The new Rado 2019 novelty – Coupole Quartz Chronograph with NTC technology. Photography and styling: Jonathan Ho
Rado’s New 2019 Watch Novelties Showcase Amazing Aesthetics at Unbeatable Prices
Swatch Group may not be showing at Baselworld this year but Rado has come out of the gate strong with a collection of fantastically designed watches at unbeatable prices. World of Watches and LUXUO was invited for a preview at Rado Singapore where these 2019 novelties caught our attention.
2019 Rado Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph
Classic, minimalist styling of the Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph is what draws you in before you learn of the cool, new fangled technology that comes shared from sister brand Longines. The 2019 Rado Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph is driven by the ETA E57.251 quartz movement with 4 year running time.
Featuring NTC or New Technology Chronograph functionality, the new Rado Coupole Classic Chronograph has a slew of abilities that one might recognise derived from sister brand Longines’ VHP quartz movements. Although the quartz chronograph doesn’t quite share the VHP’s vaunted ± 5 sec / year precision, it achieves a comfortable ± 10 sec / year precision for a sub-S$2,000 Rado quartz chronograph.
Nevertheless, Rado’s new chronograph features a Perpetual calendar accurate to the year 2399 and Gear train position detection (DPR) system which ensures analog hand indication remains precise even after heavy shocks and knocks: resynchronisation occurs at 3 a.m each morning moving the hands to its intended position similar to its sister brand’s VHP watches.
The Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph also takes the secret “retailer feature” of the Longines VHP and makes it part of its unique selling proposition. The 2019 Rado novelty enters “sleep mode” when the crown is pulled out, allowing the user to prolong battery life. After 60 seconds, the hands all reset to zero and waits for the owner to “re-awaken” the quartz chronograph by pushing the crown inwards, the ETA E57.251 then drives the hands to their exact positions of the exact time at the moment
The 42mm PVD gold Rado Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph is available in a trio of flavours – sunray brushed silvery dial, brushed blue dial and black dial, each with their curved applied hour markers usually found on high horology chronographs.
Availability of the Coupole Classic Quartz Chronograph is expected in May with a retail price of SG$1,910
Rado Tradition Golden Horse is a Limited Edition re-issue of that pioneering model birthed in 1957
2019 Rado Tradition Golden Horse Limited Edition
Rado may have forged its contemporary history with high tech ceramics but watch aficionados will likely recall the swinging 60s, 1957 to be precise, which marked the launch of the very first collection of watches under the Rado brand. Among them, the delightfully retro (to modern eyes) Golden Horse collection.
For 2019, Rado re-issues the Golden Horse in a Limited Edition under the Tradition collection. Hence, the 37mm Rado Tradition Golden Horse follows all the specific detailing of the original, right down to its 37mm steel case with the curved “smoked dial” – a gradation of crimson and black, accented with two gold coloured seahorses and the exact font used in 1957.
The date window at 3 o’clock has red numerals on a white background, unusual for contemporary date indication but otherwise era-authentic for the 50s. True to the original, three seahorses and three stars motifs are showcased proudly on caseback, giving it screw down water resistance of 50 metres.
The 2019 re-issue of the Rado Golden Horse does make contemporary updates – robust materials like sapphire crystal instead of acrylic plexiglass and an all new Swiss made ETA automatic C07 automatic movement offering a power reserve of 80 hours.
Limited Edition Rado Tradition Golden Horse Price SG$ 2,410
Rado Captain Cook Automatic Limited Edition with travel case
The popular Rado Captain Cook Automatic returns for 2019. Originally launched in a 45mm remake which fans found a little too large for wear, Rado has listened to consumers and introduced a new vintage Limited Edition Rado Captain Cook Automatic with its original 37mm proportions.
The original Captain Cook was produced between 1962 and 1968 and was known for its compact design and distinctive features. For 2019, the new Rado Captain Cook comes in 1,962 limited editions and delivered in a hard- wearing leather travel pouch with a selection of additional straps.
Balancing authentic vintage style with the modern preference for personalisation, the 2019 Rado Captain Cook Limited Edition looks amazing in either brown vintage- look leather strap, stainless steel Milanese bracelet or the durable NATO strap – “shoes” (watch collector terminology for straps) for every occasion.
Three seahorses are stamped on the stainless steel caseback, just as on the original 1960s models. While the diver’s style turning bezel, the date in red and the distinctive sword and arrow-shaped hands are all present and correct in 2019 save modern updates like high-tech ceramic insert for the bezel for added scratch resistance and the sapphire crystal that offers optimum dial protection. Like the new Golden Horse, the new Rado Captain Hook Automatic Limited Edition also features an 80 hour run time.
Limited Edition Rado Captain Hook Automatic Price SG$ 2,940
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