Cover Rado Captain Cook Skeleton Blue Ceramic
Rado Captain Cook Skeleton Blue Ceramic
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Rado lives up to its reputation as the Master of Materials with its high-tech ceramic watches
As the Master of Materials, Rado has built an enviable reputation as a proponent of high-tech ceramic watches that cater to various tastes and preferences. Few materials can compare with high-tech ceramic in terms of its benefits as a watch material.
It is virtually scratch-proof, ensuring that it retains its “newness” over time. It is extremely lightweight and hypoallergenic, promising remarkable comfort when it touches the skin. It is about four times harder than steel, making it incredibly durable. Plus, in the hands of Rado, it is visually appealing in different colours and finishes.
Read more: Rado presented groundbreaking ceramic watches at Suria KLCC
Above Rado's high-tech ceramic case
Rado's high-tech ceramic case
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Rado has truly been a marvel at this ever since it produced its first high-tech ceramic watch, the Integral, in 1986. Recognising its potential, Rado stepped up its R&D in ceramic, producing one innovation after another in quick succession.
In 1993, it launched Sintra, crafted entirely of Ceramos, a groundbreaking material composed of ceramic and metallic components. In 1998, Rado discovered how to manipulate ceramic to produce the lustre of metal—even though plasma high-tech ceramic, as it is called, contains no metal.w
It can currently produce more than 20 different colours for its high-tech ceramic, including nine vibrant shades from Le Corbusier’s Architectural Polychromy colour theory. Rado has promised that there will be more to come.
Above Rado's plasma high-tech ceramic cases
Rado's plasma high-tech ceramic cases
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All the magic happens at Comadur, a company under the Swatch Group, which also owns Rado, located in the watchmaking town of Le Locle, Switzerland. Making ceramic components is only one of its specialties; the facility also manufactures sapphire components and synthetic rubies.
Comadur is particularly known for its close connection with Rado and its virtuosity in high-tech ceramic production. This man-made material is produced by heating pure zirconium oxide powder at 1,450oC, a process that endows it with an impressive hardness of 1,250 Vickers. (Incidentally, Ceramos has a hardness of 1,750 Vickers.)
Before that, pigments are added to the powder to get the desired colour. The mixture is then injected into a mould to create a monobloc case. The case is placed in a debinding vessel to dissolve most of the polymer before being subjected to extreme heat. Precision is key here as the case shrinks by 25 per cent during the heating process.
Above Rado's high-tech ceramic bracelet
Rado's high-tech ceramic bracelet
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It then undergoes a series of finishing touches, including machining to achieve the right angles, polishing for the required brilliance, sandblasting for consistent smoothness, and engraving. The whole process, from start to final inspection, takes more than a month to complete, reflecting the meticulous nature of the production.
For plasma high-tech ceramic, an extra step involving a 20,000oC plasma discharge in a special oven further increases the complexity of the process.
While Rado appears to be reaping the greatest rewards from Comadur’s expertise, our visit revealed an intriguing detail: the names Longines and Omega subtly marked on a couple of the machines. Anything this good, we surmise, must be shared.
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Brian Cheong leads the watch (Tatler GMT) and jewellery content at Tatler Malaysia, combining sharp editorial insight with years of luxury lifestyle experience. A seasoned journalist in luxury watches based in Kuala Lumpur, Brian had previously helmed World of Watches, Men's Folio and Prestige Malaysia.
