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Rado Silver Star, circa 1980

Rado is a Swiss manufacturer of watches, with headquarters in Lengnau, Switzerland. It is noted for its use of scratch-proof materials, a field in which it is considered a pioneer.^{[citation needed]} Today the company produces about half a million watches a year with a staff of about 300 in total.

History

Formed in 1917 as Schlup & Co., Rado initially produced watch movements only. In 1957 the company launched its first collection of watches under the Rado brand. In 1962 the Rado Diastar, the world's first scratch-proof watch, was launched. It has been in production ever since, now sold as DiaStar The Original.

In 1983 Rado became part of the SMH group which was renamed in 1998 as the Swatch Group.

Design

Rado differs from some of the more traditional Swiss watchmakers in that it often uses unconventional materials and designs. Rado has pioneered the use of a number materials unique to watchmaking, e.g. hardmetal(tungsten- and titanium-carbide), ceramics, lanthanum and sapphire crystal.

Other than the material, newer Rado watches also look very different from those from most other makers. Market reaction to this is generally mixed, with some preferring the look of the more traditional makers, and others appreciating the more distinct Rado look.

Pricing

Rado watches vary in pricing according to model, age and materials but generally a Rado will range from about US$400 to about US$28,000 for a watch made from the more precious materials!

Fakes

Like many watchmakers, Rado suffers from a high level of forgeries on the market. Owing to their distinct style, Rado watches are a major target and there are many counterfeit watches on sale, particularly on the internet. To combat this,^{[citation needed]} the company has a small list of authorized retailers in the various countries where it operates and these companies are forbidden to sell Rado watches over the internet. The prices of these fakes are usually under $200 USD.

Named Vintage Rado-Models of Wristwatches

Gentlemen Models	Information	Pictures
56-H(Chronometer)
990
990 De Luxe
999
Aedes
Alarm
Ales
Alpineum
Amber Horse 74
Arosa
Balboa
Balboa V
Balboa V Breithorn
Balboa V Debut
Balboa V DeLuxe
Balboa V Eiger
Balboa V Fancy
Berard 700
Black Colt
Black Pearl
Blue Castle
Blue Tiger V
Brienzer
Brown Stag
Brown Tiger V
Cape Horn
Cape Horn 280
Cape Horn 300
Captain Cook
Cologny
Cologny 701
Companion
Companion III
Conway
Conway 10
Conway 20
Conway 30
Conway 40
Conway 50
Conway 73
Conway GT
Cornell
Cosmo Travel V202
Daymaster
Daymaster 999(day/date)
Daymaster Starlight
De Luxe
Day-Night
DiaMaster
DiaStar
DiaStar 515
DiaStar Jubile
DiaStar Magic
Distinction Monorex
Ebnat
Eiger
Elegance
Elegance SR-A
Electrosonic
Espoir SR-D
Gazelle
Gazelle superflat
Golden Bowl
Golden Castle
Golden City
Golden Colt
Golden Gate
Golden Gazelle
Golden Horse
Golden Horse Daymaster
Golden Horse De Luxe
Golden Horse 333
Golden Horse Daymaster
Golden Sabre
Golden Stag
Gorner
Grand Stag
Green Gazelle
Green Horse
Green Horse 6
Green Horse Daymaster
Green Horse De Luxe
Green Horse GT
Green Horse King Size
Green Horse Seventy-One
Green Tiger V
Hardtron
Holbein
Honestas
JetLiner
JetLiner 333
Jorasses
Jubilar
Jupiter
Kapell(some with "Rado watch" instead of "swiss made" on the dial)
King Diamond
Kriens
Laser Beam
Las Palmas
Lauberhorn
Limmat
Limmat V
Lumino
MacKenZie M
Manchester
Manhattan
Manhattan V
Manhattan De Luxe
Manhattan De Luxe SS
Mannheim M
Mannheim 702
Marco Polo
Marstron
Marstron Z
Matterhorn
McKinley
Meilen
Miami
Miami 75
Military
Mini Manhattan GP
Mini Manhattan SS
Montana
Monte Rosa
Murano
Musketeer I
Musketeer II
Musketeer III
Musketeer IV
Musketeer V
Musketeer VI
Musketeer VII
Musketeer VIII
Musketeer IX
N18
Navale
NCC 101
NCC 111
NCC 202
NCC 222
NCC 303
NCC 404
NCC 444
NCC 505
New Golden Horse SS
New Green Horse
Newtronic
Oval Wing(some with "Rado watch" instead of "swiss made" on the dial)
Over-Pole
Overpole 180
Planning
President
President Date
President de Luxe
President Monorex
PurpleCastle
Purple Gazelle
Purple Horse
Purple Horse 74
Purple Horse 202
Purple Horse Daymaster
Purple Horse De Luxe
Purple Sabre
Purple Stag
Randegg
Ratis
Rectus
Regal
Rembrandt
Rising Star
Rising Star 703
Rockshell Mk VII
Rothorn
Royal Elegance SR-D
Royal Elegance SR-E
Sapphire
Sapphire Gazelle
Sapphire Gazelle 74
Sapphire Horse
Satellite
Sapporo
Scheidegg
Schreckhorn
Schulthorn
Senator
Serbia
Silver Cologny
Silverfancy
Silver Gazelle
Silver Horse
Silver Moon
Silver Sabre
Silver Stag
Silver Star		Rado Silver Star, circa 1980
Silver Star Sapphire(glass bottom)
Slimline
Simplon
Space Flight
SpaceWing
Spherematic
Spherematic Atomik Super
Stag
Starfire
Starliner
Starliner 300
Starliner 400
Starliner 500
Starliner 900
Starliner 999
Starliner Daymaster 999
Strato Jet
Strato Jet F
Sunlake SS
Sunlight
Superdeluxe
Super Gazelle
Super Time
Ticino
Ticino 702
Trident 100
Trident 200
Trident 202
Trident 300
Trident 303
Trident 400
Trident 500
Ultra-Chron
Voyager
Voyager GT
Voyager Two
White Colt
Wiseman Date
World Travel
World Travel 990
World Travel De Luxe

Notes

External links

• Rado- International Site
• The Swatch Group
• Equation of Time Rado Forum
• Rado-related articles and vintage collection
• Private fan site and vintage collection
• Rado Watch Archive Gallery of Rado Watches with detailed descriptions, brief histories & actual photos
• Rado Watch Index A very handy reference index of every Rado watch, listing by movement, case material, bracelet material, dial color and model number.