Richard Plaud, a 47-year-old Frenchman, dedicated eight years of meticulous craftsmanship to construct a towering replica of the Eiffel Tower using over 700,000 matchsticks. However, his dream of earning a Guinness World Record was dashed due to a surprising detail.
Plaud embarked on his ambitious project in 2015, investing approximately 4,200 hours of labor into assembling 706,900 matchsticks into 402 panels, ultimately forming a remarkable 23-foot-tall structure resembling the iconic Eiffel Tower. Despite the staggering effort and dedication poured into the endeavor, Plaud’s hopes were shattered when he learned his creation did not meet Guinness World Record criteria.
“It’s disappointing, frustrating, incomprehensible, and not very fair play,” expressed Plaud, reflecting on the setback. His disappointment stemmed from the fact that although his matchstick tower exceeded the height of the current Guinness record holder, it was constructed using non-commercial matchsticks, rendering it ineligible for recognition.
Initially utilizing store-bought matchsticks, Plaud opted for headless matchsticks supplied by Flam’Up, a French matchstick manufacturer, to streamline the construction process. However, this deviation from commercially available materials proved detrimental to his Guinness Record aspirations, highlighting the strict adherence to guidelines.
Despite his sincere hope for leniency from Guinness officials, Plaud’s application was dismissed without inspection, leaving him disheartened and undervalued for the immense effort and dedication invested in his matchstick masterpiece.
“It’s part of the dream that has escaped,” lamented Plaud, expressing the profound disappointment of not achieving recognition for his labor of love. The denial of his Guinness Record application serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by artisans in navigating stringent regulations and the importance of meticulous adherence to guidelines in pursuit of recognition.
Plaud’s journey to construct a towering matchstick Eiffel Tower is a testament to the resilience and dedication of artisans worldwide despite the unforeseen obstacles encountered.