The things that Rado can do with ceramic on their watches is quite incredible. While most brands will settle for a ceramic insert in a bezel, Rado just goes full steam ahead and makes their cases and bracelets from the stuff. It makes for a look and feel quite unlike anything else, and they’ve applied this know-how to introduce new models to the Rado Great Gardens of the World watches lineup.
When we first told you about the Rado Great Gardens of the World, it was back in 2021 for chapters one through three (you can see that here). Well, we missed a few chapters since then, but we’re picking it back up now with chapters eight through 10. Here’s how the brand describes them:
Chapter 8, the first in the new series, unites a polished black case with a matching dial that exudes pure
mystery and whose pleasing, orderly structure imitates the pleated leaves of the Loulu Lelo. The model
uses the same premium Rado R766 movement as the other two chapters, providing a generous power
reserve of 64 hours.All models in the new series are equipped with a NivachronTM antimagnetic hairspring, for highly reliable precision. The mood of the dial, guarded by a box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, strikes perfect harmony next to the dark case. A metallised gold-coloured Rado logo adds a tasteful touch on the inside of the watch glass.
Rado Great Gardens of the World watches: Chapter 9
The next model in the Rado Great Gardens of the World watches is Chapter 9, which is a brilliant reflection of the designer’s visual inspiration in connection with the Araucaria tree. The white high-tech ceramic case offers a different mood — airy, peaceful and unique, enhanced by a white mother-of-pearl dial engraved to recall the fresh, almost playful leaf outlines of the rare Chilean tree.
The smooth contours of high-tech ceramic — particularly sensuous and palpable in white, are a clever contrast to the pointed extremities of the tree leaves, especially against the cool, radiant mother-of-pearl, a smart look that watch-lovers will appreciate.
As do the other chapters, the watch carries a titanium case back with a sapphire crystal window digitally printed with the mention “GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD” and the timepiece’s chapter number. A subtle motif showing the growth rings of a large, noble tree trunk in cross-section, is used as a background on the case-back, and repeated on the display boxes of the collector’s trio sets and the special edition card included with the timepieces.
Rado Great Gardens of the World watches: Chapter 10
Last but not least in the Rado Great Gardens of the World watches line up, Chapter 10 features a plasma high-tech ceramic monobloc case, in those mysterious grey tones typical of plasma treatment. The process, launched in an extreme environment nearing 20,000°C — many times the temperature found at the Sun’s surface — is then maintained at around 1000°C for the full duration of the treatment.
In Chapter 10, the dial is a splendid creation in two layers where a rose-gold-coloured backplate shows through a skeletonised top layer, smartly cut out in organic shapes reminiscent of the mesmerising, intricately entangled branches of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree.
The hour/minute hands carry a pink-gold colour, for a beautiful touch that truly shows the
watchmaker’s finest artistry. All three chapters are equipped with their own matching, polished high-tech
ceramic bracelet, fastened by a reliable, triple-fold titanium clasp.The Rado Great Gardens of the World watches are all water-resistant up to 3 bar (30 m) and the outstanding precision of their automatic calibre is confirmed by testing in a full five positions, rather than the usual three. Nature at its best, most beautiful and unwaveringly precise.
Only 99 will be made of each, and you can buy them individually, or in a special collectors box that combines all three. They are available now, at $2,700 each, directly from rado.com
Tech Specs from Rado
- Movement: Rado calibre R766, automatic, 21 jewels, 2 hands, 64-hour power reserve, antimagnetic NivachronTM hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy, water-resistant to 3 bar (30m)
- Dimensions 40.0 x 44.6 x 9.0 (WxLxH in mm)
- R27113152 / Chapter 8 / Loulu lelo
- Case: Polished black high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with yellow-gold coloured metallised Rado logo and anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD CHAPTER 8
- Dial: Black pleated stamped structure stylising the leaves of Loulu lelo palm tree
- Hands: Yellow gold-coloured
- Bracelet: Polished black high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
- R27118902 / Chapter 9 / Araucaria
- Case: Polished white high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with silver coloured metallised Rado logo and anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD CHAPTER 9
- Dial: White mother-of-pearl engraved with the stylised growthing structure of the Araucaria tree
- Hands: Silver-coloured
- Bracelet: Polished white high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
- R27088122 / Chapter 10 / Dragon blood
- Case: Polished plasma high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with rose-gold coloured metallised Rado logo and anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD CHAPTER 10
- Dial: Two-layer dial : sun brushed rhodium colour skeletonised top layer stylising the branch entanglement of the Dragon blood tree / rose gold coloured back plate
- Hands: Rose gold-coloured
- Bracelet: Polished plasma high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
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