There is a brief but fascinating chapter in Omega's history that rarely gets mentioned in the same breath as the brand’s greatest hits. We all know the canonical icons — the Speedmaster, the Seamaster, the De Ville, and Constellation mythology. But for a moment in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Omega veered sharply into something stranger, more artistic, and decidedly more far out.
The catalyst was the Genevan designer Gilbert Albert.
Designer Gilbert Albert - (Image by LeNouvelliste)
Albert first made his mark at Patek Philippe in the 1950s, where he introduced wildly asymmetrical case designs that felt more like midcentury sculpture than traditional watchmaking. Pebble shapes, flying wedges, organic forms — these timepieces pushed the boundaries of what a wristwatch could look like. That they came from a maison known for its restraint made them all the more compelling.
When Albert later collaborated with Omega, the experimentation became even more uninhibited. The watches produced during this period are less utilitarian and more conceptual.
Free-form gold cases, asymmetrical compositions, and dials made from unexpected materials abound. Yet, Omega's fascination with space travel still played an important role in the development: Some feature slices of meteorite; others appear as though molten gold simply froze around the movement mid-flow. They blur the line between watchmaking and jewelry, between design and natural form.
Two such pieces are currently sitting in the vault at Analog:Shift, and they perfectly capture the spirit of the era.
Omega 'Secret' Bracelet Watch by Gilbert Albert
Omega 'Secret' Bracelet Watch by Gilbert Albert - IN THE SHOP
Omega 'Secret' Bracelet Watch by Gilbert Albert
Omega 'Secret' Bracelet Watch by Gilbert Albert - IN THE SHOP
Each feels like a small sculpture for the wrist: rare, eccentric, and completely unlike the tool watches collectors typically associate with Omega. They are the brand at its most experimental — a moment when the same company that engineered the Moonwatch was also exploring watch design as purely artistic expression.
And here’s the interesting part: watches like these feel increasingly relevant. As collecting matures, the next wave isn’t just about reference numbers or tool-watch provenance. It’s about design. Objects that are sculptural, unusual, and rare. Pieces that feel closer to modern art than equipment.
In that sense, the Gilbert Albert Omegas aren’t just curiosities from a psychedelic moment in Swiss watchmaking. They represent a shift in collecting, suggesting that the future will embrace more unconventional and artistic designs like these.
