The True Open Heart by Rado combines light high-tech ceramic, used for the case and bracelet, with a dial made from a wafer-thin – 0.6mm – layer of mother-of-pearl, revealing a glimpse of the movement as well as the ever-changing colours produced by this natural material. This year the trend identified for Rado by future trends analyst Li Edelkoort is lightness, well expressed by the two versions of this watch, Black and White. They are limited editions, each of 500 pieces.

Case and bracelet are in high-tech ceramic, made from zirconium oxide. It is 25% lighter than steel, but almost five times harder (1,200 Vickers in comparison to steel’s 250 Vickers). It is warm on the skin and hypoallergenic. At 40.1 x 47.3 mm in size, the watch is just about small enough to be unisex, and it’s slim at 10.4 mm thickness. It is water-resistant to 5 bar (50 metres).

Red Dot Product Design Award 2016

With this watch, Rado won the 2016 Red Dot Product Design Award, the latest in a series of over 30 prizes won by the brand over the years. Red Dot awards are given in 31 categories. The watch looks simple, but there are lots of elegant touches, such as the applied hour indices, and the swivelling Rado anchor-shaped logo that has long been a hallmark of their dials.

Rado True Open Heart (Black)

The black version has a PVD-coated titanium caseback, with a sapphire window displaying the movement. This is the ETA C07.631 self-winding calibre, providing 80 hours power reserve as a result of the latest mainspring technology by Nivarox.

Rado True Open Heart (White)

The white version is different only in colour, the movement is the same. Both watches have three-row bracelets with a titanium folding buckle.

Prices and references

Rado True Open Heart (Black) is reference 734.0101.3.090, a limited edition of 500 watches. Price €2,120.

Rado True Open Heart (White) is reference 734.0106.3.090, a limited edition of 500 watches. Price €2,110