Matthias Breschan has been a member of the Swatch Group's Extended Group Management Board since 2005 and CEO of Rado since 2011. In an interview with WatchTime's Roger Ruegger, he discusses his role and the brand's recent evolution.
Written by Roger Ruegger
Edited by Tsuyoshi Hasegawa
Watch Time (WT)You've been at the helm of Rado since 2011. What would you say have been your personal highlights over the past eight years?
Matthias Breschan (hereafter MB)There are so many, but perhaps this year (2019) has been particularly memorable. For many years, we have been researching unrivaled color options in the ceramics field. This has been a personal and team passion, and we believe it is an area in which the industry has looked to us to be pioneers and leaders. For the True Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier collection, we have introduced nine unique, vivid, and vibrant models. Le Corbusier's architectural color palette is illustrated by two color swatches he created in 1931 and 1959, which comprised 63 colors divided into nine groups. For this collection, we have selected one color from each of these nine groups. While these color swatches were proposed quite some time ago, they represent a highly thought-out approach to color science, still taught in design and architecture schools around the world.
WT:What made you start your career in the Swiss watch industry?
MB: For me, the watch industry is a very fascinating scene, and personally, I think it's the only place where you can always look back to tradition, rather than progress or innovation. Most industries either adapt or decline. Watchmaking has a spirit of preserving tradition, and that's what keeps the watch industry moving forward. I think that's what attracts me most about working at Rado. From the very beginning, they've been doing things that other companies haven't achieved, or that are impossible. I think Rado is something outside the norm.
WTRado is a relatively young brand. What advantages do you see in having been founded “only” in 1957?
MB: That's a very interesting question. In that respect, it's usually considered a weakness. In the watch industry, where history and heritage are highly valued, being a "newcomer" is tough. Rado's greatest advantage is not its long history, but that it is a "unicorn" in the watch industry. We are stepping into areas that no one has achieved or attempted before. I think we are a niche brand with global appeal.
WTRado has been said to be gaining more appeal among collectors in recent years. What is the driving force behind this recent strategy?
MB: There has been no particular change in our strategy. Since 1957, Rado has focused on three areas: materials, innovation and design. It's not like we've suddenly started doing something new recently. Every watch released from our collection is linked to these three areas. I think staying true to our original identity has resulted in our strong appeal to collectors. Generally, appealing to new customers means approaching segments of the market that other brands already cover.
WT:What is the most popular model at the moment?
MBRado does not have a most popular model. This is because each Rado item is unique to each individual customer. Icons like the Integral and Ceramica appeal to customers who discovered Rado in the early days of high-tech ceramic development. The True Thinline is a colorful model suited to young people looking for something that can be used for a long time while still expressing their individuality. The Tradition, Hyperchrome, and True Thinline models share similar trends, appealing to different demographics with different approaches. This year, we believe we have met the expectations of the American market with the Captain Cook, Tradition Golden Horse, and True Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier models.
WT:What role does design play in the creation of Rado products?
MB: Design is fundamental for Rado. It is one of the three pillars I mentioned earlier - materials, innovation and design - and has been part of the brand's DNA since the company's founding. Collaborations with external designers energize our research and development. We actively encourage our designers to incorporate their unique designs into our products down to the smallest detail, and at the same time, they provide us with their vision. Designers bring us ideas about what the future looks like, and our belief in the world of design has given us the opportunity to work with some of the most incredible designers, including Bethan Gray, Konstantin Grcic and Jasper Morrison. No matter what design we base our watches on, Rado always creates watches with quality, innovation, materials and design in mind.
