Here's an older thread that covers the main views. For reference, mine was

"They focus on materials and design rather than movement, which is why they are often overlooked here.

They make a quality watch though. "

https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/no-love-for-rado.4929403/

 

Lots of threads here on this brand if you use the search engine. Lots of them on the other sub forums as well.

 

Indeed. And search for posts by member Henry Krinkle. Very knowledgeable about Rado watches.

 

Have a couple of rados in our household... they're top notch. But I will admit, after a proce point... one can do better than a pm80. Have a diastar with a pm80 which I got for the aesthethics and another with a eta 2824 (?) 4hz dressy thing.

But if I'm paying north of 2k... it does open a lot of options.

 

I never see much action for RADO watches - why?

Swatch Group.

They give all of their brands a very specific rank in their hierarchy. Rado is sharing it's ranks with Longines and Union Glashütte, above the entry level (Hamilton, ...) but not quite proper luxury (Omega, ...). Kinda awkward position where it's clear for everybody that the brand could do much better but are not allowed to. They have to stay within their price range, so they have to cut corners. Finishing is the most obvious example. Instead of giving watches contrasting surfaces they tend to just polish everything - which is much faster and therefore much cheaper but also gives them a distinct cheapo appearance.

 

For me, it's just for the price I could get something I feel is much better. Even within the Swatch group, I'll take a Longines over a Rado any day & twice on Sunday!

 

I like this one, very accurate and fun watch - as I understand it has not the same PM80 as the PRX, but one with higher specs.
I’m planning to check the recent Anatom models in the future as well.

 

I like this one, very accurate and fun watch - as I understand it has not the same PM80 as the PRX, but one with higher specs.
I’m planning to check the recent Anatom models in the future as well.
View attachment 18136895

Just when I thought I was one and diastar done!.. thats a pretty darned thing.

Looks like a diastar with the day date replaced with a color changing strip/wheel?

Which model is that?

 

They do some fun and clever stuff, but the price does often seem steep. I've liked the Corbusier colorful watches, and they briefly made a pretty cool two timezone watch where the timezones could be changed by a tactile sapphire crystal like the Tissot T-Touch tech.

But both were beyond my means, and the two timezone watch didn't stick around for long.

 

Depends on geographic place, people and preference. I don't see much love or recognition for Rado here in the USA. On the other hand, I see ALL the love and advertising for the brand whenever I visit India.

 

I love the OverPole. Rado have some really nice pieces.

 

Many great watches from Rado through the years. The first brand to use ceramics and a sapphire crystal . The designs don't seem to evolve much and they don't get into the main stream which today translate to IG and You tube. And you need ambassadors. Rado also doesn't concentrate on sports watches. Sports watches seem to be the watches that became the most popular type of watch over the last 50 years. The Swatch group also seems to focus this brand in specific markets in Asia and Europe. Also the retail prices are high when you see Rado use a lot of quartz and now the ETA C07 movements. It may be hard for customers to justify the prices. This is a RADO True Square ceramic with a C07 movement.

 

Having grown up in parts of South Asia could explain why I really appreciate the Rado design aesthetic. I understand that they are very popular there.
Think they make some of the best looking watches........agree they are pricey.

One of my favorites:

 

It's a North American market thing. Swatch just does not try to market and sell all of their brands in all markets. Certina is barely even a blip in the US for the same reason. They want to sell Hamilton and Longines here, not Certina.

 

Thank you - I've never seen Certina watches and just lost 15mins glazing their Gent's models online. This is why I enjoy the knowledge on WUS.
Perfect~

 

I think Rado is widely respected around here, but not a huge brand in the USA. I saw more ADs in a couple days Aruba vacation, than sum total I've stumbled across in the USA...

 

I always liked their vintage stuff like the "horse" and "castle" line, and the "Manhattan," a TV-style watch.

This is also an interesting model nicknamed the Cobra.

(photo from watchartexchange2)

 

i think they're a great vintage brand, but i find most model from their past to be a bit too small

 

but i find most model from their past to be a bit too small

Yup, I can confirm that.

(17cm / 6.7" wrist)

 

If I was in the market for a nice shiny dive watch I think the 37mm Captain Cook would be what I would buy. The grey market prices are really nice.

 

I bought my sister a Rado for her 40th and she loved it. It’s since been without a battery for 2 years. I should have got her that automatic 🤔….
I like the captain cook model. The spinning logo feels a bit gimmicky to me but I would probably enjoy it if I wore one !

 

Rado lies both on the dressier, more sartorial or fashion-oriented side of the watch industry (though not a “fashion watch,” which has its own meaning), which isn’t the preference of a lot of people here.

While there’s definitely a lit of love for dress watches here Rados also diverge from the historical norms of dress watch style, so in a sense they’re speaking a different language thana lot of watch enthusiasts.

My dad wore a black-dial, gold-hands, Vendome-lugged Rado daily, but he came from a menswear/tailoring background, and while it wasn’t really “out there” in Rado terms it’s still pretty far from the sorts of watches you see shared here.

 

I'm going to put it down to marketing. Even though Rado is available in North America through authorized dealers, I understand Rado is heavily marketed in South Asia and Asia.

 

Their bracelets are really nice too. Solid, but silky smooth and a pleasure to handle, you can tell they care about that as well.

 

Someone here once posted a his and hers black rectangular Rado set that looked intriguing.

They’re more known for the DiaStar and watches without minute markers.

 

My AD carries them, and every time I walked past I keep walking. Awkward price new, and I find them too shiny/blingy for my tastes. I'm interested in the ceramic pieces, but those are even more expensive and still shiny/blingy.

Prefer Mido, Certina, and Hamilton in this bracket.

 

Gonzo design philosophy that only a select few in a very concentrated market can pull off.