Patek Philippe. An extremely fine and possibly unique 18K white gold asymmetrical wristwatch, designed by Gilbert Albert
Prospective purchasers are advised that several co… 顯示更多
Patek Philippe. An extremely fine and possibly unique 18K white gold asymmetrical wristwatch, designed by Gilbert Albert

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENEVE, REF. 3424, MOVEMENT NO. 856'904, CASE NO. 2'633'483, MANUFACTURED IN 1958

細節
Patek Philippe. An extremely fine and possibly unique 18K white gold asymmetrical wristwatch, designed by Gilbert Albert
Signed Patek Philippe, Geneve, ref. 3424, movement no. 856'904, case no. 2'633'483, manufactured in 1958
Cal. 8'''85 circular nickel-finished lever movement, 18 jewels, silvered matte dial, black baton numerals, rhomboid-shaped asymmetrical case, curved stepped sides, snap on back, 18K white gold Patek Philippe buckle, case, dial and movement signed
27 mm. wide & 40 mm. overall length
來源
Formerly the Property of Walter G. Ashworth
For over 35 years, the former magazine publisher Walter G. Ashworth has been involved with photography. Having studied the metier with the renowned German wildlife and scenic photographer Anton Kaiser, his specialty became architectural and black and white fine art photographs.

His great grandfather's Omega pocket watch which was passed down to him in the mid 1970s woke his interest in watches. His fascination with fine timepieces resulted in a collection comprising a diversity of brands, styles and complications as well as rare limited editions and one-of-a-kind wristwatches.

The passionate motorcyclist Walter G. Ashworth is also a keen collector of Tiffany, Persian rugs, photographs and vintage automobiles.
注意事項
Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

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拍品專文

With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the movement of the present watch in 1958. It was encased in 1965 and sold on 30 January 1980.

In 1955, Patek Philippe teamed up with Gilbert Albert, a young Geneva based jewelery designer, with the aim of producing a series of unusual wristwatches. The talented artist took his inspiration from his passion for modern art, notably works by Brancusi and Mondrian, and his daring and unconventional case designs are considered as cutting-edge today as they were 40 years ago.

The present watch is from the celebrated "Ricochet" collection of asymmetrical watches, described and illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp. 78, 163 (ref. 3424 in platinum with diamond-set bezel), 187 and 188. Many of these revolutionary designs never went above the prototype stage, most certainly due to the uncertain commercial success of the revolutionary design.

The avant-garde design of reference 3424 however appealed to Patek Philippe's clientele and consequently led to the manufacture of an extremely small quantity of this model: according to our research, only five examples of this reference in white gold have appeared in public to date, all featuring black sector lines on the dial. The present watch is the only example of a reference 3424 in white gold known to date with painted black "baton" indexes instead of the better known sector lines. It furthermore stands out by its excellent, original overall condition.

Few wristwatches have achieved such iconic status as the asymmetric creations by Patek Philippe. Even 40 years after its creation, reference 3424 is more modern than many watches of current production. Thanks to its landmark design and touch of contemporary art, it promises to attract more curious and admiring looks than numerous complicated peers could ever hope for.

For a reference 3424 in yellow gold see lot 82 in this auction.