4 of the most surprising Rado watches of 2019
Time+Tide2019 was the year that Rado solidified their intent to deliver watches that not only pleased a loyal fanbase but surprised and captured the imagination of watch enthusiasts new to the brand. Everything from classically proportioned dress watches, to handsome and rugged tool watches and even bold reissues were released by the Swiss marque, to a great deal of fanfare. We’ve picked out the four watches that surprised and delighted us most in 2019 … here they are:
RADO GOLDEN HORSE AUTOMATIC
With clear design inspiration from the middle of last century, this Rado speaks to a time when a well-made watch was a daily necessity. The blue sunburst dial gives off an eye-catching shimmer that remains easy to read, with red accents. The slightly scored bezel and beads-of-rice bracelet offer other visual points of interest that make this a genuinely compelling consideration for an everyday watch.
Ref No: R33101203/01.763.6101.3.220 / Case size: 41.8mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: Automatic / Price: $2750
RADO TRADITION GOLDEN HORSE 1957 LIMITED EDITION
The Rado Tradition Golden Horse 1957 Limited Edition, limited to 1,957 pieces, comes in an era-appropriate case size of 36.5mm and underlines the designers’ wishes to truly honour the source material. Note the glorious dégradé dial fading from red to black, with a sharp transition around the interior tip of the applied and polished hour indices.
Ref No: R33930355/01.763.3930.4.135 / Case size: 36.5mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: Automatic / Price: $2350
RADO CAPTAIN COOK AUTOMATIC 42MM
There is something about the Rado Captain Cook’s combination of a green dial and brown leather strap that speaks to the freedom of being outdoors. The steel case offers a strong wrist presence at 42mm in diameter, but the green softens the dial. The vintage-inspired leather strap is a warm brown tone that contrasts nicely with the creamy stitched details, and is attached with a single fold deployant clasp, which will extend the life of the leather.
Ref No: R32505315/01.763.0505.3.131 / Case size: 42mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: Automatic / Price: $2750
RADO NEW ORIGINAL AUTOMATIC
The Rado New Original Automatic in gold tone is a classic design expression from the brand. The large oval case with steeply angled sides catch and reflect the light, as they are highly polished and flow smoothly into the three link gold tone bracelet. Another design element that is quintessential of the Rado interpretation of ’70s swagger are the complexly structured and heavily faceted hour markers, and the Day/Date aperture at 6 o’clock. A watch that oozes disco cool.
Ref No: R12999253/01.764.0999.3.025 / Case size: 38.5mm / Case material: Steel / Movement: Automatic / Price: N/A