The new Rado DiaStar 60th anniversary edition is scratch-proof

Arushi Sakhuja 

At the India Art Fair 2023 on March 10, luxury watchmaker Rado unveiled their 60th-anniversary edition of the iconic Rado DiaStar watch. Being the first scratch-proof watch, the goal was to revisit the model, with subtle but notable changes to mark its 60th- anniversary. Rado also wanted to keep the strong personality of its predecessor, while also adding the best and latest innovations.

The first DiaStar was presented in April 1962 at the watch fair in Basel, Switzerland, and the successful journey continues with this new Rado DiaStar 60-Year-Anniversary model.  Framed by a radial-brushed Ceramos™ coiffe with polished angles and detailing set over a matching, monochrome stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal with hexagonal facets marks six decades since the original watch.

Ahead we spoke to Swiss Designer Alfredo Haberli, the design maverick behind the 60th-anniversary edition of the Rado DiaStar watch.

Tell us about your journey as a watch designer. When and how did it all start?

My enthusiasm for watches was awakened on my 18th birthday when my father gave me the watch his father had given him for his 18th birthday. That was the beginning of my fascination with watches and my passion for collecting them-preferably those from the late 1960s and early 70s. Since I opened my own design studio more than 30 years ago I haven’t kept up with the times, which means I don’t follow trends. But my never-ending dream was to design a watch.

One of the most exciting pieces you’ve loved designing and why?

I am thankful that as a designer I was able to make my dream to create a watch come true, and I hope that with my version of the Diastar Original, I can spark, in people who wear it, a little something – a mu (μ)- of what I felt when I turned 18. For me, this project is the beginning of a friendship, and I look forward to further collaboration with Rado.

Explain the process behind making the Rado first scratch-proof DiaStar 60th anniversary edition.

The choice of the material for the case – hard metal before and now ceramosTM in the new collection-makes the watch personality indestructible. It is truly a watch for a lifetime. It comes in two strap options, satin brushed stainless steel and an additional textile strap. It is framed by a radial-brushed Ceramos™ coiffe with polished angles and detailing set over a matching, monochrome stainless-steel case and a sapphire crystal with hexagonal facets that mark six decades since the first Rado DiaStar.

The new standard DiaStar Original models feature a parallel-stripe-faceted sapphire crystal, polished and brushed H-link stainless-steel bracelet, and a range of different dial colours in blue, grey and green.

Throw light on some specifics about the watch’s design and functioning.

The Rado DiaStar 60th Anniversary Edition was designed with the goal to revisit the model, with subtle but notable changes to mark its 60th Anniversary, to keep the strong personality of its predecessor, while also adding the best and latest innovations. At the heart of the watch lies an automatic movement, which ensures precision and accuracy in timekeeping. The geometry and shape of the watch case, combined with the unique CeramosTM material, make the watch lightweight, yet incredibly durable and scratch-resistant. The dial of the watch is metallic grey and circular brushed, with dot indexes filled with the natural colour Super-Lumi Nova. It also features a silver-coloured moving anchor symbol on a metallic grey background, a grey-printed Rado logo and rhodium-coloured hands. The sapphire crystal glass is not only scratch-resistant but also anti-reflective, making it easy to read the time in any lighting conditions. The Rado DiaStar 60th Anniversary Edition is a beautiful and functional watch that is sure to impress both watch enthusiasts and fashion-forward individuals alike.

What was the biggest challenge you faced while designing the watch and how long did the entire process take?

Architecture is a matter of centimetres, industrial design deals in millimetres, and watch design takes every mu (μ)- every micron –into account. First, you have to be able to see that clearly, but we were quick to adapt our approach to this scale. When I suggested to Rado that we give the anniversary edition a radically modern design, I grasped the opportunity and worked up the new case within two weeks. This trust and the exceptionally constructive collaboration with the project manager and engineers made it possible to “revolutionise” the watch-the word perfectly accurately – in under a year. It also helped, of course, that I am so passionate about watches. It took only one year to develop this watch, but I’ve been engaging with watches for the last forty years.

What was your thought and inspiration behind the DiaStar 60th anniversary edition?

In my work as a designer I’m always trying to combine tradition and innovation with joy and energy, and the anniversary edition is no exception. In essence, the point was to take the features of the original Diastar and give them a contemporary form. So there’s been a minor geometric adaptation of the case to make it look more elegant and lighter. The facetted cut of the watch glass was reinterpreted in a hexagonal form meant to highlight the 60th anniversary. The hands and date display were designed to look as modern and abstract as possible. With every product, I try to add value, which lies in the everyday use of the design. For the Diastar that means you have to be able to wear it on different occasions, so it comes with two alternative straps and a leather case that can be used as protection while travelling.

The watch is available in both an Anniversary Edition, as well as a standard DiaStar Original model with a parallel-stripe-faceted sapphire crystal, polished and brushed H-link stainless-steel bracelet, and a range of different exciting dial colours in blue, grey and green. Currently, the watch is retailing for $2,050 on the official website.

You may also like:

The watch world: What to look forward to in 2023 

Cartier’s new vintage program restores and resells watches and jewellery