The history of the Rubel jewelry brand began in 1915, when Jean and Robert Rubel opened the Rubel Fréres workshop on at 22 rue Vivienne, next to the legendary Place Vendôme in Paris. In fact, the Rubel brothers were second-generation jewelers, whose father owned a jewelry store in Budapest, Hungary.

Thanks to their exceptional craftsmanship, the Rubel Frères (Rubel Brothers) soon gained an excellent reputation and became partners with Van Cleef & Arpels. The brothers created exquisite jewelry for Van Cleef & Arpels, working in partnership with designer Maurice Duvalet.

At the start of World War II, Van Cleef & Arpels relocated to New York, inviting the Rubel brothers to oversee jewelry production. The brothers’ partnership with Van Cleef & Arpels continued for another three years. It was during this period that they created the ballet line of jewelry, which has become highly collectible today.

The New York Times on the John Rubel brand

Registered in 1942 as Rubel Jewelry Mfg Co Inc, the brand immediately gained popularity and recognition of elite and high society. In October 1943, the New York Times published an article about the opening of the Rubel brothers’ store, describing in detail the store’s beautiful interior.

“A modern décor, combining touches of gold on blue, distinguished the interior. Open booths lined one side of the wall space of the showroom offering convenient space for personal inspection. One unusual item attracting visitors was a series of lapel pins, in flower form, in which tiny ballerinas emerged in graceful design”.

Palm Beach Life magazine article and ads

In February 1944, the renowned Palm Beach Life magazine published an article about the opening of the John Rubel store . “An internationally famous firm of jewelers, John Rubel and Company of Paris, London and New York, opened their first retail establishment at 777 Fifth Avenue in New York”.

According to the article, the shop showed a fabulous collection of gems in new forms and settings, designed by craftsmen for over twenty-five years. Furthermore, the magazine featured John Rubel jewelry company in almost every issue, from 1944 to 1949.

John Rubel in Life magazine

In November 1946, Life magazine also published an article about a glittering fashion show at the John Rubel store. The show’s highlight was a handbag filled with solid gold jewelry encrusted with precious stones. Although the bag of jewelry was originally intended for sale separately, some customers purchased the complete set of 18 pieces for “slightly less than $10,000”.

Soon after opening a store on Fifth Avenue in New York, they opened a salon in Palm Beach and at Saks. Over the next 15 years, their success grew. However, in the mid-1950s, the brothers’ aging father asked the sons to return home, and they left for France.

In addition to John Rubel, the firm launched other trademarks on manufacture of fine jewelry in 1943. Among them were Chamberlain Necklace, Dancing Birds, Ear Ribbon, French Can Can Flower, La Danse Des Fleurs, Dancing Flowers, La Fouragere, and Les Ballet Des Diseau.

John Rubel Jewelry and Ads