The Best Rado Watches You Should Have
Rado is one of the world's most prestigious watch brands, with a history that dates back to 1917. The brand has long been known for its innovative use of materials and technology in creating beautiful timepieces. The brand has an extensive range of collections and styles available for men and women—from the classic to the contemporary.
The company's most famous watch is the Rado DiaStar®—the world's first scratch-resistant watch. Rado has been a pioneer in the field of watchmaking, with many of its innovations still being used today by other brands.
This article will examine the Rado brand, including its history and signature qualities. We'll also take a look at our top favorite Rado watches so you can see how this luxury brand stacks up against other luxury watchmakers like Rolex.
The Rado Brand History
Rado was founded in Lengnau, Switzerland (where the company is still headquartered today) in 1917 by three brothers: Fritz, Ernst and Werner Schlup. After World War II, the company was one of watchmaking's largest producers with a reputation for its Swiss-made quality. This success allowed the brothers to launch their own watch brand which they called Rado, meaning 'wheel' in Esperanto language.
The release of the DiaStar 1 in 1962 was a major turning point for Rado. Rado’s DiaStar 1 was the first watch to combine hard metal and sapphire glass, making it the first scratch resistant timepiece. In that year, it also released the first of its line of diving watches: the Captain Cook model.
Rado achieved global recognition, expanding its operations to more than 61 countries. The success of the Swiss watchmaker is built on the innovation that set it apart from its competitors.
In 1986, Rado joined forces with SMH (renamed the Swatch Group in 1998), paving the way for many of the brand's later achievements. Nowadays, Rado makes over 500,000 watches per year: more than many other brands combined, with its major market in Asia. Although Rado was founded in 1917, it wasn't until the mid 1980s that Americans began to notice this Swiss brand.
Is Rado A Good Watch?
Rado watches have a long history of producing quality timepieces. Since their founding, Rado has been renowned for their high-quality and unique watches.
Rado watches are made with the finest materials with their designer timepieces representing decades of research and innovation, including the introduction of ceramic in watch making, an achievement as revolutionary as digital watches are now. The brand harnesses cutting-edge technology to make some of the most beautiful watches on the market today.
Whether you're looking for a splurge or an investment, Rado watches are the kind of timepieces that turn heads. From super thin to surreal large, no other brand offers the variety Rado does while maintaining consistent high quality and allure.
Common Qualities of Rado Watches That You Should Know
From day one, Rado's brand ethos has centered itself around the principle of designing and engineering a product better than anything else on the market. Its commitment to this principle remains strong today as it designs watches with elegant lines and subtle sophistication.
Here are some of the key features that set Rado watches apart:
Innovative
This Swiss brand is known for its innovative use of materials, technologies and cutting-edge designs that have helped to define each generation of the watch. This can be seen in some of its most iconic design features, including the use of sapphire glass and high-tech ceramic in its watches.
The company has been honored with numerous prestigious international design awards, and is considered one of the leaders in innovative watchmaking in the world.
Aside from the Rado DiaStar — considered by many as the world's first scratchproof watch — Rado introduced the use of high-tech ceramics in watchmaking in the 1980s. Soon after, it pioneered two new materials—cermet (a titanium-based ceramic combined with metal) and plasma high technology ceramics in the 1990s.
Elegant Style
Meticulous, bold, and reliant on technological advancements, Rado watches have been a sought-after commodity. The brand has thrived by relying on state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques to create timeless designs.
For the Captain Cook collection, the brand strived to maintain a 1960s look in its designs which is perfect for vintage lovers. However, if you’re into technology-driven designs, Rado still has the watches for people like you.
The brand's pioneering use of materials, coupled with its sleek design and ultra-thin cases, have made Rado a standout in the watch market.
Durable
When you buy a Rado watch, you know that you are buying quality. Rado watches have the tremendous reputation of being among the toughest and most durable in the industry. Yet, they are also some of the lightest watches on the market.
As a proof, the Swiss factory introduced its Rado V10K model in 2022. With an incredible hardness of 10,000 Vickers units—far beyond what any other watch can withstand—the watch was entered into Guinness World Records as the world's hardest timepiece!
In 2011, Rado introduced a new watch line called True Thinline that is 25 percent lighter than steel but nearly five times harder. The watches are just 5 mm thick—making them ideal for people with smaller wrists.
Value for Money
Rado's price points are more than fair when you consider that they come with high-quality Swiss movements, top-notch craftsmanship, and high-end materials. Moreover, its unique blend of strong brand identity and their determination to stay true to their origins makes these watches some of the most sought after in the industry.
These watches are made to last a lifetime and are a good investment. They have a reputation for holding their value well over time, so you won't have to worry about losing money if you decide to sell your watch at some point in the future.
Top 3 Rado Watches For You
Rado's commitment to excellence, style and design has made it one of the world's most respected watchmakers. Rado watches are not only stylish accessories that complement your wardrobe, but also high-quality timepieces with a rich history and luxurious craftsmanship.
The following are some of the Rado watches that we like best and highly recommend for you:
Rado Original Men's Automatic Watch
The Rado Original Men's Automatic Watch is the perfect timepiece for anyone who appreciates Swiss craftsmanship and advanced engineering. This watch features a Swiss-made 656 movement and is made in Switzerland, so you know it was made to last.
The black dial has gold tone hands and markers, along with luminescent paint so you can see the time even in low light. The case is also made of stainless steel and has a sapphire crystal face that is scratch resistant, so you can wear this watch every day without worry.
This watch's exhibition case back allows you to view the inner workings of the timepiece, and its 100 m (330 feet) water resistance rating means it is safe for swimming. The band is a gold stainless steel bracelet with a double folding clasp that makes putting on or taking off easier than ever.
Rado HyperChrome Women's Watch
Inspired by the vintage Rado watches of yesteryear, the HyperChrome watch collection was unveiled in 2012 as a modern take on classic styling. It's as versatile a watch as you could hope for—it looks sleek and modern, yet it's still elegant enough to wear in any formal setting.
This HyperChrome women's watch features Swiss-made movement as well as a black ceramic case and bracelet that are both scratch-resistant and water-resistant, making it durable to last you for years. It's also simple enough that it will never go out of style, so you'll always be able to wear it with confidence!
Rado Integral Women's Watch
In 1986, Rado introduced the Integral: a watch made of high-tech ceramic—a material whose use has revolutionized the field of watchmaking. The new versions of the Integrals retain their original form, but have been updated to appeal to modern tastes.
The enduring popularity of the watch continues to delight its fans while attracting a new generation of enthusiasts—now with an added touch of glamor thanks to diamonds.
The Rado Integral watch for women is an elegant timepiece with its sleek rectangular case made of stainless steel and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. It also has a Swiss-made 153 movement that powers the watch with a pull and push crown—making it easy to use the timepiece on your wrist. The silver dial has silver tone hands and diamond hour markers, while six white diamonds adorn the face of the watch. This stylish timepiece features a silver stainless steel and Ceramos bracelet with a titanium double folding clasp with push button—making it easy to adjust your watch size as needed.
Final Thoughts
We hope this guide has helped you to understand the Rado brand and its products a little better. We think that Rado is certainly one of the best brands out there when it comes to style, quality materials and most importantly price point. If you are looking for a watch that will last you a lifetime and make a statement at the same time, then we would highly recommend Rado.