Rado (watch)

Rado is a Swiss manufacturer of watches, with headquarters in Lengnau, Switzerland. It is noted for its use of scratch-proof materials, a field in which it is considered a pioneer.Fact|date=November 2007 Today the company produces about half a million watches a year with a staff of about 300 in total.

History

Formed in 1917 as Schlup & Co., Rado initially produced watch movements only. In 1957 the company launched its first collection of watches under the Rado brand. In 1962 the Rado Diastar, the world's first scratch-proof watch, was launched. It has been in production ever since, now sold as DiaStar The Original.

In 1983 Rado became part of the SMH group which was renamed in 1998 as the Swatch Group.

Design

Rado differs from some of the more traditional Swiss watchmakers in that it often uses unconventional materials and designs. Rado has pioneered the use of a number materials unique to watchmaking, e.g. hardmetal(tungsten- and titanium-carbide), ceramics, lanthanum and sapphire crystal.

Other than the material, newer Rado watches also look very different from those from most other makers. Market reaction to this is generally mixed, with some preferring the look of the more traditional makers, and others appreciating the more distinct Rado look.

Pricing

Rado watches vary in pricing according to model, age and materials but generally a Rado will range from about US$400 to about US$28,000 for a watch made from the more precious materials.

Fakes

Like many watchmakers, Rado suffers from a high level of forgeries on the market. Owing to their distinct style, Rado watches are a major target and there are many counterfeit watches on sale, particularly on the internet. To combat this,Fact|date=January 2008 the company has a small list of authorized retailers in the various countries where it operates and these companies are forbidden to sell Rado watches over the internet. The prices of these fakes are usually under $200 USD.

Named Vintage Rado-Models of Wristwatches

Notes

External links

* [http://www.rado.com/en/Pages/home.aspx Rado- International Site]
* [http://www.swatchgroup.com The Swatch Group]
* [http://www.equationoftime.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11 Equation of Time Rado Forum]
* [http://www.watchcarefully.com Rado-related articles and vintage collection]
* [http://www.mission-rado.de Private fan site and vintage collection]
* [http://bbwatches.info/page_watchesrado.php Rado Watch Archive] Gallery of Rado Watches with detailed descriptions, brief histories & actual photos
* [http://users.tpg.com.au/wookie99/radowatches.html Rado Watch Index] A very handy reference index of every Rado watch, listing by movement, case material, bracelet material, dial color and model number.