It was just last week that we announced that we are now an authorized retailer for Longines watches, but the good news does not end there! We are also now an official stockist of Rado Watches too! We are extremely happy to have these two fantastic Swiss watch brands as part of the First Class Watches catalogue. Watches from both are available in store and online now! Today we are looking at Rado, and giving you a brief look at what the brand is all about! In the coming weeks we will be looking closer at what makes Rado so special, and what they have to offer!
For more on the Rado brand, and the materials they use in production of their watches, check out our latest post here!
A brief History of Rado watches.
It was a modest beginning for the Rado brand, first set up by three brothers, in 1917. Fritz, Ernst and Werner began the brand that would later become Rado in their parents home in Lengnau, Switzerland. It was a tame start for the company, then called Schlup & Co, but by the time the Second World War had come to an end the factory had become one of the largest producers of watch movements in the world.
Schlup & Co adopted the name Rado during the 50’s and began to build the reputation we know today. On the 40th anniversary of Schlup & Co, 1957, the iconic Rado Golden Horse collection was first debuted. The Green Horse range followed in 1958, and was one of the first Rado watches that was marketed on it’s water resistance! By the end of the decade, Rado had become a true international presence, found in over 61 countries.
Throughout the 60’s Rado continued to set themselves apart from the competition. One of it’s most famous models was released, in the form of the DiaStar 1. This was marketed as the first ever scratchproof watch, and was a huge success. This was the answer for many consumers demands, and is still a prime example of Rado’s innovative approach to design and materials.
They didn’t slow down either, growing and growing through the 70’s and 80’s, they continued to revolutionize watchmaking and the industry as a whole. 72′ saw the first gold edition of the DiaStar, and 76′ was the debut of the Dia 67, their first minimalist piece. 86′ then gave us the Rado Integral, which went on to be yet another hugely revolutionary timepiece.
Rado watches were hugely popular into the 90’s, with their use of high-tech ceramic, which is still a signature material for the brand today. The launch of the Ceramica came in 1990, and introduced the world to a completely integrated design. A titanium based ceramic, cermet, was then introduced on the Sintra, in 1993, which was followed by the use of plasma high-tech ceramic on the Ceramica in 98′.
The new millennium started off with a bang for Rado watches. The first we saw was the eSenza, the first Rado watch that had no crown! The V10K was next, in 2002, and was made from high-tech diamond, and is resilient as the real thing! Rado ended the decade in style too, with the release of the r5.5 collection, the brainchild of British designer, Jasper Morrison.
Since the beginning of the decade, we have still been treated to a whole host of innovative and revolutionary models from Rado. Watches like the True Thinline, an unbelievable 5mm thick watch! We have also been treated to such models as the Esenza and the HyperChrome, some of which you can still purchase today.
Why Choose Rado?
As you can tell, Rado have had a long and illustrious history, and have been one of the most innovative Swiss watch brands of all time. Their dedication to quality and longevity have helped them to forge a strong reputation, and has helped them to continue producing some of our favorite watches!
A common theme throughout all of the fantastic Rado innovations is longevity. Whether it was the first scratch resistant watch, or the introduction of high-tech ceramic and diamond, almost everything Rado do is aimed at making a watch that lasts. Their aim is to produce a reliable watch that will look just as good years down the line as it does on the day you buy it!
At First Class Watches, we fully support the ideology of Rado watches, which is why we are so happy to now be an official retailer for the brand. When purchasing a Rado watch you will receive the official packaging and paperwork, as well as the same safety assurances that Rado offer themselves. This is because we too offer the official 2 year Rado guarantee, to help keep your watch working the way it should!
“If we can imagine it, we can make it”
The Rado Philosophy
