6 Minutes @ Matthias Breschan

RADO watches are known for its modern, open minded & creative innovation with practicality. The latest Rado HyperChrome Collection, featuring the brand’s latest technological breakthrough, the “monobloc” (one-piece) casing made from high-tech injected ceramic. The dandy Matthias Breschan, the brand President of RADO watch told mylifestylenews sometimes that is what's outside that counts......

 

Rado is famous for its innovative design and the use of revolutionary materials to create some of the world’s most durable watches. That is what Swiss watchmaker are known for.

 
 

Rado is known for its innovative design and its use of revolutionary materials to create some of the world’s most durable watches. Ever since its beginnings in Lengnau, Switzerland in 1957, Rado has had a pioneering spirit, with the brand philosophy “if we can imagine it, we can make it” still holding true today.

 

The brand is remarkably experienced in using cutting-edge materials such as high-tech ceramic, Ceramos™ high-tech diamond, sapphire crystal and hard metal in the creation of their watches. The use of materials such as high-tech ceramic makes Rado watches scratch resistant, hypoallergenic, light and incredibly comfortable to wear.

 

The new Rado HyperChrome Collection, featuring the brand’s latest technological breakthrough, sophisticated injection moulding has enabled the creation of a one-piece (monobloc) high-tech ceramic case, where the case forms the entire structure of the finished timepiece. 

 

To differentiate this monobloc case from others is the full integration of the lugs and surrounding brackets into the high-tech ceramic form, these watches come in sleek black or pure white and demonstrate impressive hardness of 1’250 Vickers. They are embraced by parentheses in a variety of metallic finishes, echoed by matching dial detail to distinguish indexes and chronograph discs and on the chronographs’pushers.

 

It is literally bracketing together the 32-strong Rado HyperChrome family where the design incorporating contrasting elements on either side of the case to resemble elegantly elongated parentheses. Mirroring the heat-intensive processes pioneered by Rado to create its innovative materials, these watches harmoniously unite high-tech ceramic, Ceramos™ and diamonds. 

A selection of hardened metal versions in golden- or silver-coloured steel adopts the same construction, presenting a classical alternative. Individual timekeeping tastes are accommodated by automatic chronographs and three-hand automatic or quartz versions.

 

The perfectly round frame around the dial has an ultra-modern, smooth surface inspired by the enigmatic ring around the planet Saturn. In all of the models in the new line, Rado showcases its skill at uniting shapes from the past and materials of the present, in products for the future with unrivalled comfort, durability and Swiss precision.

 

Digression is both desired and gained in watches inspired by such famous ancestors such as the Rado Golden Horse Collection.

 

The benefits of high-tech ceramic are well documented, especially at Rado where it was first introduced as a watchmaking material in 1986. This innovative, lightweight, hypo-allergenic material offers optimum comfort, adapting to the wearer’s skin temperature. Where Rado went, the industry followed and other watch parts in ceramic soon started to appear.

 

Rado set a new standard for ceramic watches in 2011. Previously, ceramic watch cases had always contained a steel ‘heart’ as a base. The Rado True Thinline made such a construction impossible as the case of the watch was so thin. The resulting design was a resounding success: a watch case made entirely of ceramic and offering unrivalled levels of lightness and comfort.

 

This innovative case construction, known as ‘monobloc’, then paved the way for the creation of the new Rado HyperChrome. The design vision was to create a watch with a case that would be extremely light, very comfortable and available in a range of colours. The ceramic monobloc case was the natural choice, but not the easiest choice.

 

 

25 years of expertise with high-tech ceramic helped Rado to develop the process for creating a monobloc case. A liquid form of ceramic is injected into a mould and it is then subjected to pressures of up to 1,000 bar. The pressure is then slowly released and the finished case is gently eased out of the mould. Finally the case is ‘sintered’ at 1,450

°C in a furnace.

Even for a master of materials, creating the tools required for the process was extremely difficult. The biggest challenge was creating a mould which included all the openings for the bracelet, side inserts, crown and pushers.

 

In a separate, delicate procedure these are fixed to the case by hand later. For the Rado HyperChrome, the mould had to be a precision instrument. If something was even slightly out of place it would be impossible to add the movement and other parts to the case and the materials would be wasted.

An added complication lay in the fact that high-tech ceramic decreases in size by 23% during sintering. So, not only did the mould need to be completely accurate in its design, but it also had to allow for shrinkage at exactly the right ratio to ensure that all the openings were correctly sized down to one tenth of a millimetre.

 

With its pioneering spirit Rado was able to successfully develop all elements of the process and the HyperChrome’s ground-breaking monobloc case was born.

With materials and first-class design combining to make a beautiful, practical and durable timepiece, the Rado HyperChrome represents Rado at its very best and remains unique to Rado. 
 

We have a pretty strong tradition in our clientele base, we always create something new with a young mindset. Since the Rado True Thinline, we are very much focusing on the modern, creative, open minded & innovative designs.

The integration and new geometry in manufacturing with innovative material in the trend industry in order for us to create something  that so comfortable to wear on our skin.

We will continue to be unique with distinctive and innovative designs at least in the next 50 years. Thanks to the modern technology and reinvention of the material we use.

In all consumer brands, we are the first to advertise in China and the Swatch group, 2012 is another record year for Rado in terms of brands building.

Many years back, a lot of brands wants to go luxury but manage to change the brand but not on its substance. They increased the price but not the quality. Sadly, it is one way of cheating their customers.

As a watchmaker, one shall not stop being innovative, do not fall in love with your strategies and be too comfortable with it. It is always about reinvention with innovative ideas.

 

A watch today is more than just a watch, it need to offer more authentic and credible materials. A watch is a perfect statement of your own. For instance, Rado watch is a statement of sophistication and futuristic. It is emotional, a wearer shall ensure the comfort by wearing it and it brings out your inner personality.

 

In 2013, there will be two more new family from the brand to be release, it will be another true innovation. Can't tell you much now but hope you will like what you see.

 

My favorite possession is always my watches. I am passionate about watches, it is emotional and accessible, it is also easily to fall in love with.

 

My ideal way of a living lifestyle is to have a work and life balance, always. Family is equally important to me and part of my living.

 

 

"A watch is a perfect statement of your own" ~ Matthias Breschan

mylifestylenews @ Matthias Breschan