The Master of Materials Strikes Again: Rado’s Three New True Square Skeleton Watches

The True Square collection from Rado is a newer addition to the brand’s expansive catalog. However, in only five short years, it has become a platform for creativity in all forms, including some wild limited editions.

We have seen the True Square get blinged out with diamonds and a healthy dose of PVD treatment. A line inspired by the legendary Swiss-French architectural designer Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (known as Le Corbusier) infused the True Square with pops of color, and two collaborations with the renowned Japanese fashion designer Kunihiko Morinaga have given way to exceptionally cool dial variations.

Yet, for the newest models to land in the True Square collection, Rado has taken a step back with a more minimalist and pared-down approach by releasing three new skeletonized iterations that highlight what Rado does best: play with materials.

The brand didn’t get the nickname “master of materials” for nothing. Let’s dig in.

By the time Rado had notched 50 years of history as a brand, it began solidifying its place as the “master of materials,” when, in 1962, the Maison introduced the DiaStar 1 in a scratch-resistant and ultra-durable “hardmetal” (a composite of tungsten carbide and a metal binder).
 

Since then, we have seen Rado command material innovation across all aspects of design, from movement components to the case, bracelet, and crystal. The brand has landed world records for models like the V10K, which featured a case coated in synthetic diamonds and holds the title of the hardest watch ever made.
 

Fun Fact: Its name, “V10K,” stands for 10,000 Vickers, which is the maximum rating on the Vickers hardness scale for materials, and its case’s synthetic diamond coating required a furnace reaching the atmospheric pressure of Jupiter.

Still, when you think of Rado’s expertise in this field, the first material that almost certainly springs to mind is ceramic.

The introduction of the brand’s signature material – high-tech ceramic – came about two decades after the debut of the “hardmetal” in the Diastar, when, in 1986, Rado launched the Integral, featuring a high-tech ceramic bracelet. The model was shortly followed by the Ceramica, in which the material extended to the case, crown, and bracelet. This marked the first entirely ceramic watch to hit the market.
 

Year after year, ceramic has become an increasingly common material in watchmaking. However, Rado’s high-tech ceramic is in a category of its own, thanks to a mixture of aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, and silicon nitride powders. This perfect combination of materials is compressed and sintered at high temperatures, resulting in harder, denser, and more scratch-resistant ceramic than when it is traditionally made.

The brand went on to double down on its advancement of ceramic with plasma high-tech ceramic. This material combines the qualities of high-tech ceramic with the unique shine of metal (without actually using metal). This unique process enriches finished white high-tech ceramic elements with carbon, giving them a metallic appearance with the option of polished, brushed, or matte finishing.
 

Rado has gone on to employ its high-tech ceramic materials across its catalog, from collections like the iconic Captain Hook to the Anatom, HyperChrome, True Round, and True Square. Today, we get the latest incarnation in the Maison’s newest additions to its True Square lineup.

As we mentioned out of the gate, Rado’s True Square collection is relatively new. However, the brand is no stranger to playing with shapes as well as materials, with square cases appearing across product lines as early as the 1960s. The True Square marks Rado’s celebration of the shape.
 

When the collection debuted in 2020, a whopping 15 references were unveiled, including the Open Heart skeletonized series, more “standard” models, and varying proportions for both men and women. The latest trio to land in the brand’s universe continues to embrace this type of variety in true Rado fashion with a mix of materials.

Aside from material play, the three new versions of the True Square Skeleton share a few details. Each offers the larger 38mm proportions that lean into the more masculine feel of the collection. In addition, each houses the calibre R808, which is put on full display thanks to the combination of skeletonized dial and exhibition caseback.
 

Taking center stage is the True Square Skeleton’s trademark openworked dial with two parallel bridges that span horizontally, dividing the area into three sections. The architecture of these bridges further emphasizes the geometric shape of the case while also showcasing the inner workings. Despite the depth and complexity of the skeletonized dial, the trio maintains decent legibility with the contrast of applied indexes made of white Super-LumiNova and a white-printed minute track.
 

The collection really shines from case to bracelet – here is where Rado’s prowess in materials comes into play. With the new True Square Skeleton, you have three different flavors. First up is a matte gunmetal plasma high-tech ceramic iteration with a matching bracelet, marking the first time the brand has applied a matte finish to this material. In addition, you have two matte black high-tech ceramic variations, one with a matching bracelet and one with a black rubber strap.
 

Along with swapping the bracelet for a rubber strap, you may notice some other, more subtle differences with this member of the trio. So, let’s circle back to the dial for a moment.

Here, you can key in on the area of the mainplate surrounding the movement, which exchanges the horizontally brushed decoration seen in the bracelet versions for the bolder texture of Côtes de Genève finishing. Top it off with polished rather than sandblasted hands for a subtle twist to the design.

Each of the three styles of Rado’s latest True Square Skeleton watches is available now. The trio joins the brand’s catalog as permanent fixtures with no production limits.

Pricing varies slightly based on material, with the matte black high-tech ceramic version with a rubber strap setting you back just $2,600. Alternatively, the matte gunmetal plasma high-tech ceramic and the matte black high-tech ceramic, each coming on a matching bracelet, cost just a bit more at $3,200.
 

For more information, head over to the Rado website.