19 Patek Philippe A refined, rare and exceptional, Ricochet manual pocket watch in yellow gold, with hammered concentric engraved finish case and gold sunburst dial, reference 788/4.
Estimate: € 8.000 – 16.000
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| model | Ricochet |
|---|---|
| year | Circa 1960s |
| reference | 788/4 |
| case material | 18K yellow gold |
| case number | 312'003 |
| movement type | Manual, cal. 23-300, 18 jewels |
| movement number | 789'787 |
| dimension | 36mm width x 44mm length |
| signed | Case, dial and movement |
| accessories | Accompanied by Patek Philippe extract from the archives. |
Among Patek Philippe’s many ventures into bold design, few are as daring or as evocative as the Ricochet collection — a rare and celebrated departure from the maison’s typically restrained classicism. Introduced in 1961 and produced for a brief span of about five years, the Ricochet watches were conceived under the visionary eye of Gilbert Albert, one of the most influential designers in the firm’s storied history. Serving as head of Patek Philippe’s creative department from 1955 to 1962, Albert brought a sensibility shaped as much by fine art and sculpture as by traditional horology. A graduate of Geneva’s Ecole des Arts Industriels, he would later go on to revolutionize the world of high jewellery, integrating organic forms and unexpected materials — such as coral, wood, and meteorite — into wearable objets d’art. His time at Patek Philippe remains a golden age of aesthetic experimentation, where elegance and asymmetry danced hand in hand. The Ricochet design, particularly in the form of reference 788/4, captures this spirit with masterful clarity. With fluid lines that seem to echo the undulations of water, the two-piece cases were crafted by Antoine Gerlach (Geneva key 4), and fitted with Stern Frères dials and the ultra-slim caliber 23-300, a movement perfectly in keeping with the watch’s sculptural delicacy. Only known to have been produced in yellow gold, the reference 788/4 series was issued in five stylistic evolutions, of which the present 788/4 is among the rarest. Remarkably well-preserved, the present watch stands out for its untouched case, retaining the fine stippled texture and taut geometry so easily lost to polishing. For the connoisseur of avant-garde watchmaking and mid-century artistry, this is a compelling piece of horological sculpture.
Condition Report
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