MULTI-FACETED INNOVATION

Rado celebrates the 60th anniversary of the iconic DiaStar timepiece, in collaboration with renowned Zurich-based product designer Alfredo Hadberli

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THE WORLD WAS riding the wave of the Post-War Boom and the Sixties was in full swing when Rado turned their attention to the materials that were going to be used for the case and the watch crystal, in the first instance. The projected timepiece would have to be both an outstanding example of durability and good looks, of course, but also capable of keeping those qualities nearly forever. It was a tall order, and one that Rado were sure their engineers could meet, as the company often said, “If we can imagine it, we can make it. And if we can make it, we will!” Now was the time to put that vision to good use.

With that, Rado’s watchmakers set out on their noble mission: to build a watch that would be scratch proof, made of an alloy of tungsten carbide called “Hardmetal”. In that shiny, highly resistant case, they then put a sapphire crystal glass almost as hard and durable as diamond. Back in the day, we should remember, a lot of watch cases were made of gold or plated brass, with a fragile glass of mineral or polymer origin. The new case was going to be almost eternal.

On November 28, 1961, Rado officially patented the use of hardmetal alloy for watchcase manufacturing. They became the first company to combine a hardmetal case and a sapphire crystal in a truly unique new watch, with a bold new design. The DiaStar had arrived, its name attributing to the diamondlike resistance and indestructible shine of the sapphire crystal. The watch was then presented at Baselworld the following spring 1962, to coincide with its simultaneous launch into the market.