totally evocative.

 

I must agree with you SDP, the gemstones and color are beautiful, but I'm more attracted to the simple eloquence of the Victoria Cross, Belgium Croix de Guerre and German Iron Cross. Overall, the German workmanship and art in most all their medals is difficult to beat.
Like women, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

"There's no accounting for taste."

Here's another cool one...Bolivian Order of the Condor of the Andes.

 

Clearly derived from the French Legion of honneur. The condor looks cool but the central image looks like a child drawing.

 

You are right but it still looks cool IMHO.

 

Mexican Notre Dame de Guadalupe

 

Nice one Skipper! I haven't seen much Mexican orders.

Here's one from Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Order of the Yugoslav Crown.

 

Great looking one. I like the harmony and the classic look.

Here is another lion: the Order of the merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg. (Commandeur version)

 

Simple yet good looking.

Russian Order for Merit to the Fatherland.

 

Slovenian St Anne order with crown.

 

OK Yugo, that top one out-trumps a Croix de Guerre any day.

 

It looks remarkable doesn't it?

Purple Heart always looked nice IMO.

 

I like the mix of purple and the massive gold metal aspect. The shape of the heart is symbolic too. US. medals are quite different due to the scare use of Royalty, Emperors or heraldry symbolism. They had to be creative and the result is sometimes remarquable.


Buten: the Croix the Guerre was an emergency creation (1915). Therefore cheaper metal was used and symbolism was more important than the artistic aspect. They can be found with 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918 dates. Similar models exist with WW2 dates . Some like the 1943 Medal are rare.

 

Note a widely unknown medal for the LVF volunteers (Croix du legionnaire) . It's ugly and cheap but possibly worth more than many orders displayed on this thread (if authentic , as heavily copied)

 

Now look at this WW1 CDG with Palms and Storch (Escadrille Cigogne) . Every palm reprsents one enemy plane kill ! So these belonged to aces.

http://pages14-18.mesdiscussions.net/pages1418/aviation-1914-1918/decorations-pilote-sujet_466_1.htm

 

Great explanation Skipper!

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

 

Czechoslovak Order of the White Lion.

 

That one is lovely, very local and yet so Habsburg like inspired.

 

Lovely indeed!

Here's another Japanese. Order of the Sacred Treasure.