GENEVA.- This exceptional sale of creations by artist and jeweller Gilbert Albert, put together by Piguet Auction House was met with huge success. Held in front of a crowded saleroom which never thinned from the 4pm start until the 11.30 pm finish, all but a few of the 427 lots by this prestigious Genevan jeweller found buyers.

“It is the largest sale of jeweller Gilbert Albert’s creations ever to be organised in the world”, states Bernard Piguet, Director and Chief Auctioneer at the auction house. “We have found real pleasure in preparing this sale which created this event in Geneva. Many people came to witness this historic sale as well as bidders participating via the internet and by telephone”.

After a temporary exhibition at Geneva’s Beau-Rivage Hotel in November as well as the viewing at the auction house salerooms, the two sessions presented 427 lots by Gilbert Albert seeing 98% of lots sold.

Horology, the first love of this jeweller of art
After his studies at Geneva’s École des Arts industriels, Gilbert Albert began his career at Patek Philippe where he created the famous asymmetrical watch before moving on to Omega. Gilbert Albert constantly sought to invent and create extraordinary clocks in meteorite rock, amazonite or finely chased gold. One example is the important clock made from a tourmaline crystal partially covered with creeping gold vegetation set with drop emeralds, natural pearls and diamonds surrounding the transparent clock face which reveals the mechanical movement within. This unique creation sold for CHF 62,000 (lot 421).

Coveted jewellery
Ten times winner of the prestigious prize from the Diamonds-International Awards, the jewellery featuring sea urchins, fossilised dinosaur bones, shells, gold, diamonds, pearls and emeralds draw particular attention from collectors and fuelled the highest bids. A unique choker necklace sprinkled with sapphires and diamonds and holding two Boulder opals stood out amongst others and sold for CHF 24,500, quadrupling its estimate (lot 409, pictured left). Another set featuring a necklace and matching earrings with diamonds and fragments of sea urchin found a new home for the sum of CHF 23,000 (lot 368).

A sale event accessible by all
The exceptional creations aside, the Gilbert Albert sale attracted a large number of collectors who were able to take home an item of jewellery bought at auction from the vast variety of lots with prices ranging from CHF 200 to CHF 60,000.