ABOUT | HISTORY | OUR TEAM

Joe Kubes was a Marine specializing in servicing fighter aircraft instrument panels. Clocks were a part of these panels, and he soon became renowned for also fixing the timepieces of servicemen and officers throughout the Pacific Theater.

At the war’s end, Joe was transferred to Fort Worth, Texas, and honorably discharged shortly thereafter. Rita, a native of St. Paul, MN, joined Joe in Fort Worth and they were married on September 10, 1945. With only $35 to their names, Rita convinced Joe they should open their own watch repair and jewelry store. They rented a small corner of a dry-cleaning business across from Texas Wesleyan College, and Kubes Jewelers was officially born. Each night, they carried their precious inventory and repair items home in a suitcase for safe keeping.

A short year later, they moved to larger space in a neighboring grocery store. Here they were so successful the store owner evicted them to establish his own jewelry department. But, without Joe and Rita’s expertise and work ethic, it quickly failed. This development proved to be highly fortunate, however, as it led them to a retail space across town and next door to Texas Christian University in 1948.
 
In June of 1956, the couple decided Joe should take advantage of his GI Bill and further his education. This turned out to be a profound decision as he chose to study gemology at the Gemological Institute of America. With 6 small children now at home, it was a challenging time for Joe to be away. But on July 24th, 1956, Joe graduated and became the first Certified Gemologist in Fort Worth - one of only 9 in the entire state of Texas. Shortly thereafter, he became a member of the distinguished American Gem Society.

1965 found Kubes Jewelers on the move again. This time it was to relocate across the street to 2700 W. Berry in Fort Worth. Here the family put down their retail roots, remaining in this location ever since.
 
What followed were decades of steady growth and impressive success. Kubes Jewelers became known as the premier destination for fine jewelry and expert craftsmanship and repair. Joe’s training and Rita’s business savvy showcased the store’s dedication to excellence, while also paving the way for future generations to continue the tradition of Kubes’ knowledge and service.

Over the next several decades, Kubes Jewelers grew. They added custom jewelry design and curated jewelry collections. As well, they expanded their timepiece expertise to include the finest names in men’s and women’s watches, while also growing their expertise in watch repair. All contributed to establishing Kubes’ legacy as their customers’ “jeweler for life.”
 
In 1985, Rita convinced Joe their time had come to retire, so they pulled up stakes and moved to Colorado. It was now the 2nd generation of Kubes’ responsibility to oversee the operation. Joe and Rita’s children, Rick, Tony, Julia, Kathy, and Teresa, confidently took the reins. Rick and Tony further solidified the store’s reputation by becoming Graduate Gemologists in 1980, while their sisters excelled in sales, service, inventory management and merchandising. Together, they continued to grow and develop the company, all the while maintaining their parents’ legacy of integrity, expertise, and personalized customer service.
 
In 1987, the 3rd generation made the decision to join the business. Paul Marshall started in jewelry repair, and cousin Joe Don Kubes joined him in 1989 in watch repair. These two were instrumental in convincing other 3rd generation family members to come aboard with them.

In 1997, the family achieved a major breakthrough. They were able to purchase the entire building where they’d been renting for over 35 years. This was the fulfillment of a life-long dream for Joe Kubes. It more than doubled the size of their operation with the addition of the store space next door. Finally, they could remodel, refurbish, and modernize to become an even more enticing retail destination alongside the neighboring TCU campus. As a crowning touch, they added a four-sided clock tower on the corner in memory of founders Joe and Rita Kubes.
 
Now, with six other 3rd generation family members devoted to the store, the 2nd generation began planning a succession plan. In doing so they helped secure the 3rd generation’s business ownership. Current members would accept a mandatory retirement at age 65 and the company would offer a buyout policy to guarantee a seamless transition from one Kubes generation to the next.

These changes and refinements allowed the 3rd generation family members to begin implementing their ideas to make the store more appealing to the 4th generation. A point-of-sale system was added, as well as continuous upgrades to the company website. These represented just two of several improvements made in the past few years.
 
The Kubes legacy continues to grow, as three 4th generation family members have entered the field. Two will be attending “The New Approach School for Jewelers,” helping to secure their future with the company. The family also recognizes that success doesn’t rest solely with them, but with several devoted non-family team members as well. Kubes employs five non-family members whose loyalty and dedication have contributed greatly to the store’s success.
 
Over the years, Kubes Jewelers has faced a variety of adversities. From burglaries and armed robberies to recessions, weather events, and Covid, the family experienced them all. But thanks to the upbringing and values provided by Joe and Rita, Kubes Jewelers persevered, time and time again.

Their wisdom, generosity, and community spirit has also helped support almost 300 different charity organizations, non-profits, and schools. The family is blessed and honored to be able to continue giving back to the community in such positive ways.
 
Today, Kubes Jewelers continue to blend time-honored traditions with cutting-edge innovations. Their highly skilled team includes three GIA Graduate Gemologists, ensuring customers impeccable levels of knowledge, expertise and service. 2025 marked the 80th Anniversary of the vision begun by Joe and Rita Kubes, now Fort Worth’s oldest family-owned jewelry store. The newest generations of the Kubes family are dedicated to keeping their dream and legacy alive, always treating customers with utmost fairness and dignity.

Because, as Joe Kubes’ always said, “When you treat people right, you don’t have to advertise.”