# Rado Watches



## ZacAdi (Dec 26, 2012)

I'm just wondering why Rado watches are not getting a lot of reviews here in this forum? Rado doesn't even have its own thread under the Watch Brand section. Does anybody know any legit online retailers beside Ace Jewellers?


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

Rado's are great watches. They may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they're well made and their ceramics are pretty much scratch proof. Jomashop.com Ashford.com TheWatchery.com eWatches.com and Amazon.com are a few others you can check out for deals on Rado.


----------



## mpalmer (Dec 30, 2011)

I think Rado doesn't get a lot of attention here because most of their watches are quartz rather than mechanical. If they mostly made mechanical watches, I think they would get a lot more attention. Their Diastar/Original offerings are unique, with a history, and are worthy of more consideration.


----------



## Y4BBZY (Jan 30, 2011)

Sheep mentality here that's why. I like the original diastars alot and would like to get one in the future. 


Sent from my Potato using Tapatalk


----------



## rics21 (Dec 3, 2012)

RBrylawski said:


> Rado's are great watches. They may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they're well made and their ceramics are pretty much scratch proof. Jomashop.com Ashford.com TheWatchery.com eWatches.com and Amazon.com are a few others you can check out for deals on Rado.


+1.

Rado, u either love it or hate it. the unique shape of the the diastar isnt for everyone. 
here's mine:








the sintra matt


----------



## JMO (Jun 6, 2012)

I personally think some of their models are a bit feminine looking. It doesn't help that they also list many of the same models under both the mens category as well as the womens.

That being said I really like the new hyper chrome ceramic. Ive been looking for a nice black ceramic watch as I like the all black look but my experience with dlc watches is that the finish does not last unless you are VERY careful as once its scratched theres nothing you can do.

http://www.rado.com/en/watches/hyperchrome/hyperchrome-xl-automatic-utc-642.0167.3.015.html

http://www.rado.com/en/watches/hype...xxl-automatic-chronograph-650.0275.3.015.html


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

JMO said:


> I personally think some of their models are a bit feminine looking. It doesn't help that they also list many of the same models under both the mens category as well as the womens.
> 
> That being said I really like the new hyper chrome ceramic. Ive been looking for a nice black ceramic watch as I like the all black look but my experience with dlc watches is that the finish does not last unless you are VERY careful as once its scratched theres nothing you can do.
> 
> ...


I think the hyerchrome is a terrific looking watch!


----------



## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

There are.some owners of Rado watches as there are of Titoni and other brands that are not as well known in the western world as other brands. As long as you like and enjoy owning Rado watches does it really matter how many others do as well? The popular brands are owned by many and can become commonplace. I've enjoyed the look of Diastar in tungsten carbide since I first saw one.


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

I really like Rado - they offer something quite different to a lot of brands.

My Diastar is a really well made automatic watch that looks amazing in real life. My quartz True is expensive for what it is, but because of the ceramic case and bracelet it looks as blemish-free as the day I bought it. Not many other watches (and certainly none of mine) can say the same


----------



## Jay23 (Feb 22, 2013)

I own an older a Voyager which I am very fond of. It's a smaller watch consistent with its age, but in great shape and very comfortable. Automatic movement runs fine.


----------



## ari.seoul (Jan 27, 2011)

I personally like the older, vintage Rado, so much character and personality, some are really unique

Not sure about the newer/modern Rado


----------



## Watchbreath (Feb 12, 2006)

There's too many brands already.


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

Watchbreath said:


> There's too many brands already.


as in too many brands with their own forum? or do you want to get rid of Rado completely?


----------



## Watchbreath (Feb 12, 2006)

Forums


Bradjhomes said:


> as in too many brands with their own forum? or do you want to get rid of Rado completely?


----------



## ZacAdi (Dec 26, 2012)

Thank you so very much to you guys for replying! I haven't had a watch for a few months now and feel a little bit unease in a busy work environment. I was pondering between an Omega, and a Breitling till I came across this:

Product Display D-Star and

Product Display D-Star

I like the fact that they look "sharp" and "tidy" and I'm currently deciding between the ceramic or the stainless steel one.

I'm also very surprised that these models only come in quartz movement.


----------



## WnS (Feb 20, 2011)

Rado is definitely underrated. The Thinline collection is automatic and really slim.


----------



## Elwood Blues (Feb 16, 2013)

I love my Rado's, had them for years and still spotless. Not a big fan of some of their newer models though...


----------



## wuyeah (Apr 24, 2007)

I generally prefer Rado over Movado...


----------



## rics21 (Dec 3, 2012)

A Lume shot of my diastar.


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

wuyeah said:


> I generally prefer Rado over Movado...


+1 me too.


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

ZacAdi said:


> Thank you so very much to you guys for replying! I haven't had a watch for a few months now and feel a little bit unease in a busy work environment. I was pondering between an Omega, and a Breitling till I came across this:
> 
> Product Display D-Star and
> 
> ...


Go ceramic. Virtually scratch proof. You won't regret it.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Hi all,

I'm a new member but i'm been browsing this and other forums for a while now. I've been saving some money for a while and finally bought my first non-fashion brand watch. It's an all black ceramic D-star automatic chronograph. I don't understand where some people get their information from, but Rado has quite a few automatic movements in their watches. Ofcourse more quartz movements but this comes with the thin design they often have.
For the Rado fans(and maybe other watch enthousiasts) i'll upload some pics of my watch below.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

LOL, Rado vs. Movado? Please. 

This is a perfect example of how uninformed WUS is when it comes to Rado. No offense intended. Just stating the obvious.


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm a new member but i'm been browsing this and other forums for a while now. I've been saving some money for a while and finally bought my first non-fashion brand watch. It's an all black ceramic D-star automatic chronograph. I don't understand where some people get their information from, but Rado has quite a few automatic movements in their watches. Ofcourse more quartz movements but this comes with the thin design they often have.
> For the Rado fans(and maybe other watch enthousiasts) i'll upload some pics of my watch below.
> ...


Fantastic!! I love Rado! Congrats and where this in great health and happiness!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## chuck2040 (Jul 21, 2011)

I live in Chicago and there's a great store, Abt Electronics, that is an AD for Rado. Abt is a family-owned store with unbelievable customer service, and over the years their watch boutique has grown significantly. Appliances and Electronics Store | Refrigerators Appliances TVs | Abt. You can call them up and speak to someone in the watch department if you're interested. They routinely offer discounts as well.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

This is one of my favorites. Plasma ceramic auto. This is hard to beat.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks RBrylawski, hopefully it will last as long as my parents' Rado's. They are still scratch-free since 1990, the year they bought them. Do you guys know other brands which focus is on scratch resistant metals / materials?
That Rado is a timeless piece as well Robotaz!


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

I think that Rado is massively undervalued on here.
My collection is primarily focused on vintage automatic scratchproof Rados and I have some striking, and very rare, models.
If you like to run slightly away from the main crowd then you can do a lot worse than to pick up a vintage Diastar or modern Original or D-Star.
Here's a few of mine:









































Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Nice scott! Man my second watch is definitely gonna be a Diastar! Do you know by any chance what kind of stones ar on the following diastar:
Rado Original Automatic (648.0408.3.064)
I love how my D-star is inspired by the original Diastar. The shape of the case is very much the same 
Any tips where i should look for genuine vintage Rado products?

Greetings from the Netherlands


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Siobud said:


> Nice scott! Man my second watch is definitely gonna be a Diastar! Do you know by any chance what kind of stones ar on the following diastar:
> Rado Original Automatic (648.0408.3.064)
> I love how my D-star is inspired by the original Diastar. The shape of the case is very much the same
> Any tips where i should look for genuine vintage Rado products?
> ...


Thanks.
I can't remember if the stones are zircon or Swarovski crystal but the only Rados to feature real diamonds are the Jubile models.
I love the original Diastars and own one of the very first ones, a DS'0' from 1962 that still looks perfect after more than 50 years:








I also love the way they have continued that styling and brought it up to date as in my Original XL in my previous post.
I've picked up some excellent examples from eBay but would suggest that you tread carefully and always ask here if unsure.
Good luck, it's always nice to meet someone new that has been bitten by the Rado bug.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

50 freaking years and it looks like that? What is the case made from? Tungsten?



scottjc said:


> Thanks.
> I can't remember if the stones are zircon or Swarovski crystal but the only Rados to feature real diamonds are the Jubile models.
> I love the original Diastars and own one of the very first ones, a DS'0' from 1962 that still looks perfect after more than 50 years:
> 
> ...


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Robotaz said:


> 50 freaking years and it looks like that? What is the case made from? Tungsten?


Yep!

My wife wears that watch every day too...

Tungsten carbide is amazing stuff. This one is only a year or so younger and looks just as good:









Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Amazing! I really like the different styles Rado has presented in the last 50 years. But somehow the scratch resistant materials just seem to hit my sweet-spot. Tungsten carbide, so damn nice!
Did they ever make all tungsten carbide watched like they have all ceramic watched nowadays? Allthough i also like the contrast between a scratch-free case and a strap with more patina.
Does the dial of the DiaStar change frequently?


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

I don't know of any tungsten bracelets, I would think that it would be too brittle to be viable.
There are many many dial variations on vintage Diastars, from plain colours to rare minerals. I have tiger eye, lapis lazuli and mother of pearl dials as well as the standard silver, gold and black.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## BlackAngus (Jul 21, 2013)

scottjc said:


> Yep!
> 
> My wife wears that watch every day too...
> 
> ...


We use tungsten carbide in severe service valves offshore. Can take years of abuse in sandy crude or high velocity fluids before requiring replacement. It's properly hard stuff!


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Good point. My knowledge is quite limited as i only got infected with this watch-virus since a few weeks  Do you have any experience with the stainless steel strap (or how is a non-leather strap called?) in the following link:
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee110/19sixtysix/Rado/RadoOriginal012.jpg

I like the thick links the strap is made off. I wonder how the strap looks after a certain period of use.


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

I own the blue version of that watch and, although the bracelet gets slightly scuffed, it wears very well.

It's quite a heavy watch and my most modern Rado, it may be a good way for you to work backwards in time from your modern piece.









Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

You are correct. There are no full TC bracelets. There are however one or two bracelets with TC inserts. The Balboa Cologny has TC lozenges that are taller than the rest of the bracelet. I'll see if I can't find the pictures of mine.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Here it is Scott:


Folded stainless bracelet with tungsten inserts.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

OMG this thread actually prodded me to call Rob at Topper and inquire about the Hyperchrome 3 hand prices. The vintage dial and markers with the insanely modern ceramic-metal alloy is just too cool. Comparing other brands' offerings, dollar for dollar, just augments the perceived value for me. If only they made it with a TOP grade or in-house.

I can't imagine why that watch doesn't get more attention when we're just drooling over Grand Seikos that cost 2,3, and 4 times as much.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

From what year is the blue-dialed-watch Scott? It's very nice as well. The case is most important when it comes to scratch-resistancy, but i was just wondering about the bracelet. I'm curious about your balboa cologny Henry.
Any thoughts about the Rado original skeleton? I'm sure it's very expensive. I think it's difficult to judge Rados by the pictures on their website. They just don't do justice to the real thing.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Damn my app didnt refresh the latest posts! Cool contrast between tungsten and metal parts! Robotaz what do you mean by TOP grade or in-house? Does it apply to the movement? What do you guys think about the movement in my D-Star? It's an ETA A05H31 movement which actually is a valjoux 7753 with longer power reserve. I googled it and figured out it's also used by different popular brands like breitling.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## Stellite (Aug 3, 2011)

Bradjhomes said:


> as in too many brands with their own forum? or do you want to get rid of Rado completely?


I agree, but Rado being one of the bigger names should have had it's own forum before a few on there. In my opinion, anyway


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Damn my app didnt refresh the latest posts! Cool contrast between tungsten and metal parts! Robotaz what do you mean by TOP grade or in-house? Does it apply to the movement? What do you guys think about the movement in my D-Star? It's an ETA A05H31 movement which actually is a valjoux 7753 with longer power reserve. I googled it and figured out it's also used by different popular brands like breitling.
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


Yes, I'm referring to the movement, but in the particular model I was talking about.

The H31 is a great movement. It's an upgraded Valjoux only available to Swatch brands as far as I know. 60 hrs of power reserve.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Sorry for the newbe questions. What movement is in the watch you're talking about?


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## tylehman (Nov 6, 2012)

scottjc said:


> I don't know of any tungsten bracelets, I would think that it would be too brittle to be viable.
> There are many many dial variations on vintage Diastars, from plain colours to rare minerals. I have tiger eye, lapis lazuli and mother of pearl dials as well as the standard silver, gold and black.
> 
> Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


i am almost sure i saw one that had a tungsten bracelet, it was under bad circumstances however... i was in the police station recovering about 20 of my watches that had been stolen in a burglary of my house. (i got most of my watches back but lost all of our jewelry and other stuff) In with mine, i found a tungsten Rado watch stolen from another house, it was very heavy and like you say it must have been brittle, it looks like they had dropped it, the bracelet had broken. the break looked like the break on tungsten router bits. I am almost sure the bracelet was also tungsten.

it is sad i'll bet that they will never find out who it belonged to. they only matched my watches to me because my daughter's laptop was also in their car and the police were able to hack into it to find our address.

i do not have one yet, but i will be looking for one someday. i do like the style of the Diastar and will have one someday.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Sorry for the newbe questions. What movement is in the watch you're talking about?
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


It just has an elabore ETA, which is a basic movement. Nothing special.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> It just has an elabore ETA, which is a basic movement. Nothing special.


Go for the Golden Horse version. It's COSC.


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Henry Krinkle said:


> Here it is Scott:
> 
> 
> Folded stainless bracelet with tungsten inserts.


That's one of the Balboas I need to add to my collection.
Nice piece Hank.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Robotaz said:


> If only they made it with a TOP grade or in-house.


Why?
They use reliable, easy to repair and service, ETA movements and that's what stops them being stupidly expensive.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Siobud said:


> From what year is the blue-dialed-watch Scott? It's very nice as well. The case is most important when it comes to scratch-resistancy, but i was just wondering about the bracelet. I'm curious about your balboa cologny Henry.
> Any thoughts about the Rado original skeleton? I'm sure it's very expensive. I think it's difficult to judge Rados by the pictures on their website. They just don't do justice to the real thing.
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


I've owned it for about a year but I think it was bought in 2010, I need to check the papers at home.
I don't particularly like the skeleton model, I think they could have done more with the movement decoration to make it more attractive.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

I agree with Scott. A good idea to start modern and work backwards.

I've got this one







Really solid, beautiful watch.

There are a few members on here who will be able to help you explore the world of vintage Rados. There are some incredible watches out there.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

I think it's a cool idea too, to work backwards in time. Nice red accents there on your DiaStar Brad! I like the big anchor that you all got on your watches. How does it move around, smoothly? Mine just jumps when i change the angle of my wrist.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Henry has the same black Original XL, I'm very tempted to try and get hold of one myself. I do like the red second hand.

I prefer the larger anchor logo on the older Rados over the new smaller one. You don't generally get to see it rotate, it just happens...


----------



## arogle1stus (May 23, 2013)

I saw Rado watches on the World of Watches Show Sunday nite. Show is hosted byJim Skelton.
If you recall, Jim was given his walking papers by SNBC for some inane remark about Invicta watches.
But like an alley cat, Jim landed on his feet and is on W of W and also You Tube. 

X traindriver Art.


----------



## mikxx (Mar 20, 2014)

I remember they used to be "in fashion" when I was a kid. Same as with Ebel, now they r not seen very often in public no more.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Because other $3K watches that use even upgraded ETA movements have a lot of detractors based on the movement alone.

Rado doesn't have a chance when they charge $3K for a watch with a $300(or a lot less if you're Swatch) movement. There's no question that the case material is unequaled, at least in my opinion any way. But, all the case technology in the world isn't going to overcome the branding issue that Rado has when they stick a bottom wrung movement in the watch.

Look, I'm a Rado fan. I think they're theory on using advance materials is very cool. I just wish Swatch would allow their second-tier brands to have a little more in the engine compartment. Yes, I know there is a COSC Golden Horse model that's very cool, but the case is S/S with a ceramic bezel. So they skimped on the case tech when they went upscale on the movement.

All I'm saying is that I want the $3K watch to have a TOP grade ETA in it for that kind of money. I'd drop the cash in a heartbeat if they'd do that.



scottjc said:


> Why?
> They use reliable, easy to repair and service, ETA movements and that's what stops them being stupidly expensive.
> 
> Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Scott, you are right on the original automatic skeleton, and CERTAINLY when u regard the USD 7000+ price. They should give more attention to the dial design. 

I get your point Robotaz that's exactly why i chose my d-star over almost the same d-star with Quartz movement. When i spent this amount of money, i want the ceramic AND a good movement. I am quite happy with the movement installed in my d-star, now it has to prove itself on the long term. However Scott has a point when it comes to prices, when rado switches to more expensive movements, how are we ever gonna afford a new Rado .. 


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## sciumbasci (Jan 30, 2013)

I am loving this thread. Post more DiaStar Original pics please!
i'd like to drool on them a bit more


----------



## bluedialer (Sep 16, 2011)

Henry Krinkle said:


> Go for the Golden Horse version. It's COSC.


Aw, I like those seahorsies!


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> It just has an elabore ETA, which is a basic movement. Nothing special.


No offense, but I am from Missouri on this one. Source? I am not certain that you are wrong, but I do not know that you are correct.

Elabore is what Swatch puts in Hamiltons. There are any number of reasons that Swatch prices them at 1/2 to 1/5th the price of a Rado, movement could be one. Historically Rado used top and chronometer grade movements exclusively. Of my current lineup of 6 modern (2002 and newer) Rados there is only one that may have something less than top grade. I have never bothered to find out what is in my New Original XL.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Henry Krinkle said:


> Source?


Major American AD. Few American dealers will have met with Rado leadership in Basel, like he has.

I can ask him to put his money where his mouth is for the benefit of WUS if it's important.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> Major American AD. Few American dealers will have met with Rado leadership in Basel, like he has.
> 
> I can ask him to put his money where his mouth is for the benefit of WUS if it's important.


If true, that is an unwelcome policy change.

So, Topper wants to charge you $3K for a Hyperchrome on a leather strap with that movement in it? Never in a million years would I pay that. What do they want for a nice Hyperchrome on a steel or ceramic bracelet?


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Diastar 1/e chronometer incoming, not bad for a cheap movement...










Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Strange (Feb 26, 2014)

Rado gets big props from me for successfully incorporating nontraditional materials in their case designs. I don't know if they were the very first, but they were certainly among the earliest to use ceramics and tungsten carbide in their cases. And they do it exceptionally well.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Strange said:


> Rado gets big props from me for successfully incorporating nontraditional materials in their case designs. I don't know if they were the very first, but they were certainly among the earliest to use ceramics and tungsten carbide in their cases. And they do it exceptionally well.


The very first in both cases. Pun intended...


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Does anyone have experience with ceramic watches other than rado? Is there a difference between rado ceramics and other brands ceramics, regarding quality / durability? Not that i would consider buying one, but just interested.


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## Strange (Feb 26, 2014)

I have an Android ceramic that I quite like. The ceramic is pretty hard and you'd really have to work at it to scratch the surface. Not sure what kind of ceramic they use -- titanium carbide? Some other species of cermet?


----------



## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Rado's two main case designs can be polarizing. Also, the one that isn't square can be surprisingly heavy on the wrist for a modern-day ceramic model. Very stylish timepieces, but not for everyone. And, Rado (or the Swatch Group) has done a really piss poor job promoting the brand in the Western hemisphere.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

My version of Scott's Diastars post:

*Diastars*

Early 1962 Diastar "0"


Diastar 2/1- mid 1962 to 1968. The dial leads me to believe this particular one dates between 1966 and 1968:


Diastar 8/1 Tigereye 1968-1972 or so.


Diastar 10 "Diamaster and Diastar 11 "Diamaster 1968-1972:


Diastar 1/E Chronometer, circa 1973:


Diastar 14, early 1970s:


Diastar 18 Magic, circa 1973:


Diastar 515, 1972-1978


Diastar 56,tigereye/ onyx dial, late 1970s:


Diastar 62, early 1980s:


Diastar 40 Chronometer,2002, LE celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Diastar. This may be Rados first watch with a display back.


40 Years of Diastar, 2002, the first extra large Diastar, an LE celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Diastar


New Original XL


*Balboas* and other vintage scratchproofs

Balboa DeLuxe with mineral dial, Balboa Great, Balboa, all mid seventies;






Balboa Cologny


Royal Elegance, mineral dial, late 1970s


Elegance SR-E, mineral dial, early 1980s


*Modern scratchproofs*

Centrix, 2011. Though this has a stainless steel case Rado regards it as a "Diastar" since the sapphire crystal covers the entire face of the watch.


D-Star, all High Tech ceramic including bracelet with a hardened black steel/ transparent caseback, 2012


Hyperchrome GH LE, Ceramos and carbon diffused steel


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

^ Want! (all of them)


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Bradjhomes said:


> ^ Want! (all of them)


It's certainly a collection to be proud of and I know that most of them didn't look that good before Henry worked his magic on them.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Wow Henry, absolutely stunning! How long have you been collecting these? What exactly makes a DiaStar a DiaStar? I thought the oval case
was the most important characteristic. I was wondering about price differences for Rado watches over the world. It seems UK and US prices are lower than in the Netherlands allthough we live closer to Switzerland 


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Thanks guys!

Originally a Diastar was any Tungsten Carbide watch Rado made, but they soon started calling the Asian market TC cased watches Balboas. While the oval was the first shape and is the only shape that has lasted many shapes have been offered through the years. Sometime in the early 2000s (?) Rado started referring to any scratchproof watch they made as a Diastar. I think they felt that people equated Diastar with durability. This is why the oval Diastar is known as the Original or New Original (the version with crown guards and lugs).


My first Diastar was the 1/E chronometer, it was acquired in November 2010.


As for modern pricing I do not knoe how Rado determines it. I can buy a Rado from an American AD, pay duties, fees and shipping plus exchange rate and still have a watch for 15% less than from a Canadian AD.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Henry Krinkle said:


> If true, that is an unwelcome policy change.
> 
> So, Topper wants to charge you $3K for a Hyperchrome on a leather strap with that movement in it? Never in a million years would I pay that. What do they want for a nice Hyperchrome on a steel or ceramic bracelet?


I'm not saying that Topper wants retail. Just that the MSRP is $3K. They offered a really good price actually. The discount was significant and much appreciated.

I'm still debating whether to buy one. I'm actually stuck right now because I want a Hyperchrome bracelet, but I can't find a model I like on the bracelet. The only thing I've found that's close is the really dark, almost black Hyperchrome. I saw one on the big German watch forum and it's beautiful, but just not my style. I don't wear clothes that look remotely similar in styling.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

OMG Henry. Is that your collection?!? Those are gorgeous vintage watches. I really think Rado has some of the most beautiful vintage models of all.


----------



## ajmiami (Apr 6, 2014)

I have a Rado diastar which I hope to keep until the day I die as it was a gift from my late father more than 10 years ago. When I was a kid, I used to be amazed at the rado ads where they proved the watch to be virtually undistructible.
The watch needs service, as it is 5min ahead out of sync but I worry about taking it to a jeweler with fear of further damage..what's the recommendation? I hardly use the watch as I'm usually not in a office setting, but I really want to get it fixed.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk


----------



## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

Robotaz said:


> LOL, Rado vs. Movado? Please.
> 
> This is a perfect example of how uninformed WUS is when it comes to Rado. No offense intended. Just stating the obvious.


They are the same. Looking for proof? They both end with an "o". Now can we start comparing Breitling and Djarling?


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> OMG Henry. Is that your collection?!? Those are gorgeous vintage watches. I really think Rado has some of the most beautiful vintage models of all.


Thanks, it is the scratchproof portion of the Rado portion of my collection. I've also got scratchproof and regular cased Louis Rossels and regular cased Rados as well as a few other brands.

As well as the one Diastar 11 shown, my wife has another Diastar 11, a Diastar 3, a Diastar 19 Magic that matches my DS 18 Magic, a couple of Balboas and two New Originals. And that is the scratchproof portion of her collection.


----------



## FrancoThai (Apr 25, 2007)

Rado is the first real watch I bought because my father wore one since the day I was born until lately. I became a watch addict since...

My Rado Diver, neo version of the Captain Cook.

FrancoThai


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Henry Krinkle said:


> Thanks, it is the scratchproof portion of the Rado portion of my collection. I've also got scratchproof and regular cased Louis Rossels and regular cased Rados as well as a few other brands.
> 
> As well as the one Diastar 11 shown, my wife has another Diastar 11, a Diastar 3, a Diastar 19 Magic that matches my DS 18 Magic, a couple of Balboas and two New Originals. And that is the scratchproof portion of her collection.


Wow, quite the DiaStar collector you are! What did ScottJ mean with "worked his magic"? Do u repair / polish them yourself? 
I noticed they added some 'new' watches on Swiss watches - Rado offers a wide range of luxury watches. Also a few originals with vertical stripe dial, i'm missing the point why they are installing quartz movements in their original / DiaStar collection.


----------



## mikeylacroix (Apr 20, 2013)

hey guys
whats the story with this one?

BaselWorld 2014: The Rado HyperChrome Touch Dual Timer


----------



## mikeylacroix (Apr 20, 2013)

and this is really moving me :


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

^^^ yeah! that's the GMT version of the 3-hand Hyperchrome that I posted a picture of earlier.

Very nice indeed!


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

I don't know too much about any of the Touch Rados beyond the fact that it was their big push at Basel this year. They also introduced a touch version of the Esenza for women. The UTC Hyperchromes were introduced at Basel 2013. I am not normally a fan of four hand watches but Rado seems to have both integrated the fourth hand and kept it useable.


----------



## Stellite (Aug 3, 2011)

mikeylacroix said:


> and this is really moving me :
> View attachment 1455064


hmmm, I gotta check that one out


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

mikeylacroix said:


> and this is really moving me :
> View attachment 1455064


Here is the Basel 2013 press release:

*Rado HyperChrome UTC*

*The Ultimate Travelling Companion*

(Lengnau, Switzerland - April 2013) The world is becoming a smaller place and many
of us are travelling more for business and pleasure. But what does the twenty-first
century traveller really need when hopping on a plane?

There are only a handful of essential items that no traveller should be without and an
accurate watch is one of them. But what is more important: knowing the time at your
destination or the time back in your home country so you know when it is OK to call
friends, family and business contacts without waking them up?

With the new Rado HyperChrome UTC there is no decision to make as the watch can
show two different time zones at the same time. UTC stands for Coordinated
Universal Time and is a more accurate take on the traditional 'GMT'. At Rado, two
different time zones also ensure double the style, making this the ultimate travelling
companion for fashionable jet setters.

A second time zone on a Rado watch is a rare feature, appearing only on
multifunction models and one watch from the 1960s. So, the UTC movement marks a
rare foray into complications for the Swiss master of materials.

*Material magic*

The focus may be on the movement, but this doesn't mean that the materials have
taken a back seat. Not only is the Rado HyperChrome UTC practical and useful, it
also benefits from a high-tech ceramic case with the ground-breaking Rado monobloc
construction. This ensures lightness, scratch-resistance and comfort, all of which
make for a pleasurable travel experience. With three of the four new models sporting
plasma high-tech ceramic cases, but without the use of any metal, materials really
are still at the forefront of the collection.

With Super-LumiNova® for the indexes and the tips of the hands, the HyperChrome
UTC is just as easy to read at night as during the day. The second time zone hand
features a striking red or blue tip (dependent on the model) to ensure easy reading
even with just a quick glance at the dial.

Lightweight, scratch-resistant and just as at home in the urban jungle as on safari, the
Rado HyperChrome UTC should always be the first item on your packing list.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

OK Henry. You were saying that the Hyperchrome 3-hand that I posted a photo of had metal sides, or something to that extent. The above press release says "without the use of any metal" with regard to the case. Are these not very similar watches other than the movement and dial?


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> OK Henry. You were saying that the Hyperchrome 3-hand that I posted a photo of had metal sides, or something to that extent. The above press release says "without the use of any metal" with regard to the case. Are these not very similar watches other than the movement and dial?


Yours may not have metal. I could be wrong.

What the Hyperchrome does have on every single model is two different materials. It is the reason the Hyperchrome exists. It proves that Rado can injection mold ceramic, with it's 23% shrinkage, and make it fit with something made using a different process. Often the second material is carbon diffused steel, but some of the models do have a different ceramic compound.

They are very similar, but from Rado that means nothing. Each individual variant of a model is often different. This is why pricing can vary so wildly. The UTC Mikey posted is actually the only UTC that does not have either a stainless case with ceramic elements or a ceramic case with stainless elements.

I think we can both agree that this watch is even more similar to the UTC Mikey posted than it is to the one you posted:









It has a Ceramos case and stainless elements.

This one is listed as HTC/Stainless on Rado's website:







Without the Ref or PIC number I can't say for sure, but this seems to be the model you posted. HTC is one of Rado's older ceramics. It is a plasma variant of HTC but it is not Ceramos.

And this one is only stainless:


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

And the very last one I posted is proof once again about the dangers of absolutes where Rado is concerned. The Hyperchrome was designed specifically to have two different case materials and yet now they make an entry level all stainless. I wonder what the side inserts look like?


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Henry Krinkle said:


> And the very last one I posted is proof once again about the dangers of absolutes where Rado is concerned. The Hyperchrome was designed specifically to have two different case materials and yet now they make an entry level all stainless. I wonder what the side inserts look like?


The joy of Rado, eh Henry?
You never quite know what you're getting till it's on your wrist...

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Terpits (Apr 29, 2012)

Robotaz said:


> This is one of my favorites. Plasma ceramic auto. This is hard to beat.
> 
> View attachment 1448694


I like this one too. Rado wasn't on my radar until I saw this. What kind of movement does this have? Not a deal breaker and I never really cared about movement but have been reading a lot about the differences. I checked their website and it only said "Automatic". $3k MSRP.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

scottjc said:


> The joy of Rado, eh Henry?
> You never quite know what you're getting till it's on your wrist...


Exactly Scott. One can never assume with a Rado.


----------



## Monocrom (Nov 11, 2010)

Henry Krinkle said:


> ....And this one is only stainless:
> View attachment 1455523


Good to see that gorgeous and understated model is available in a far more durable case material for those of us with more active lifestyles.


----------



## bluedialer (Sep 16, 2011)

Rado has great little details. Love the materials, the logo, and over all designs. If they made models also incorporating tritium lume tubes, I'd be all over that catalog.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

That stainless one isn't the photo I posted.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> That stainless one isn't the photo I posted.


I agree. It is not the watch you posted. It is also not what I wrote. I wrote that the HTC and stainless one seemed to be the one you posted.
To reiterate:







This watch looks like the one you posted. This is not the all steel model. It has an HTC case with steel elements. The ceramic it is made of is not the newest variety of ceramic that Rado makes and the steel seems to be plain stainless, not carbon diffused steel. This information comes straight from the Rado site. The inserts on the side of the case are stainless. Even in these super cheesy renderings it is clear that the case inserts are a different colour.

Never did I write that this watch






was the watch you posted.I merely posted it as an example of the danger of your "very similar watch" where Rado is concerned.

Here is a link with a clear picture of the inserts. Though it claims the inserts are always hardened steel that has changed since then to include softer steel and very occasionally ceramic, such as in the Golden Horse LE.:

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/rado-hyperchrome-automatic-watches/


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)




----------



## mikeylacroix (Apr 20, 2013)

Anybody tight with a rado AD that can get me a good deal on the blue utc?


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

The one I use treats me well, but I can't say they would extend the same kind of deal to others. They are also in Chicago.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Oh boy i saw a golden horse hyperchrome today, in real life. It's a beauty, easy to fall in love i guess. I am thinking about buying a New original in the next few months. Which one is more true to its ancestors in your opinion? The blue dial with Stones or the yellow / lightbrownish dial?


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Siobud said:


> Oh boy i saw a golden horse hyperchrome today, in real life. It's a beauty, easy to fall in love i guess. I am thinking about buying a New original in the next few months. Which one is more true to its ancestors in your opinion? The blue dial with Stones or the yellow / lightbrownish dial?
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


They're both pretty loyal to the early Diastars as a lot had stones on the dials and there were GP models with various dials.
Which one to go for is purely a matter of personal taste.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

Siobud said:


> Oh boy i saw a golden horse hyperchrome today, in real life. It's a beauty, easy to fall in love i guess. I am thinking about buying a New original in the next few months. Which one is more true to its ancestors in your opinion? The blue dial with Stones or the yellow / lightbrownish dial?
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


This is probably the lightbrownish one you wrote about. I simply love it! I haven't seen it anywhere, really. :-(


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Indeed that's the one jrantasa! Didn't see him "in person" yet. Always hard with Rados, you can never be 100% sure how it looks for real. And indeed Scott i think it will come down to personal taste, but not too many dealers have them in their collection. At least, everything can be ordered but they want to be sure you will buy the watch... Strange way of thinking in my opinion, you don't buy a car before you've have driven it either. On the other side, still crisis here at lots of dealers / jewelers.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

jrantasa said:


> This is probably the lightbrownish one you wrote about. I simply love it! I haven't seen it anywhere, really. :-(
> 
> View attachment 1456854


That one is a beauty. The markers are of a type that Rado used on numerous models in the late sixties and into the seventies. I think the colour of the dial is supposed to resemble the champagne colour the early satin dials often turn. That one is a winner in my books.


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

I agree with Henry, that is a beautiful watch.
The dial variation is probably caused by the faceted crystal and the markers are true to history.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Oh boy i saw a golden horse hyperchrome today, in real life. It's a beauty, easy to fall in love i guess. I am thinking about buying a New original in the next few months. Which one is more true to its ancestors in your opinion? The blue dial with Stones or the yellow / lightbrownish dial?
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


When you say Hyperchrome, it's only the bezel on the GH, right? That's my understanding.


----------



## brrrdn (Jun 16, 2008)

Siobud said:


> i saw a golden horse hyperchrome today, in real life.


Is the name related to the Chinese year of the horse?

Btw, I do like some of Rado offerings. :-!


----------



## davidtsee (Oct 24, 2012)

Yes



Robotaz said:


> When you say Hyperchrome, it's only the bezel on the GH, right? That's my understanding.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> When you say Hyperchrome, it's only the bezel on the GH, right? That's my understanding.


Clarify please. Hyperchrome is the model name. Do you mean how much of the Golden Horse edition is ceramic? If so, see my previous post about it. The Golden Horse LE has a carbon diffused steel case with a Ceramos bezel, Ceramos side inserts and Ceramos centre links on the bracelet. Ignoring the difference in steel and ceramics used on the two models it is sort of the opposite of the one you are looking at, except for the bracelet.

Would you like more photographs of the Golden Horse? You can clearly see the difference between Ceramos, or even HTC, and steel in the right light. I would be happy to oblige.

Here are a couple of pics. Note the difference in colour of the bezel AND the centre links of the bracelet:



I do not have a picture of the inserts at this time. It has never been an issue before.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

scottjc said:


> I agree with Henry, that is a beautiful watch.
> The dial variation is probably caused by the faceted crystal and the markers are true to history.
> 
> Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


Good catch and clarification. I am only half paying attention today. I meant colour only and agree with your assessment that the colour variations are from the faceted crystal. Having said that, Cindy has a raspberry dialed New Original with a striated dial. I ordered it for her for Christmas one year and we both thought it would be a solid colour.


----------



## Robotaz (Jan 18, 2012)

I mean the plasma ceramic.

I think it's safe to say that understanding Rado's nomenclature and material utilization is difficult. It's really a cryptic brand for us in the US. I know a lot about a lot of watch brands, and I have never had so much difficulty learning the facts.


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

My Rado Original Diver has arrived! I just posted these pics I snapped to an incoming thread but I decided to share them here, as well.


----------



## ttparrot (Feb 24, 2014)

jrantasa said:


> My Rado Original Diver has arrived! I just posted these pics I snapped to an incoming thread but I decided to share them here, as well.
> 
> View attachment 1459835
> 
> ...


That's a gorgeous watch. I've owned a Rado Diastar for 15 years and until about a year ago when I started purchasing other watches I wore it every day, in the garden, swimming, beach etc. and it still looks brand new.
The quality of the materials they use is superb.

Thought I should add a pic.






It was my engagement present. She got the ring and I got the watch. Although if I remember correctly, I paid for both.


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Congratulations, that's a beauty!
Enjoy and wear it in good health.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

scottjc said:


> Congratulations, that's a beauty!
> Enjoy and wear it in good health.
> 
> Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


Thank you, I sure will!


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Robotaz said:


> I mean the plasma ceramic.
> 
> I think it's safe to say that understanding Rado's nomenclature and material utilization is difficult. It's really a cryptic brand for us in the US. I know a lot about a lot of watch brands, and I have never had so much difficulty learning the facts.


I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that Rado owns dozens and dozens of patents for the various materials and processes they use.

If you really want to bake you noodle, delve into the dark and convoluted world of vintage Rado...

Here's a brief rundown of various Rado case materials.

*Hardmetal*- Rados current name for Tungsten Carbide. Rado was the first watch company to use TC, and one of the first to use sapphire crystals, with the introduction of the Diastar in early 1962. The Diastar has been available since then and remains largely unchanged to this day. TC is available from Rado in the greyish silver but is also made in a variety of PVD colours. If you check the Diastar 18 Magic and the Diastar 62 in my photo post in this thread you can judge the quality of Rados PVD work.

*Ceramic*- in 1986 Rado introduced the world's first ceramic watch. Most other current manufacturers of ceramic watches are using some patent avoiding variant of Rado's first generation ceramic, Omega being the notable exception. They are currently getting new Rado tech within about a year or two of Rado putting it on their own watches.
*
HTC*- High Tech Ceramics. Rado's secodn generation ceramic. It is more durable and adapts to skin temperature faster.

*Ceramos*- Rados ceramic blend. It contains roughly ten percent metal, giving it greater durability and a more authentic metal look. It is a lightweight material.

*Plasma HTC*- This is the ceramic causing all the fuss now. It is injection molded and the subjected to gases heated to 20,000 Celsius to achieve the finished colour.

*Diamond*- Rado has produced a couple of models with cases made of industrial grade synthetic diamond, notably the Concept One and the V10K

*Carbon Diffused Steel*- Old technology that is new again. This is the process used to produce bearings. Low carbon steel is bsubjected to a high temperature, high pressure carbon gas environment. The outer surface hardens but the inner surface retains it's flexibility. Louis Rossel made cases like this in the late 1970s.

*Black Steel*- A steel compound somewhat harder than stainless, the metal is black throughout instead of DLC or PVD coating. While it will scratch and scuff it will always stay black. So far Rado has only used this on casebacks but I would love to a Swatch brand, I'm looking at you Longines, to come out with a classic diver made out of this.

Hope this helps.


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

Henry Krinkle said:


> I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that Rado owns dozens and dozens of patents for the various materials and processes they use.
> 
> If you really want to bake you noodle, delve into the dark and convoluted world of vintage Rado...
> 
> ...


Very interesting! Thank you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

jrantasa said:


> My Rado Original Diver has arrived! I just posted these pics I snapped to an incoming thread but I decided to share them here, as well.
> 
> View attachment 1459835
> 
> ...


Congratulations. May this bring you health and happiness!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## ttparrot (Feb 24, 2014)

jrantasa said:


> My Rado Original Diver has arrived! I just posted these pics I snapped to an incoming thread but I decided to share them here, as well.
> 
> View attachment 1459835
> 
> ...


My kid was just playing with my watch boxes she saw sat at the top of my wardrobe and it got me thinking.
when I bought my Rado all those years ago the box it came in was pretty poor.
what kind of packaging do they come in nowadays.


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

ttparrot said:


> My kid was just playing with my watch boxes she saw sat at the top of my wardrobe and it got me thinking.
> when I bought my Rado all those years ago the box it came in was pretty poor.
> what kind of packaging do they come in nowadays.


I'm currently visiting my family for Easter but when I get home I'll snap some quick shots! It's a clean and well finished box made of thick dark grey cardboard, not luxurious in any way but definitely nothing to be ashamed of.


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

This is typical nowadays


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

Bradjhomes said:


> This is typical nowadays


The outer box is quite similar to mine but I don't have that leathery inner box, mine is just a heavyish cardboard cube. I can't say which one I'd prefer. :think:

*EDIT:* Managed to find a pic (it's the box on the left).


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

ttparrot said:


> My kid was just playing with my watch boxes she saw sat at the top of my wardrobe and it got me thinking.
> when I bought my Rado all those years ago the box it came in was pretty poor.
> what kind of packaging do they come in nowadays.


So, here's everything the watch was supplied with. In the background you can see the white box sleeve, on the right there's the outer box with a lid, a flap opening and a slot for the instructions manual. Inner box is on the left, it has a little pillow for the watch. Then there are of course the warranty card (in a holder), a tag and a polishing cloth.










Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk


----------



## jrantasa (Apr 2, 2010)

Henry Krinkle said:


> Here's a brief rundown of various Rado case materials.


Now that I had all the stuff in front of me I photographed two pages of the instructions manual. The first one has some info on the materials (they are covered a lot better in Henry's post, though) and on the second page there's an interesting vickers chart.



















Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk


----------



## ttparrot (Feb 24, 2014)

jrantasa said:


> So, here's everything the watch was supplied with. In the background you can see the white box sleeve, on the right there's the outer box with a lid, a flap opening and a slot for the instructions manual. Inner box is on the left, it has a little pillow for the watch. Then there are of course the warranty card (in a holder), a tag and a polishing cloth.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


wow, thats a lot nicer than it was 15 years ago. Thanks for the pics.


----------



## ttparrot (Feb 24, 2014)

jrantasa said:


> Now that I had all the stuff in front of me I photographed two pages of the instructions manual. The first one has some info on the materials (they are covered a lot better in Henry's post, though) and on the second page there's an interesting vickers chart.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


its so impressive. Such good quality. I really don't know how anyone can't like Rado.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

I got some special delivery today!

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

Siobud said:


> I got some special delivery today!
> 
> Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk


Uh.....excuse me? But you simply can NOT simply show us a picture of a black box. No sir, you can't. We need watch pics. Yes, we do!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Lol, i truly apologize for my earlier behaviour! I will not have you waiting any longer, so today a sneak preview as the lighting is very poor. So, what do you guys think? It was the last one available in entire Europe.


----------



## RBrylawski (Aug 28, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Lol, i truly apologize for my earlier behaviour! I will not have you waiting any longer, so today a sneak preview as the lighting is very poor. So, what do you guys think? It was the last one available in entire Europe.
> View attachment 1510993


Timeless and beautiful, not to mention will look brand spanning new in. 20 years no matter how hard you are on it!

Congrats! Wear in great health and happiness. And oh yes, poor lighting be darned, take some more pics!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

Beautiful watch, I look forward to more pics.
Enjoy it and wear it in good health.


----------



## tylehman (Nov 6, 2012)

I got my first Rado today too :-!

I could stand to remove a couple of links








but this is a nice start








I was happily surprised that the dial is almost a blue/violet color rather than just black.


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

Congrats. I'm glad you got yourself one. Looks great on your wrist.


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Tylehman, cool color too! Mine is the light brownish one. My AD told me the Original Diastar is very hard to find these days, especially in Europe. There are only 2 watches with silver / grey dial available in entire Europe. I don't know about the availability in the US? What wrist size do you have? I was surprised how small the watch is compared to the D-star i bought earlier. The watch is still growing on me, i just have to stop comparing a Diastar to a Dstar i guess, nevertheless i DO enjoy it. On your wrist it actually looks bigger though, it is the original L 35 mm i suppose?


----------



## tylehman (Nov 6, 2012)

Siobud said:


> Tylehman, cool color too! Mine is the light brownish one. My AD told me the Original Diastar is very hard to find these days, especially in Europe. There are only 2 watches with silver / grey dial available in entire Europe. I don't know about the availability in the US? What wrist size do you have? I was surprised how small the watch is compared to the D-star i bought earlier. The watch is still growing on me, i just have to stop comparing a Diastar to a Dstar i guess, nevertheless i DO enjoy it. On your wrist it actually looks bigger though, it is the original L 35 mm i suppose?


it is the original size 35mm. i have a 7.5 inch wrist (i guess that is 19cm). i like the size fine, but i am already a fan of vintage watches, most of mine are 40mm or below. it seem to be the same size as my 60's Seamaster, although the dial is smaller on the Rado, but it feels about the same when i wear it.

finding gold colored ones seem fairly common here, but to get one that was the silver color on bracelet and the natural TC on the bezel was much less common. only a few in the price range i set over the last several months. this one did not come with a box or anything, but i think it had all of the links.

here is a picture after removing one link. i may will wear it a while before deciding if i should remove one more. with the spring in the clasp i may be able to wear it a little tighter than i normally wear bracelets.








i hope you post a few more pictures of yours soon. i think your hour markers look interesting, but from the angle of your picture i am not sure exactly which it has. over all i think we both did pretty good :-d


----------



## DerangedGoose (Nov 10, 2011)

Very excited about this recent Balboa V I picked up. Came from a respected EquationOfTime member for a very good price. It came on its original two tone NSA bracelet, but its not to my taste and is way too small for me anyway. It is wonderful so see how this watch is 40 years old and has not a scratch or chip on it. It looks brand new, except for the oxidized crown which I will replace at some point:


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Siobud said:


> Lol, i truly apologize for my earlier behaviour! I will not have you waiting any longer, so today a sneak preview as the lighting is very poor. So, what do you guys think? It was the last one available in entire Europe.
> View attachment 1510993


Sweet. That one has the Diastar 515 style hour markers. Enjoy!


----------



## scottjc (May 14, 2010)

DerangedGoose said:


> It is wonderful so see how this watch is 40 years old and has not a scratch or chip on it. It looks brand new
> 
> Welcome to the wonders of tungsten carbide.
> Congratulations


----------



## Siobud (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks for the responses! I've been working since latest post without one single day off so i couldn't find some spare time to post more photos. DerangedGoose, nice watch, quite cool to see how it looks after 40 years! Tylehman, i couldn't agree more, we did pretty good i guess ^^. I also got some bad news, my AD broke my D-star's bracelet when he was removing a link . The bracelet tool (i don't know how it's called) got stuck in a tiny hole, where the small pins are placed that hold the links together. Takes 3 weeks to order closing link, so...

Enjoy the following pics, i'll make some more tomorrow


----------



## SSingh1975 (Jul 4, 2009)

My first Rado and totally in love with it....still in day 5 of honeymoon. D Star 200 Auto Chrono:


----------



## RedBarchettayyz (Dec 24, 2008)

SSingh1975 said:


> My first Rado and totally in love with it....still in day 5 of honeymoon. D Star 200 Auto Chrono:


Awesome watch, I love the D-Star line. Would definitely consider one to complement my first Rado I got a few months back, the Rado Original Diver.


----------



## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

Well, I can blame this thread for what happened. I never liked Rado, considered their designs too extreme. Respected the brand, but didn't care for the style. Until....the D-Star 200 and D-Star 200 Chrono...then I started reading about the deals....then I saw the Original Diver. Hey, that's pretty funky and I know no one will have this watch. I'll be unique. So, 4-5 days of rationalization lead me to this.

















I bought it on the bracelet and wore the bracelet today, but I also bought the rubber strap and had it changed out tonight. I think I like it better with a strap, but it's nice to have options.

























So now I'm a Rado owner. (Radoan? Radoite? Rado fan?)


----------



## Jefferson Faudan (May 13, 2012)

Rado doesn't get much attention because of its spaceship looking style... not everyone likes it since it's not that versatile. it's best looking at formal clothing but not in casuals... but i do admire it because you don't need to have the label for people to know it's a Rado... compared to a Rolex, you would even doubt if the Rolex/Omega are original due to the number of replica that's been out there and you'll never know it's fake not unless you go through all the details which on the first look won't be noticeable... except for that date zooming/magnifying glass... which of course fakes now also have...

anyway, here's mine... the classic one...


----------



## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

Jefferson Faudan said:


> Rado doesn't get much attention because of its spaceship looking style... not everyone likes it since it's not that versatile. it's best looking at formal clothing but not in casuals... but i do admire it because you don't need to have the label for people to know it's a Rado... compared to a Rolex, you would even doubt if the Rolex/Omega are original due to the number of replica that's been out there and you'll never know it's fake not unless you go through all the details which on the first look won't be noticeable... except for that date zooming/magnifying glass... which of course fakes now also have...
> 
> anyway, here's mine... the classic one...


Nice! That is a classic Rado. How long have you had it?


----------



## sleepyhead123 (Jun 2, 2014)

mpalmer said:


> I think Rado doesn't get a lot of attention here because most of their watches are quartz rather than mechanical. If they mostly made mechanical watches, I think they would get a lot more attention. Their Diastar/Original offerings are unique, with a history, and are worthy of more consideration.


I don't have an issue with that. I just don't like their designs myself. I was just looking at their catalog yesterday and none of their watches really speak to me. But yeah, when most WIS's focus mostly on movements, it does leave Rado with the short stick.


----------



## Jefferson Faudan (May 13, 2012)

to the guy who says gold is tacky and so is the ring... can't blame you... different cultures... i'm asian... we never settle for white gold/stainless steel which is why most people among the countries in asia has either 18K-24K... i do understand in the western world people prefer a less "blingy" type of accessory which is why a lot wear either white gold or silver... but not in asia... from middle east, to japan, to china, singapore, philippines, vietnam, india, thailand... it's always going to be yellow gold and jewelry is always going to be "cultural" in terms of designs and gold will always be viewed as an investment piece with low depreciation but rather appreciation throughout the years. 

as for the yellow gold diastar, you'll actually realize that when you wear it, it's really not a watch but more of a jewelry compared to the other diastars that are formerly posted that are geared towards being a watch. you will notice that even under fluorescent light, the diamonds are well cut that they create "fire" and the gold bezel is like sunray under fluorescent light... however when you are under the heat of the sun, it totally turns your hand to a robber magnet. the gold bezel will flicker and turn things around you yellow and it will create glares and flashes along with the diamonds and the sapphire crystal that also creates rainbows...


----------



## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

Jefferson Faudan said:


> to the guy who says gold is tacky and so is the ring... can't blame you...


I hope you didn't think I was saying your watch/ring was tacky. That wasn't my intent, and sorry if my attempted humor with Goldmember missed it's mark.

While the gold is not my cup of tea, I thought the ring and watch certainly go together, and mixed with the Rado style created a very unique look.

Anyway, thanks for posting. And again, sorry if I disparaged your watch. I certainly didn't mean it.


----------



## Jacob E. (Jun 27, 2014)

*My new Rado D-Star 200 Chronograph*

It's quite apparent there are "cool" an "uncool" brands, according to members of this forum - and criteria of distinguishing between the two could be bizarre, to put it mildly. Like, for instance, a brand that's sold at the malls and in department stores in the US is UNcool - and a brand that utilizes a clearly inferior movement, but is sold exclusively from the web site of its obscure German manufacturer, is COOL. Whatever - if I gave a damn, I would've asked "guru" members of this forum for guidance before buying my next watch, which I'm glad I didn't.

For my new watch, I set the following simple criteria:
- Swiss automatic
- Large, 43mm+ - I like a watch to look large on the wrist, which is 7" (17.5 cm)
- Blue dial - strongly preferred (my Seiko is grey)
- Price under $1500

When I started looking online (with the help of this forum, of course), I immediately decided that Rado D-Star 200 chrono is pretty much exactly what I want, except for the price, which was around $1800 from grey market sellers. Then suddenly, one week into my research, one of those sellers, "Certified Watch Store" through Amazon, dropped the price on blue dial model to $1220 - thus making a decision easy for me. By that time, the only watch I liked better was blue Perrelet Seacraft chrono, which is selling for way more than I'm willing to pay.

So, after 1 week of owning, it's everything I was hoping for. It looks beautiful, is large at 44mm, appears to be very well made, and is accurate. As an additional bonus, it uses ETA A05.H31 movement, with increased power reserve, 54 or 60 hours depending on who you believe. Some insignificant downsides:

- Manual is virtually useless. It refers to non-existent drawings, and also in the chapter (1 small page, in fact) supposedly dedicated to my watch (caliber 604), says that for setting the date you need to use pushbutton C. Of course, there's no pushbutton C on this watch - and the date is set the same way as on Orient I had years back, rotating the crown between 9 and 12 o'clock;
- Watch is thick at 16mm, and heavy at 210 grams - I thought my Seiko was heavy at 200, guess was wrong. As consolation, Perrelet I was looking at borders on ridiculous in that regard, at 18mm and 245 grams, being only 1mm larger in diameter.
- (not a negative for me) It is NOT a diver's watch - typical "dress diver", or in this case, dress watch, decorated to somewhat resemble diver's.


----------



## Jefferson Faudan (May 13, 2012)

rfortson said:


> I hope you didn't think I was saying your watch/ring was tacky. That wasn't my intent, and sorry if my attempted humor with Goldmember missed it's mark.
> 
> While the gold is not my cup of tea, I thought the ring and watch certainly go together, and mixed with the Rado style created a very unique look.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for posting. And again, sorry if I disparaged your watch. I certainly didn't mean it.


no i wasn't offended. we have different cultural backgrounds. we view gold differently in the whole of asia. just so as when we see westerners wearing silver or stainless and paying high prices for it differently. say if a watch goes beyond $2000, we're expecting a gold equivalent to justify the watch other than just the name, the mechanism etc...


----------



## Strange (Feb 26, 2014)

scottjc said:


> I don't know of any tungsten bracelets, I would think that it would be too brittle to be viable.


I have an Android bracelet made of tungsten carbide. Yeah, it's well hard. |>


----------



## rfortson (Feb 18, 2012)

*Re: My new Rado D-Star 200 Chronograph*



Jacob E. said:


> It's quite apparent there are "cool" an "uncool" brands, according to members of this forum - and criteria of distinguishing between the two could be bizarre, to put it mildly. Like, for instance, a brand that's sold at the malls and in department stores in the US is UNcool - and a brand that utilizes a clearly inferior movement, but is sold exclusively from the web site of its obscure German manufacturer, is COOL. Whatever - if I gave a damn, I would've asked "guru" members of this forum for guidance before buying my next watch, which I'm glad I didn't.
> 
> For my new watch, I set the following simple criteria:
> - Swiss automatic
> ...


Beautiful! This is the watch that really got me looking at Rado again. Of course, I chose differently in the end, but your watch is very nice, and I don't see why it's not getting more attention. The deals I've seen lately are almost irresistible.


----------



## Jefferson Faudan (May 13, 2012)

rfortson said:


> Nice! That is a classic Rado. How long have you had it?





rfortson said:


> Nice! That is a classic Rado. How long have you had it?


i just had it a week back. it's sort of the "in" thing lately... watch stores are filled with diastars in gold lately and the most saleable are the classic diamond dial... probably because of the price point... in a practical point of view, since you're paying quite a hefty price, might as well get those with diamonds. the stones are also very nice for a .05ct size in each dial (if i am not mistaken judging by the looks of it), they really are brilliant and fiery even under normal fluorescent light. there are other diastars and most of the ones being sold in stores are those with sapphires or rubies... (attached pics)


----------



## Kai Schraml (Apr 6, 2016)

Came across this little ditty today at the thrift shop. I like Rado's and think I might put a new battery in this one and see if my wife would like to have it on her wrist. But, before I give it to her, I wanted to know a little bit about this thing. Anyone have any idea of what its age might be, or the model name? It is signed on dial, band and back and is in reasonable nick. Anyway, any light you can shed on the watch would be super helpful. Bummer that it is quartz, but it was almost free, so who cares? Thanks for any help you can offer












.


----------



## thechin (Sep 13, 2015)

I really love the vintage blue dial Rados, the new models not so much, quite uninspiring


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

Kai Schraml said:


> Came across this little ditty today at the thrift shop. I like Rado's and think I might put a new battery in this one and see if my wife would like to have it on her wrist. But, before I give it to her, I wanted to know a little bit about this thing. Anyone have any idea of what its age might be, or the model name? It is signed on dial, band and back and is in reasonable nick. Anyway, any light you can shed on the watch would be super helpful. Bummer that it is quartz, but it was almost free, so who cares? Thanks for any help you can offer
> View attachment 8097554
> View attachment 8097562
> .
> ...


I would guess that is late seventies. It has Rado's second version of the quartz caseback, it has lost the fixed anchor on the dial and it has a late seventies Voyager style case. At the newest it is early to mid-eighties. Despite the hundreds of named models Rado released, they also released many without model names. That was probably listed in the catalogues as a Quartz. I have an unnamed Quartz from around 1973.

It will have an ESA 955.111 Quartz movement in it, which Dr. Ranfft says was introduced in 1979, so narrow my answer to VERY late seventies to mid-eighties.


----------



## Henry Krinkle (Mar 6, 2011)

thechin said:


> I really love the vintage blue dial Rados, the new models not so much, quite uninspiring


Well...that is only sort of a vintage blue Rado. It has been re-finished and the dial has been redone. Blue Voyagers were actually a rather drab matte medium opaque blue. Vintage blue dialed Rados can be gorgeous but finding one that has not faded or turned purple is somewhat uncommon. I recently sold my blue dialed NCC 505 at least partly because it was starting to go purple.

P1013666 by Hank Blanc, on Flickr


----------



## Sevenmack (Oct 16, 2011)

*Re: My new Rado D-Star 200 Chronograph*



Jacob E. said:


> It's quite apparent there are "cool" an "uncool" brands, according to members of this forum - and criteria of distinguishing between the two could be bizarre, to put it mildly. Like, for instance, a brand that's sold at the malls and in department stores in the US is UNcool - and a brand that utilizes a clearly inferior movement, but is sold exclusively from the web site of its obscure German manufacturer, is COOL. Whatever - if I gave a damn, I would've asked "guru" members of this forum for guidance before buying my next watch, which I'm glad I didn't.


Lovely Rado. And yes, the "criteria" set by so-called collectors for what separates desirable and undesirable brands is pure balderdash, driven more by the flight to exclusivity and rareness (as well as general snobbery against most popular brands) than by anything else.


----------



## Kai Schraml (Apr 6, 2016)

Henry Krinkle said:


> I would guess that is late seventies. It has Rado's second version of the quartz caseback, it has lost the fixed anchor on the dial and it has a late seventies Voyager style case. At the newest it is early to mid-eighties. Despite the hundreds of named models Rado released, they also released many without model names. That was probably listed in the catalogues as a Quartz. I have an unnamed Quartz from around 1973.
> 
> It will have an ESA 955.111 Quartz movement in it, which Dr. Ranfft says was introduced in 1979, so narrow my answer to VERY late seventies to mid-eighties.


Henry (and others), fantastic information! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I do appreciate it. I am surprised it is that old. When I looked at it I guessed it was early 90s. I'll have it ticking soon and pass it on to the Mrs if she enjoys it. If not, I'll probably sell it on. Thanks again!


----------



## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Kai Schraml said:


> Henry (and others), fantastic information! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I do appreciate it. I am surprised it is that old. When I looked at it I guessed it was early 90s. I'll have it ticking soon and pass it on to the Mrs if she enjoys it. If not, I'll probably sell it on. Thanks again!


HK is our resident Rado expert on WUS. I think you can take any info from him as good scoop.


----------



## pdsf (Oct 8, 2014)

Resurrecting this thread. Just noticed that Macy's is offering 25% off many of their watches, including Rado. FYI just in case if anyone is interested.


----------



## Negotiator (Dec 30, 2017)

*RADO*

I haven't seen too much on this forum about RADO. How would you rate the company, are they above Tissot and Hamilton? The D Star 200 is a great looking timepiece


----------



## OvrSteer (Feb 17, 2014)

*Re: RADO*



Negotiator said:


> I haven't seen too much on this forum about RADO. How would you rate the company, are they above Tissot and Hamilton? The D Star 200 is a great looking timepiece


It doesn't matter how we do, Swatch does ;-)

Swatch group owns all of those brands with Tissot very slightly below Hamilton in the hierarchy. Then Mido and Certina, then the next tier up is Longines and Rado. Obviously a lot of those brands will have wide pricing ranges and overlap each other. If you like the D Star 200, it's a solid watch and priced relatively in line with the competition in the Swatch hierarchy. Sometimes you see sales/deals on them in the gray market.


----------



## myke (Jan 19, 2012)

*Re: RADO*

just noticed the other day they have a new watch called Captain Cook . I believe its a retro inspired 3 hander watch from the sixties with a 38 mm I think case. Very nice looking watch. perhaps a little pricey I believe at around 2 K. Great watches .


----------



## Negotiator (Dec 30, 2017)

At least I would know i have something different than most people. I like that very appealing. The shape is and clean dial is what really intrigued me.!


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

Merged with a sizeable recent thread on the same topic.


----------



## Rivarama (Mar 31, 2016)

I have the DiaStar 1962 limited edition and when the new 38mm Captain Cook gets a deep enough discount I will own that one too. 

Rado is a materials specialist and that is the area of their innovations. Their movements (from what I have seen) were never anything special.


----------



## xherion (Jun 29, 2017)

The captain Cook 38mm is an amazing watch..... not that I own it but I would love to


----------



## Horologic (Apr 26, 2012)

Rivarama said:


> Their movements (from what I have seen) were never anything special.


I noticed the Captain Cook has a Tissot Powermatic 80 movement. I guess that makes servicing cheap and easy. Just replace it when it eventually wears out.


----------



## The Iron Horse (Nov 11, 2017)

How easy is it to service a mechanical Rado and is the cost of service fairly average?


----------



## Flatspotter (Jan 1, 2016)




----------



## upupa epops (Apr 24, 2016)

Kind of like this particular piece of their Hyperchrome range (R32115103), don't like the price though, $1,4K on the gray market.

Feels like a watch that should be half the price. Get it off the bracelet and on a leather strap and it looks like a pretty cool one.


----------



## eatabagel (Mar 28, 2017)

I've had mine for several days now. I can't stop looking at it!


----------



## JOSE G (Oct 24, 2012)

My latest Green Tiger.


----------



## Negotiator (Dec 30, 2017)

*Opinions of RADO Watches?*

They seem to have some really wonderful looking timepieces that are quite different than other offerings. The D-Star 200 looks fantastic.


----------



## Baka1969 (Dec 29, 2017)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

I'm a fan of the Diastar. With typical street prices, I think they're worth it and offer something unique.


----------



## Gary123 (Oct 12, 2009)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

They make nice stuff and their movements are generic ETA. They are big into ceramic and make some very nice stuff with it including a chronograph I saw last year in Singapore with an all ceramic case and bracelet that was super light, just fantastic.

I have the D-Star 200 and the crown on that watch is pitiful, small and smooth so you cannot possibly grip it to unscrew or tighten it. I had a custom crown made for the watch and now I can enjoy it.


----------



## Zeroedout (Jul 25, 2014)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

I've become a big fan of Rado. I think they're doing some really interesting things, and last year I stumbled upon the Coupole line at a local shop and....well, I waited too long. My hesitation stemmed from sizing, as the models I liked were either 38mm or 41mm...a wee-bit small or a pinch too big. The shop went under and I moved on. I then discovered the Captain Cook, fell in love right off the bat. But again, the vintage-vibe version is like 37.5mm...then they bump it up to 44mm. I mean, had they brought any of the models I was drooling over to the table at 40mm I think I'd have pulled the trigger.

Not really sure where I was going with this...guess I just thought I'd chime in and get that off my chest. Like I said, I dig what they're doing....just wish they'd do what I dig in a size that I'd do.


----------



## JOSE G (Oct 24, 2012)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

I think they are very good watches, is a brand that is not for everybody and not seen too often.
I have a few from vintage to modern.


----------



## Chris Stark (Sep 21, 2015)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

I'm a fan of Rado, especially some of their vintage pieces like the Seahorse (Horse) line, Castle, Manhattan, etc.

Today they are doing some awesome stuff with ceramics (HyperChrome).


----------



## John MS (Mar 17, 2006)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



Negotiator said:


> They seem to have some really wonderful looking timepieces that are quite different than other offerings. The D-Star 200 looks fantastic.


Hi and welcome to WUS. Yes Rado has some attractive pieces and several members own at least one. You may also want to use the search function to read through several prior threads on that brand.


----------



## The Iron Horse (Nov 11, 2017)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

While I don't own one, I love how creative and intriguing their designs are. I find their look to be a breath of fresh air and a welcome change of pace from many of the variations on a theme we see in watches (mine included). Not sure many would fit my personality or look, but I really enjoy seeing what they come up with.


----------



## City74 (Apr 20, 2015)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

Nice watches. Good history. Different look. Overpriced (unless grey market)


----------



## Bradjhomes (Jun 18, 2011)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



Negotiator said:


> They seem to have some really wonderful looking timepieces that are quite different than other offerings. The D-Star 200 looks fantastic.


You started a thread on this only a couple of weeks ago. It was merged into a larger thread on that same topic - just like this one now is.


----------



## SomeAssemblyRequired (Jan 19, 2015)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



The Iron Horse said:


> While I don't own one, I love how creative and intriguing their designs are. I find their look to be a breath of fresh air and a welcome change of pace from many of the variations on a theme we see in watches..


I also like what Rado has done lately, specifically with the Hyperchrome Ultra Light. Unique design for sure -- a 43mm case of titanium and ceramic yet a weight of just 56 grams (!!) -- but they got other, less visible details right, like working with ETA to come up with a lighter version of the 2892. Nice to see that innovation is alive and well at Rado.


----------



## The Iron Horse (Nov 11, 2017)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*

I had asked this recently on one of these Rado threads with no response: are Rados easy to service and reasonable to maintain expense wise? I would assume so given the majority of their movements, but was curious what people's experience has been.


----------



## eatabagel (Mar 28, 2017)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



The Iron Horse said:


> I had asked this recently on one of these Rado threads with no response: are Rados easy to service and reasonable to maintain expense wise? I would assume so given the majority of their movements, but was curious what people's experience has been.


I just picked up my first Rado and took it to my watch guy. He said servicing it would cost as much as servicing any other modern ETA based watch.


----------



## JOSE G (Oct 24, 2012)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



The Iron Horse said:


> I had asked this recently on one of these Rado threads with no response: are Rados easy to service and reasonable to maintain expense wise? I would assume so given the majority of their movements, but was curious what people's experience has been.


8
Very easy to service with the ETA movements and so are the vintage with the A. Schild movements.


----------



## The Iron Horse (Nov 11, 2017)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



eatabagel said:


> I just picked up my first Rado and took it to my watch guy. He said servicing it would cost as much as servicing any other modern ETA based watch.





JOSE G said:


> 8
> Very easy to service with the ETA movements and so are the vintage with the A. Schild movements.


Thank you!


----------



## justin86 (Dec 24, 2011)

*Re: Opinions of RADO Watches?*



The Iron Horse said:


> I had asked this recently on one of these Rado threads with no response: are Rados easy to service and reasonable to maintain expense wise? I would assume so given the majority of their movements, but was curious what people's experience has been.


All the Swatch Group companies have the factory service costs on their websites:

https://www.rado.com/customer-service/service-prices

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


----------



## Chris Hughes (Dec 5, 2010)

I’ve been trying to resist the siren’s call of the Hyperchrome Captain Cook. It’s such a handsome piece.


----------



## Egsise (Jul 12, 2018)

Zombies, zombies everywhere.


----------



## NyCSnEaK (Nov 21, 2008)

Got this a lil while ago. I'm lucky to have waited to purchase the CC until this version came out. It's so much better in person. Feels just right.


----------



## FullFlavorPike (Aug 9, 2017)

That Captain Cook is magnificent, even in a photo. Congrats on a fine acquisition.


----------

