“Not everyone wants to wear a round, mainstream watch,” says Adrian Bosshard, the CEO of RADO. He’s not stressing a personal opinion, but merely explaining one of the key reasons behind the enduring 60-year legacy of RADO’s iconic, oval-shaped, DiaStar timepiece.
The striking oval-shaped timepiece, first introduced by the Swiss watchmaker back in 1962, continues to be one of RADO’s best-selling – and most loved – collections.
By pretty much every account, the DiaStar is an iconic timepiece. Not only was it the first fully scratch-resistant timepiece when it debuted in 1962, but, now six decades on, its distinctive shape and its extremely resistant tungsten-carbide case, has evolved into signature aesthetic that has followed it through the decades. Its sense of timelessness continues to be in demand by watch enthusiasts looking for something a little different.
“What I find fantastic is 60 years on how popular the DiaStar remains all over the world even though it is not in the mainstream. It continues to be popular in many countries around the globe and with the international clientele here in the Middle East,” says Bosshard.
The continued popularity does not come by chance. While the DiaStar’s unique design language has always run through updated models that have been added to the collection over the years RADO continues to update the DiaStar to meet today’s standards. Case in point the new DiaStar Original Skeleton.
The latest edition continues RADO’s pioneering work as the ‘Master of Materials’. Having celebrated the 60th anniversary of the DiaStar last year by making it out of a scratch resistant Rado Ceramos, the newest model sees the addition of a skeletonized dial – showcasing a clear view of the R808 automatic caliber – which provides the piece with 80 hours of power reserve and an antimagnetic Nivachron hairspring.
While the new model reflects the overall character of its forebears, it has been adapted to better suit modern tastes. The new shape is more refined but larger, with its contours a clear reflection of a precise design ambition. The original DiaStar was unquestionably virile, but the latest model reflects a true coming of age; it remains masculine but is also very original and comfortably stylish.
At the core of RADO’s watchmaking business is the phrase: ‘If we can imagine it, we can make it. And if we can make it, we will.’ This has been the guiding light for not only the DiaStar Original Skeleton, but for Bosshard’s leadership since taking over in 2020.
“When I was growing up, I had a panel in my room that read: ‘If you have a dream, you can reach it’. It was kind of the de facto moto of my life,” he explains, “which I find remarkable because that was the same mindset of the RADO founders way back in 1917, and the mindset that has continuously lead the brand to be a step ahead of the mainstream. We are proud to be the first brand to work with ceramic on our watches and creating pieces like the DiaStar, but we remain driven to ensure that we are capable of continuing this for the next few decades.”
Rado timepieces are exclusively available at Rivoli and Hour Choice outlets.