Swiss asymmetrical gold keyless lever dress watch Circa 1962

Gold Ricochet dress watch 
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A very fine and rare Swiss 18 carat gold asymmetrical Ricochet keyless lever dress watch designed by Gilbert Albert for Patek Philippe in Geneva, circa 1962. The rhodium plated movement with Geneva Striping decoration, stamped with the Seal of the Geneva quality mark, 18 jewels, a straight line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and five positions, shock absorber and self compensating Breguet balance spring. The sunburst champagne coloured dial is decorated to match the case with painted black baton hour indexes and black  hands. The solid case with a sunburst pattern design and snap on back. Dial signed, case and movement signed and numbered.
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Dimensions: 44 x 39 mm
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Thickness: 7 mm
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Signed: Patek Philippe Genève
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Reference 788/1.
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Gilbert Albert, born September 20, 1930, is a renowned Genevan jewellery designer and artist.
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In 1955, he began designing wristwatch cases for Patek Philippe. Breaking away from traditional shapes, he introduced asymmetrical triangles and rhombic forms inspired by his passion for modern sculpture and works by artists such as Brancusi and Mondrian.
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Albert gave textured organic surfaces to the asymmetrical shapes of the Patek Philippe ‘Ricochet’ collection. However, many of his more revolutionary designs remained prototypes and were not produced in series.
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In 1962, he established his own workshop, designing and producing jewellery under his own name. Over the years, he became very successful, both in Geneva and internationally, receiving numerous awards for his jewellery. Gilbert Albert’s creations are exhibited worldwide.