{"id":26241,"date":"2021-03-23T08:32:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T08:32:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/the-rado-true-stratum-limited-ed-watch-hands-on\/"},"modified":"2024-05-27T06:40:57","modified_gmt":"2024-05-27T04:40:57","slug":"rado-true-stratum-watch-hands-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/rado-true-stratum-watch-hands-on\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rado True Stratum Limited Edition watch hands-on"},"content":{"rendered":"

A while ago, Rado<\/strong><\/span>\u2019s Marketing Vice-President called it \u2018cross<\/em>\u2013fertilization<\/em>\u2019, that is to say that process, where a brand would draw on different sectors; study them to explore all the different sides of its personality to then multiply these features infinitely.<\/p>\n

It was last April, when Andrea Caput<\/strong>o said those words during our video interview that took place on the occasion of the Rado Star Prize<\/strong><\/span><\/a> event. No other watch-making brand is currently exploring all of the existing design sectors so specifically and deeply as Rado<\/strong> is doing and no other manufacturer is more entitled than Rado<\/strong> to do so due to fact that this brand is not as deeply linked to tradition as other Swiss makers are and that, in my opinion, is definitely an undisputable advantage.<\/p>\n

\"Rado-True-Stratum-5\"The Rado True<\/strong> is Rado<\/strong>\u2019s ode to simplicity, its purest collection that speaks exclusively through its trademark (ceramics) and that leaves to other collections both complications and a more elaborate design made up of different materials and calibres. Despite all, this is also the very collection that Rado<\/strong> decided to re-interpret through the drawing pen of some famous international designers.<\/p>\n

\"Rainer-Mutsch-for-rado\"Among the 2017 special series<\/strong>, it is the Rado True Stratum<\/strong> that really stands out; the result of a cooperation project with Rainer Mutsch<\/strong>. Rainer Mutsch<\/strong> is a prominent Austrian designer that focuses on minimalism and simple geometries and sizes that repeat themselves endlessly without ever losing sight of the object\u2019s functionality; a rare example of fusion between style and pragmatism.<\/p>\n

\"cliffy-rainer-mutsch-for-sixinch\"The Rado True Stratum<\/strong> seems like the avant-gardist watch-making alter ego of projects, like the Cliffy<\/strong> or the Ray<\/strong>; an elegant, but extremely simple \u2013 and always functional \u2013 way of editing the minimal style and spirit of the Rado True<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This design and customization operation of an existing collection gives the Rado True Stratum<\/strong> its unique look; this is not a simple declination of a Rado True<\/strong> (that would look quite reductive), but rather an entirely new timepiece that looks like a classic True<\/strong> only when it comes to the original sizes and proportions.<\/p>\n

\"Rado-True-Stratum-4\"Rainer<\/strong> developed a third dimension \u2013 that was missing before \u2013 without even touching the sizes of the men\u2019s True<\/strong> and its 40mm<\/strong> case. Quite the opposite; the designer used his linear language to create a series of (concentric) circle-likes that stem from the basis of the inner flange and then constantly taper towards the middle of the raised hours, minutes, and seconds hands.<\/p>\n

The result is the creation of a hypnotic effect, where the gaze seems to be \u201cplunging<\/em>\u201d into the watch itself. All in all, it was quite a mammoth task that culminated with the introduction of the yellow colour on the seconds hand and on the contrasting yellow Rado<\/strong> logo that seems to levitate on the dial, also thanks to the circular serigraphy in the middle.<\/p>\n

\"Rado-True-Stratum-2\"If you take a look at the\u00a0macro picture above, you will notice that the dial has a fine grained texture and a rectangular plaque bevelled on the corners that also appears on the case-back, and through which you can see the movement; this is a clear reference to a specific design style from the 70s and, it also reminds me of the typical geometric shapes of the cinema from that time, like, for instance Space<\/strong>: 1999<\/strong> or Kubrick<\/strong>\u2019s masterpiece. The limited series figure (1001 pieces<\/strong> in total) randomly reinforces this link with the space-apocalyptic genre from that era.<\/p>\n

\"Rado-True-Stratum-3\"Rainer<\/strong> shares with Rado<\/strong> his passion for new materials and, in my opinion this is the perfect combination, as Rado<\/strong> could learn a lot from this experiment and could start exploring new possibilities for its True<\/strong> collection. In the meantime, if you are ready to spend 2,170<\/strong> euro, you will be able to acquire the most expensive Rado True<\/strong> timepiece ever crafted (after the Phospho<\/strong>) that is also a design object that will very soon become a design icon and a future collectible item.<\/p>\n