With its respect for tradition and preoccupation with heritage, it can feel like the world of watchmaking is obsessed with the past. Which is why Rado watches are so refreshing.
Rado, aka master of materials, is known for its future-forward and visionary approach to horology, with technological breakthroughs that range from high-tech ceramic to edge-to-edge sapphire crystal. Rado watches don’t just break the rules. They tear up the whole rule book.
At a glance
 | |
| Industry: Watches | Founded: 1917 |
| Headquarters: Switzerland | Founder:Fritz, Ernst and Werner Schlup |
| Watch Collections: sports watches, dive watches, dress watches, and women’s watches | Parent organization: The Swatch Group |
| Annual Revenue: $680,000 USD | Website: rado.com |
Rado watch price
How much does a Rado watch cost?
The starting price for an entry-level Rado watch is $500 for a Rado DiaStar Original. Rado watch prices for a Rado Centrix start at $1,300. Rado watch prices for a Rado True Thinline begin at $2,100. At the other end of the spectrum, some Rado watches reach over $4,000.
What is the most expensive Rado watch?
The most expensive Rado watch is the Rado HyperChrome Automatic Chronograph Match Point Limited Edition, at $4,800. Made of high-tech ceramic, plasma, and titanium, there are 999 pieces available in total.
See how this compares to other luxury watches in our list of the world’s most expensive watches.
What is the cheapest Rado watch?
The cheapest Rado watch is the Rado DiaStar Original, currently retailing for $500. For another Rado watch under $1,000, you can also pick up a Rado Florence Classic for $860.
About Rado watches
History of Rado
Rado was founded in 1917 by brothers Fritz, Ernst, and Werner Schlup. At this time, it was known as Schlup & Co. and was based at their parents’ home in Lengnau, Switzerland. But despite its humble beginnings, the company had become a well-known wristwatch manufacturer by the end of WWII.
During the 1950s, the company released the Golden Horse watch under a new brand name: Rado. In the following decade, Rado began experimenting with cutting-edge materials, and launched the Rado DiaStar Original in 1962, with its waterproof and scratchproof case. It represented the first of the brand’s exciting innovations.
That same year, the company debuted its first diving watch, called the Rado Captain Cook, with a pivoting anchor that indicated when the watch needed to be serviced.
In the 1970s, Rado launched the Dia 67 with its metalized sapphire crystal case. And in 1986, the Rado Integral was released, distinguished by its minimalist design and revolutionary high-tech ceramic case, a material that had previously been used to make ultra-high-speed aircraft.
In 1986, the brand also joined SMH, later renamed the Swatch Group.
In the 1990s, Rado pioneered more state-of-the-art materials, including cermet, a combination of metal and titanium-based ceramic, and plasma, which allowed for the production of colorful watches with a striking metallic sheen.
The V10K was launched in 2002, made from scratch-resistant diamond, entering the Guinness World Record Book as the world’s hardest watch. And in 2011, the Rado True Thinline watch collection was released, just 5 mm thick and the brand’s slimmest timepiece.
Interesting facts about Rado
- The Rado Glissière was launched in 1976 with a highly unconventional design. Square but with slanted edges, it featured glass that fully covered the case from side to side.
- The brand launched the Rado Anatom in 1984 which was said to mold itself to the wearer’s wrist for optimal comfort. To celebrate the watch’s release, Andy Warhol produced a 1 x 1-meter painting, one of the last works he ever created.
- In 1986, the iconic Rado Ceramica was released, possibly the first watch ever to feature a bracelet, crown, and case made entirely of high-tech ceramic.
- Rado has received more than 30 awards for its innovative and boundary-pushing design, making it one of the most awarded watch companies in history.
Rado product range
Rado watches can be roughly classified into four groups.
First, you have the brand’s explorer watches, known as the Rado Captain Cook collection, with water resistance of between 100 m and 300 m and available in the brand’s famous high-tech ceramic.
Then there’s the company’s range of versatile and durable watches that can be worn for both formal occasions and everyday use. These include the Rado Centrix, the company’s most popular watch, the Rado True, Rado True Square, and Rado True Thinline, the brand’s slimmest timepiece.
Next, there are the Rado watches inspired by models from the past. These are the Rado HyperChrome, Rado HyperChrome Classic, Rado Coupole Classic, as well as the DiaMaster and DiaStar Original.
The Rado’s dress watch collections are the Rado Florence Classic, Rado Ceramica, and Rado Integral.
Signature materials and craftsmanship
Rado specializes in high-tech ceramic watches. Chosen for its durability, hypoallergenic comfort, and lightness, Rado’s high-tech ceramic has become the brand’s trademark. It’s five times harder than steel, 18 times harder than 18k gold, lighter than both, and also temperature neutral.
The brand’s first innovation was the iconic DiaStar 1 watch, released in 1962, and the world’s first scratch-proof watch. It was made of tungsten carbide at a time when nearly all watches were made of steel or precious metals.
The watch brand has also pioneered the use of plasma high-tech ceramic. This is done through carburizing, rather than pigments, a patented process that involves a plasma oven and gases activated at 20,000°C, turning the ceramic into a unique shimmering material that resembles metal.
Rado is also behind the creation of Ceramos™, a ceramic-metal alloy that is injected at high pressure into a precision mold before being sintered, resulting in a material whose shine never fades.
There’s also the Rado V10K with its highly-resistant diamond surface. Using a furnace to recreate the atmospheric pressure of Jupiter, Rado coated the case of the watch in synthetic diamonds. With its extraordinary hardness of 10,000 Vickers, it’s the world’s hardest watch.
Where is Rado made?
Rado watches are made in Switzerland. Its headquarters are in Lengnau in the Biel district of the Bern canton.
Brand values
| Vegan options: | No |
| Carbon-neutral: | No |
| Gives back: | Yes |
Rado watches
We’ve shortlisted the most popular Rado watch models to help you understand the luxury watch’s large collection and the recommended retail prices of each model.
Rado Captain Cook
First launched in 1962, the current incarnation of the Rado Captain Cook sees the classic men’s timepiece, named for the famous explorer, reimagined for the modern age in the brand’s high-tech ceramic. Models range from the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver, a reliable companion for all your underwater endeavors, to the Captain Cook Automatic Chronograph—slim, stylish, and ultra-versatile.
| Price: | $2,000 – $4,450 |
| First release year: | 1962 |
| Current case size: | 37 mm – 42 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic |
| Water resistance: | 100 m – 300 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado Centrix
Rado’s most popular timepiece, the Centrix is the ultimate everyday ally. Wear it to work, to after-work drinks, to dinner, at the weekend, and to that upcoming wedding. Whatever the occasion, the Centrix will stand out—in the best possible way. Available in a range of color combinations, the Rado Centrix is an all-around crowd-pleaser. Check out the Rado Centrix Open Heart, in particular, inspired by the Chinese Valentine’s Day story and featuring exposed mechanics and diamonds.
| Price: | $1,300 – $2,300 |
| Current case size: | 38 mm – 40 mm |
| Movement: | Quartz and automatic |
| Water resistance: | 30 m – 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado True
In a perfect balance of traditional style and contemporary elegance, the Rado True is a stunning and timeless watch. It’s made of the brand’s pioneering high-tech ceramic. Why does that matter? Because it means it will keep its shine for years. The Rado True is also exceptionally comfortable on the wrist. Look out for skeletonized models and those with dials decked in diamonds.
| Price: | $1,210 – $2,485 |
| First release year: | 2015 |
| Current case size: | 30 mm – 40 mm |
| Movement: | Quartz and automatic |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado True Square
If you want a watch unlike any other, then the Rado True Square is for you. With its injection-molded monobloc high-tech ceramic case and square geometry, it’s about as far from a conventional high-end timepiece as you’ll find—and therein lies its allure. Favorites include the True Square Formafantasma, a contemporary take on the traditional concept of a closed watch. And there’s also the True Square Tej Chauhan—fun, futuristic, and very colorful.
| Price: | $1,800 – $2,900 |
| First release year: | 1990 |
| Current case size: | 38 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado True Thinline
The first Rado watches to feature the brand’s cutting-edge monobloc ceramic case, and also the brand’s slimmest timepiece, the Rado True Thinline has to be one of the most wearable luxury watches ever. At just 4.9 mm thick, you’ll barely realize you’re wearing this timepiece. Yet far from being fragile, the Rado True Thinline watches are ultra-durable and scratch-resistant, guaranteed to stand the test of time.
| Price: | $2,100 – $3,000 |
| First release year: | 2011 |
| Current case size: | 39 mm – 40 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic and quartz |
| Water resistance: | 30 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado HyperChrome
The Rado HyperChrome collection takes inspiration from vintage Rado watches. They’re designed to be timepieces you can wear every day, all day, no matter the event or occasion. Look out for the HyperChrome Diamonds which combines high-tech ceramic and glittering diamonds for a marriage of durability and decadence.
| Price: | $1,150 – $4,800 |
| First release year: | 2012 |
| Current case size: | 42 mm – 45 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic and quartz |
| Water resistance: | 50 m – 100 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado HyperChrome Classic
The Rado HyperChrome Classic pays homage to the very first Rado collection of watches launched back in 1957, known as Golden Horse. As such, it offers retro styling alongside breakthrough materials and cutting-edge technology. Look out for the Golden Horse Limited Edition, true to the 1957 original and featuring the brand’s signature moving anchor symbol.
| Price: | $1,700 – $2,650 |
| First release year: | 1957 |
| Current case size: | 35 mm – 42 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic and quartz |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado Coupole Classic
Taking its design cues from 1960s Rado watches, the Rado Coupole Classic has a vintage vibe combined with contemporary craftsmanship. Expect waffle-style dials, leather straps, and skeletonized mechanics, as well as impressive 80-hour power reserves, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, and easy readability.
| Price: | $1,200 – $1,850 |
| First release year: | 1959 |
| Current case size: | 37.7 mm – 41 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado Florence Classic
Embodying the seductive beauty of the Italian city of the same name, the Rado Florence collection offers classic elegance and timeless style. With reliable quartz movements as well as the edge-to-edge sapphire crystal—a signature Rado move—these fabulous Swiss watches are impossible to fault.
| Price: | $860 – $1,100 |
| First release year: | 2020 |
| Current case size: | 30 mm – 38 mm |
| Movement: | Quartz |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado DiaStar Original
Back in 1962, Rado disrupted watchmaking conventions in a big way with the launch of the DiaStar, the world’s first scratch-proof watch, paving the way for the brand’s boundary-pushing technology and design in the decades to come. The Rado DiaStar Original collection is a tribute to that first legendary Rado watch, offering timepieces with the same iconic design and impeccable craftsmanship.
| Price: | $500 – $1,950 |
| First release year: | 1962 |
| Current case size: | 27.3 mm – 38.5 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic and quartz |
| Water resistance: | 30 m – 100 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado DiaMaster
Durable watches aren’t always synonymous with style and class. But thanks to Rado, they can be. With its old-school elegance, the Rado DiaMaster is proof, featuring a memorable design with an off-center dial—superbly sophisticated in a slightly off-beat way. Look out for the DiaMaster 1314, named for the sacred numerical symbol of the Far East, and featuring diamonds and a deep blue dial.
| Price: | $2,000 – $2,950 |
| First release year: | 1975 |
| Current case size: | 33 mm – 43 mm |
| Movement: | Automatic and quartz |
| Water resistance: | 50 m – 100 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado Ceramica
A re-release of a collection first launched in 1990, the Rado Ceramica is a truly unforgettable timepiece. Defined by its unique square case and minimalist aesthetic, it has won multiple international design awards over the decades—and it’s easy to see why. It was also one of the first watches to feature a case, crown, and bracelet entirely made of ceramic.
| Price: | $2,100 – $2,250 |
| First release year: | 2016 |
| Current case size: | 22.9 mm – 30 mm |
| Movement: | Quartz |
| Water resistance: | 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Rado Integral
The Rado Integral was the brand’s first watch to be made from its pioneering high-tech ceramic. As such, this is a spectacularly durable, comfortable, lightweight, and aesthetically striking timepiece, with sharp parallel lines along with a delicate case. Color combinations include silver and gold and black and gold for timeless appeal.
| Price: | $2,050 – $2,400 |
| First release year: | 1986 |
| Current case size: | 22.7 mm – 31 mm |
| Movement: | Quartz |
| Water resistance: | 30 m – 50 m |
| Crystal: | Sapphire |
Where to buy Rado watches
You can buy Rado watches online from the company website or online from Amazon. All Rado watches have a two-year warranty from the date of purchase.
See our guide to buying a luxury watch for pro tips.
Rado shipping
Rado offers free shipping within the US and Hawaii, although it doesn’t currently ship to U.S. territories. Orders can also be shipped to the UK. All shipments are UPS and delivered Monday to Friday. Rado also ships to Europe, You can track your order online via the My Account and Mr Order section of the website.
Rado return policy
Returning your Rado watch is easy. Simply follow the instructions that come with the watch, completing the form in the box and enclosing it with your returned watch. You can also create a Free Return Label with the company’s Easy Returns Tool. Return your watch within 14 days of delivery for a full refund.
Rado customer service number
For help with your Rado watch order, or for answers to any other queries, contact a customer service representative on 1-800-283-7236.
Rado social media profiles
Frequently asked questions about Rado
Is Rado a luxury watch brand?
Rado is a luxury watch brand known for its pioneering use of cutting-edge materials, in particular high-tech ceramic. Rado watches are also famous for their unconventional design. For more about the watch brand, see our Rado retail price guide.
Do Rado watches go up in value?
Some Rado watches go up in value, in particular the limited edition models, thanks to the high demand and low supply. The well-known durability of Rado watches also makes them a good investment as they are designed to last a lifetime.
Who is Rado owned by?
Rado is owned by The Swatch Group, which also owns watch brands like Blancpain, Hamilton, Longines, Tissot, and Omega. For more about Rado, including history, watch models, and prices, see our Rado watches guide.
Is it worth buying a Rado?
It’s worth buying a Rado watch if you’re looking for a super durable watch with an unorthodox design. Rado is known for its revolutionary use of high-tech ceramic, a material that’s famously hard-wearing and scratch-resistant.
