Rado Frontier
It was in 1986 that Rado began using high-tech ceramic, an industrial material, for the exterior of its watches.
However, Rado has always been a creator and innovator of high-tech ceramics, from the very beginning when it first adopted this material in watches to the present day. What exactly is it about the high-tech ceramics that Rado produces that sets it apart from other companies? We report the latest information from the front lines of the manufacturing site.
The Latest Frontiers of High-Tech Ceramic Created by RADO
The case is made of Ceramos, a sintered mixture of 90% high-tech ceramic and 10% metal alloy. It combines the scratch-resistant properties of high-tech ceramic, which allows it to maintain its original beauty forever, with the brilliance of precious metals like rose gold. Automatic winding. 25,200 vph. Power reserve: approximately 64 hours. Ceramos (diameter 41.0 mm, thickness 8.3 mm). Water resistant to 5 bar. Price: 240,000 yen.
The movement, COSC-certified by the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, uses a silicon balance spring, making it highly accurate and resistant to magnetic fields, maintaining its accuracy. Automatic winding (ETACal.C07.881). 28,800 vibrations per hour. Power reserve: approximately 80 hours. Plasma high-tech ceramic (diameter 43.0mm, thickness 12.3mm). Water resistant to 5 bar. Price: 245,000 yen.
The hot topic of Rado in 2018 is undoubtedly its rose gold-colored Ceramos. Rado first used this material in its Sintra watches in 1993. In 2011, Rado developed a molding technique using injection molding, which had previously been difficult, and named it "Ceramos" and registered it as a trademark. Until then, ceramics had only been available in simple shapes like squares and rectangles, but this new material made it possible to create round, oval, and even faceted shapes, greatly opening up new design possibilities.
Although injection molding became possible in 11, minimal machining was still required in the final stages. Since then, technological development has continued, and with the development of precise molds, it is now possible to mold monobloc cases using Ceramos. This eliminates the need for a metal inner case, further reducing the watch's weight. In 18, the monobloc case was adopted for the Diamaster, and the rose gold-colored Ceramos, which had been developed and refined over the course of approximately 10 years, was introduced to this model. The Rado Diamaster Ceramos™ Automatic shown above is Rado's latest model, incorporating the most advanced technology available today. While boasting a beautiful appearance that is indistinguishable from gold, it also combines the scratch resistance and lightness of ceramic. These two advantages are the greatest weaknesses of gold, which is easily scratched and heavy, making Ceramos's advantages even more apparent.
It is also worth noting that the manufacturing technology for Ceramos has now been entirely in-house. Below, we will take a closer look at Rado's cutting-edge high-tech ceramic technology from the manufacturing site.
