Rado On The Material That Changed Swiss Horology Forever
By
1 week ago
Rado has spent 40 years pioneering high-tech ceramic
Not every watchmaker gets to claim a ‘first’ – but Rado can claim several. Founded in Switzerland in 1917, Rado watches have always been shaped by a restless curiosity about materials: what more could a watch be made of, if you were willing to look beyond convention? Where other houses stayed with steel and gold, Rado went further, into ceramics, composite materials and manufacturing processes that had never before been applied to watchmaking. The result? A brand with a collection of chicly modern timepieces that, funnily enough, stand the test of time.
Rado Celebrates Four Decades of High-Tech Ceramic
At the heart of the brand is high-tech ceramic. When Rado first introduced it in serial production in 1986, nothing else in watchmaking came close. Ultra-pure zirconium oxide powders are meticulously shaped and sintered at 1,450°C, fusing into a material of exceptional density: it reaches a hardness of 1,250 on the Vickers scale, far surpassing traditional ceramics. Yet for all its durability, high-tech ceramic is also remarkably light, silky against the skin and quick to adapt to the wearer’s body temperature. The sensation is less ‘watch on wrist’ and more natural extension of self.
Four decades on, Rado’s mastery of the material has only deepened. Its pioneering plasma high-tech ceramic takes white ceramic and enriches it with carbon, achieving a distinctive metallic shine without the use of metal. Polished, brushed or matt, it opens up an entirely new range of design possibilities, and is just one reason why Rado has itself earned the title of Master of Materials.
Rado celebrates this milestone with a brand new anniversary watch: the Integral 40 Years Special Edition. One of the brand’s most architecturally distinctive designs, the Integral has always been the watch that best expresses what high-tech ceramic can become in the right hands, its case and bracelet flowing from the same uninterrupted material form. Forty years in, it felt like the natural choice.
Meet The Rado Family
The Integral is the milestone, but the broader Rado watch family tells its own compelling story. Built on the same material intelligence and design thinking, each collection finds a different expression of high-tech ceramic craft. The range is wider than you might expect, and well worth exploring.
The Integral 40 Years Special Edition
This year, one watch carries the weight of four decades. The Integral 40 Years Special Edition marks Rado’s ceramic anniversary with a design that is as much a tribute as it is a statement. Bracelet and case are formed from a single continuous ceramic body, fully integrated with no visible joins and no interruption in line or surface. The result is a study in what happens when material and form become genuinely inseparable. As far as anniversary pieces go, this will undoubtedly be one of the most coveted amongst horologists.
Centrix
The Centrix speaks to those who find their design references in sculpture as much as in watchmaking. Its rounded case and integrated bracelet lie flush against the wrist in a way that feels designed for the wearer, rather than just assembled around them. And for the collectors amongst us, a limited edition Centrix Moonphase, created in a run of just 1,001 pieces, is sure to become the celestial jewel in your watch roll.
True Square
For anyone drawn to more architectural design, True Square takes Rado’s ceramic craftsmanship in a bolder direction. Angular and deliberately graphic, it holds its own as easily at a gallery opening as it does in daily wear.
Captain Cook
Originally launched in 1962 and reimagined for today, the Captain Cook brings a spirit of adventure to the Rado family. Tough enough for diving, precise enough for everything else, it’s the collection for those who want their watch to keep pace with them, wherever they happen to be going.
Anatom
Few watches earn the word ‘considered’ as genuinely as the Anatom. Ergonomically shaped to follow the natural contour of the wrist, it reflects Rado’s habit of thinking about the wearer as carefully as the dial. The Anatom Skeleton, meanwhile, strips the face back entirely, letting the movement speak for itself.
Explore Rado
Immerse yourself in Rado’s design-led universe and discover the 40-year evolution of high‑tech ceramic at rado.com
Jewellery & Watches
The Dazzling Garden & Gemstones Inspired By Britain’s Most Treasured Royal PalacesBy