I had never been to Montauk, but one midsummer weekend River took me there. Mostly I thought it was to meet his parents, but down on the beach he also proposed. We had just been looking at the waves, the sand and then he was lost staring at the wild roses at the edge of the dunes. Then he asked me and I said yes. We gathered some of the roses and later put them on our nighttable. Somehow, I don’t quite know how, he had those roses made into my diamond. And I tell you, every time I look into my diamond ring I can recall each memory, every detail, every petal of that moment.
John Hatleberg has created exact replicas of famous diamonds since 1987. His replicas are visually indistinguishable from the original diamonds. These diamonds are his passion. Always working with the actual gems, Hatleberg has created molds and/or replicas of the Hope, Centenary, Dresden Green, Eureka, Incomparable, Guinea Star, Portuguese, Blue Heart, Victoria Transvaal, Shah Jahan Table Cut Diamond, Excelsior I, McLean-Duchess of Windsor, Oppenheimer, Milennium Star, “Lili”, The Pink Star, Heart of Eternity, Koh-i-Noor, Jonker, Light of Peace, Blue Lili, Wittelsbach-Graff, French Blue and Tavernier Diamonds. Additional commissions remain undisclosed.
DeBeers, the Smithsonian Institution, the Natural History Museum London, the South African government and the Dresden Green Vaults have all invited this artist to work with their diamonds. Most prominent jewelers including Harry Winston, Laurence Graff, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chopard, Cartier, Thomas Farber and Robert Mouawad have enlisted his talents as have sightholders such as William Goldberg, Beny Steinmetz and Marvin Samuels.
Replicas are made solely for their owners or guardians, Replicas are faceted entirely by Hatleberg. To create a diamond replica, access to and study of the diamond is required. Hatleberg travels to the diamond at the start of the commission for this purpose. No diamonds are brought to the artist's studio. Replicas may be made of synthetic and/or natural gem materials, including diamond.
To work with such jewels is a transporting experience. The diamonds are powerful, beautiful, rare, valuable and seductive. Sincere thanks are given to the owners and guardians with whom Hatleberg has had the privilege of working.