Rado isn’t the most popular brand in the West, but they are in India and China for good reason. They have interesting designs and a solid entry-level price point for Swiss watchmaking alongside the likes of Longines. You could be mad that Rado uses an ETA movement as the base of their R808, but generic parts are only an issue when the price doesn’t reflect said parts, thankfully that isn’t the case here. That’s what you’re really getting here: a skeletonised True Square at a Swiss entry-level price.
Granted, the True Square Automatic Skeleton isn’t the wildest open-worked dial and it isn’t even Rado’s first in their True Square collection, but it does feature an updated (and improved) dial design that for $4,300 AUD ($2,800 USD), is a great deal.
The 38mm monoblock ceramic case is offered in three colourways: plasma grey, white, and signature black. Each comes with a matching bracelet made of polished ceramic, a material Rado helped pioneer in the 70s. It’s one of the smaller watches in Rado’s collection with a thickness of 9.7mm.
The R808 skeletonised movement is visible from the front and back thanks to a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback. While delivering “outstanding precision” it also has an enhanced resistance to magnetic fields and temperature variations while also providing a great 80-hour power reserve.
So for roughly $4,000, you get a skeletonised dial visible through the front and back, a monoblock ceramic
case, and an 80-hour power reserve. That’s solid value, so ultimately it comes down to whether you like the design or not.
The white looks the most obviously ceramic simply because it lacks the same ability to reflect light as the black and grey versions do while the grey model could trick you into thinking it was steel. It’s a matter for the wearer to decide.
For our part, these are stunning and great value, the only downside being that Rado pieces typically don’t have great resale value. If you buy one of these, you are buying it for yourself.
These are available now on Rado’s website.
