Rado Design Week: Rado True Square Design Specials

On the occasion of the Rado Design Week, which took place virtually in collaboration with internationally renowned architecture and design magazine Dezeen, Rado is introducing three exceptional Rado True Square Design Specials. The timepieces are the work of several renowned design teams and demonstrate unique approaches to reinterpreting the classic wristwatch.

All the models are based on the Rado True Square – the first square watch made of solid high-tech ceramic, whose shape is injection molded.

Produced in collaboration with the Japanese design team YOY, the Rado True Square Undigital brings the typical design of a digital watch to the analogue world.

Meanwhile, together with the British designer Tej Chauhan, the Rado True Square Tej Chauhan reflects the futuristic visions of pop culture with strong colours as well as unusual materials.

Finally, the Rado True Square Formafantasma was conceived by the eponymous design Italian-Dutch duo from Amsterdam and aims to reinterpret the concept of the closed pocket watch. On this note, it’s time to take a closer look at both the brains and thoughts behind the watches.

Rado True Square Undigital

The Swiss brand conceived the new Rado True Square Undigital together with Tokyo-based design studio YOY. At first glance, the black timepiece resembles a classic digital watch. But, in fact, an automatic movement is at work inside.

The design studio YOY was founded in Tokyo in 2011 by Naoki Ono and Yuki Yamamoto. Their work focuses mainly on furniture, lighting and interior design, and they have been awarded several international prizes. Since 2015, YOY has been teaching at Musashino Art University in Tokyo.

The square 38.0 mm x 44.2 mm black ceramic case is only 9.6 mm high thanks to the monobloc construction. Furthermore, the matt black dial has no indices. Instead, the Rado True Square Undigital displays time exclusively with two hands of equal length, which carry white-luminous Super-LumiNova blocks. These are designed like a digital segment display and thus play with shapes from the digital world.

The Rado True Square Undigital comes on a matt black ceramic strap secured with a titanium folding clasp. The price for this model is 2,261 euros (16% VAT) / 2,300 euros (19% VAT).

Rado True Square Tej Chauhan

Meanwhile, the Rado True Square Tej Chauhan is the result of a collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker and the award-winning British industrial designer Tej Chauhan. With its strong colors and unusual materials, the designer aims to reflect the futuristic visions of pop culture.

The inspiration for Tej Chauhan’s latest creation comes from the timeless future visions of pop culture – from film to typography to colour theory. The watch is housed in a matt yellow ceramic case. The polished, dark grey PVD-coated stainless steel caseback allows for a view of the movement through a small sapphire crystal viewing window.

The matt black dial with silver concentric circles contrasts with the white-painted hour and minute hands. The blue indices between 9 and 12 indicate the times when most things apparently happen – in the office in the morning, or going out in the evening. The window at 3 shows the date with a typography specially developed by Tej Chauhan.

The Rado True Square Tej Chauhan comes on a yellow cushion-shaped leather strap secured with an extendable stainless-steel folding clasp. The watch is not available until March 2021. The price for the model is 1,764 Euro (16% VAT) / 1,800 Euro (19% VAT).

Rado True Square Formafantasma

The collaboration with the Italian-Dutch design duo Formafantasma resulted in the Rado True Square Formafantasma. The result is a timepiece that builds a bridge between yesterday and today.

The concept of the closed watch goes back to pocket watches. The Formafantasma team applied this idea to their interpretation of the True Square and present a wristwatch that only allows a view of the dial through a small opening.

Above the dial is a layer of the same matte light gray ceramic that forms the case. A small window of sapphire crystal allows for a view of the dial and the three hands. Meanwhile, the caseback is made of hypoallergenic titanium. The Rado True Square Formafantasma is powered by the automatic ETA C07. 611, which displays only hours, minutes and seconds.

The watch is presented on a bracelet made of the same light gray ceramic. It is secured with a 3-part titanium deployant clasp. The price for the watch is 2,456 euros (16% VAT) / 2,500 euros (19% VAT).

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