This New Watch Puts a High-Tech Twist on Rado’s 1980s Classic
The idea behind the Rado Anatom has remained unchanged since its debut 40 years ago. So has its sinuously curved rectangular case, a shape created to mirror the curve of the wrist (hence the name). Most everything else about the new Rado Anatom Skeleton, however, from its high-tech ceramic case to its modern automatic movement, reflects four decades of evolution.
Launched in 1983, the Rado Anatom was an avant-garde creation from the first, with a tungsten carbide hard metal case and a then-cutting-edge quartz movement to match its futuristic look. Such was its significance as an objet d’art that Andy Warhol painted the watch in his signature colourful style to celebrate Rado’s 70th birthday in 1987. In 2023, in time for the Anatom’s 40th anniversary, Rado re-released it in several colourful new versions, upgrading the case to high-tech ceramic, enlarging its proportions, and introducing the watch’s unmistakable design to a new generation of watch enthusiasts.
The Rado Anatom Skeleton, whose skeletonized dial reveals the inner workings of its automatic movement, marks the next chapter in the model’s evolution. The movement itself is top-shelf, with 80 hours of power reserve, a Nivachrom hairspring, and anthracite-coated components, but according to Rado CEO Adrian Bosshard, this version is as much about emotion as technical achievement. “It offers an intimate connection between the wearer and the watch, revealing the intricate mechanics and the beauty of time itself,” he says. “By merging heritage with modernity, the Anatom Skeleton demonstrates Rado’s ability to push boundaries and create iconic timepieces.”
Skeletonized movements aren’t uncommon these days, but creating the Anatom’s cutaway ceramic dial was among the more challenging aspects of the watch’s development. “Skeletonization is an art that demands precision and balance,” Bosshard explains. “Opening the dial to reveal the movement without compromising stability or readability is a delicate process. Every cut-out and contour had to be carefully considered.”
The high-tech ceramic case is the product of an equally technically ambitious process. Rado’s signature material is produced by treating ceramic at temperatures of up to 20,000°C, a process that gives the surface a warm metallic look while retaining the lightness and scratch-resistance for which ceramic is known. “It creates a finish that looks like metal but feels like ceramic, offering unmatched comfort and durability,” Bosshard says.
On the wrist, the Anatom’s defining characteristic remains as revelatory now as it was 40 years ago. Its gently curved case and integrated rubber strap follow the natural contours of the wrist, while the cylindrical sapphire crystal continues the curve through the face of the watch. “It’s almost like a second skin,” Bosshard says. As it did in 1983, the newest addition to the Anatom lineup offers an unmistakably modern look created through impressive feats of engineering and design, but its evolution is unlikely to end here. “If we can imagine it, we can make it,” says Bosshard. “And if we can make it, we will.”
FEATURE PHOTO COURTESY OF RADO.
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