The making of Simone Biles' viral goat necklace
Everyone was watching Simone Biles as she stood at the highest point of the Olympic podium. She made history by winning two individual all-around gold medals, a first for any U.S. gymnast at the Games. She has established herself as the greatest of all time, and she confidently showed off her gold medals and status in multiple ways.
Biles had on a necklace featuring a 3D goat pendant, crafted from white gold and adorned with sparkling diamonds.
"It's an amazing creation," said jeweler Janet Heller, who designed the unique piece for Biles. "She is a true standout, and we wanted [the goat] to sparkle no matter how you look at it."
Heller, who has worked in the jewelry business for twenty years, is the creator and leader of Janet Heller Fine Jewelry in Calabasas, California. Biles contacted her approximately five weeks ago to request a personalized necklace.
Heller mentioned that they saw a few versions of it before reaching the final one that she really liked and agreed upon.
It took her group of workers a total of five weeks to create the "GOAT" necklace, which is adorned with 546 diamonds. Each diamond was carefully placed by hand. The team decided to make the goat on the necklace stand out by making it three-dimensional. They wanted the necklace to not only shine, but also capture the essence of Biles' remarkable career. This was shared by the jeweler on Instagram as a surprise for the gymnast.
Exciting Paris 2024 Olympics
Tune in to NBC to catch all the exciting moments from the Paris Olympics live.
"Biles was really impressed," Heller explained. "After she got it, she texted us saying, 'Wow, it's in 3D!'"
The jewelry maker was surprised and excited when Biles, who had just won the individual all-around final, left the stage and put on the necklace while teammate Jordan Chiles cheered her on.
"We approach these projects with no expectations," she explained. "To see her express so much enthusiasm and pride about it - we were amazed. We felt incredibly honored."
During the five weeks, Biles was cooperative and straightforward to collaborate with, as stated by Heller.
"It was a truly special experience to collaborate with her," she expressed. "Discovering how humble, grounded, and grateful she was truly made it even better."
In addition to the "GOAT" necklace, Heller also created a necklace with diamond details in the shape of the Olympic rings for Biles, her mother, and Chiles.
The rings necklace was also commissioned by track and field Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband, Paralympian and double-amputee sprinter Hunter Woodhall. Tara's necklace was adorned with diamonds, while Hunter's was made of gold. Additionally, Heller and her team crafted a yellow gold necklace for Davis-Woodhall featuring a silhouette of the athlete mid-jump.
Nevertheless, there will never be another necklace like the "GOAT."
"It's truly unique and one-of-a-kind," Heller stated. "It was made especially for her...That specific necklace, we have no plans to recreate."
