Rubel Freres and John Rubel Co.
In 1939 Rubel Freres, the Parisian manufacturing firm associated with Van Cleef & Arpels, moved to New York shortly after Van Cleef & Arpels opened their salon 1943, their affiliation was dissolved and Rubel opened at 777 Fifth Avenue, next to the Savoy, under his Americanised name, John Rubel Co. There followed branches in London and Paris.
John Rubel & Co. was noted for its diamond baguette necklaces and fantasy jewels which included his popular series of ballerina brooches. The latter were inspired by Spanish flamenco dancers performing at a cafe in Greenwich Village, where Robert Rubel, a partner in his brother's business, was dining.
Both Van Cleef & Arpels and the John Rubel Co. employed Maurice Duvalet as a designer. It is he who designed the final versions of the ballerina brooches offered by both jewellers after 1943.
1947 Although John Rubel & Co. remained open for only four years, closing their doors in 1947, they created some of the most popular jewellery of the 1940's
