PATEK PHILIPPE LADIES YELLOW GOLD WRISTWATCH REF. 3442J

This is a unicorn ladies 1960s strap watch: an early ref. 3442 believed to be the work of the celebrated watch designer Gilbert Albert. Note the dial of this beautiful watch and the comparison with Gilbert Albert’s asymmetrical watches is unquestionable. The Extract from the Archives describes this watch as having a ‘sunburst satin finish dial, enamel hour markers from the center’, the same description we see on the famous ref. 3424 dials. The case maker for the ref. 3442 is Baumgartner, the same maker (keymark 2) we see with some of Gilbert Albert’s Ricochet collection. The lugs of this watch are a masterpiece in three dimensions with architectural curves that flow around and embrace the strap. The complex design of the lugs works harmoniously with the geometric dial.

This example was recently acquired by Collectability at auction and we were very pleased to see in the recently received Extract from the Archives confirmation of exactly what we thought — that this is an early 1960s masterpiece of design with a fully original dial. For the complete story of Gilbert Albert and his work for Patek Philippe, click here.