The Rubel brothers (Rubel Frères) are originally from Hungary, where they had a fairly successful jewelry store in Budapest. In 1915, they moved to Paris and founded a small factory, which within a few years became one of the most significant jewelry companies. At the same time, the brothers remained “in the shadows”: their names were known only to companies that placed orders with them – for example, Van Cleef & Arpels, with whom they collaborated for 20 years. Rubel Frères made many of the brand’s iconic jewelry: an Egyptian-style watch commissioned by the Maharaja of Indore, the famous ruby and diamond bracelet “Roses”, which was awarded the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1925.
The Rubel brothers created jewelry depicting French cancan dancers, Spanish flamenco dancers, and Louis XVI-style dancers. The firm also launched a series of popular floral brooches adorned with rubies, diamonds and turquoise – a combination that was widely copied by other jewelers. It is also credited with popularizing the domed cocktail ring with matching earrings.
The firm closed its doors in 1947.
The jewellery brand was rebooted in 2015, when the founders’ niece, Sophie Mizrahi-Rubel, became president. The inspiration for the new development came from forgotten jewellery sketches discovered in the attic of the family home.
Sophie Mizrahi-Rubel, 51, who lives in Paris, learned to work with diamonds and precious stones from her grandfather, renowned diamond specialist Marcel Rubel. Her career has been built on collaborations with leading French jewellers such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Boucheron. She also worked at Fred and Mauboussin.
Since discovering her great-uncles’ archives, Sophie Mizrahi-Rubel has been working on design and is currently reviving the John Rubel brand.
