Swiss 18K yellow gold Ricochet dress watch Circa 1962

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A very fine and rare Swiss 18 carat yellow gold open faced keyless Ricochet dress watch designed by Gilbert Albert for Patek Philippe in Geneva, circa 1962. Solid, asymmetrical hammered case. Gold, textured dial with black baton hour indexes and blued steel hands. Rhodium plated movement, stamped with the seal of the Geneva quality mark, Geneva striping decoration, 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. Dial, case and movement signed.

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Dimensions: 45 x 39 mm
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Thickness: 8 mm
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Signed: Patek Philippe Genève Swiss
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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.