Service Recommendations for Rado Watches

Like any high-precision instrument you may own, the movements in your Rado watch must be maintained regularly to ensure that they work perfectly. Rado watches with mechanical movements must be inspected every 3-5 years, and the quartz movements must be examined at every second battery change. The exact maintenance intervals may vary, as they depend primarily on the watch model, climate and level of care exercised by the watch’s owner.

Our Expertise at Fixing Rado Watches

At Manhattan Time Service, we provide the right infrastructure and most-qualified, professional staff who can expertly repair or restore your beloved Rado timepiece using the latest techniques and instruments. We specialize in modern and vintage watches, and every Rado watch sent to us is closely examined by a master watchmaker who submits it to a series of closely monitored tests that allows us to prepare a free detailed estimate before any work is completed.

Services We Provide for Rado Watches

• Complete Service \ OH
• Battery Replacement
• Replace any faulty watch parts
• Check whether the watch parts function correctly, check for rust or wear
• Assemble and lubricate the movement in accordance with the instructions
• Movement functioning check
• Calibration of the mechanism
• Demagnetize the movement, if needed
• Crystal Replacement
• Hands Replacement
• Gasket Replacement
• Stem and crown replacement
• Dial replacement or refinishing
• Ultrasound cleaning of the case and bracelet
• Watchbands & Strap Replacements
• Polishing
• Pressure test to factory specifications

Rado Models We Repair

• Rado Diastar
• Rado V10K
• Rado r5.5
• Rado Ceramica
• Rado Sintra
• Rado Integral
• Rado True
• Rado Original series
• Rado eSenza
• Rado Coupole
• Rado Anatom

Historical Info

The humble beginnings of Rado watches started in the small town of Lengnau, Switzerland, in 1917. There, three brothers, Fritz, Ernst and Werner Schlup opened the Schlup & Co. clockwork factory, and for 40 years they dedicated themselves to producing watch movements for other companies. Finally, in 1957, the Schlup brothers launched their own line of luxury watches under the brand name Rado.

Only five years after Rado watches hit the market, the head watch designer, Marc Lederrey, came up with a completely novel idea – create a scratchproof watch. Until then, luxury watches were primarily made from gold and steel, and their illustrious appearance faded due to scratches and dulling. Hard metals, such as tungsten and titanium-carbides, were only used for specialized tools in those days. Lederrey received approval from the head of Rado, Dr. Paul Lüthi, to develop the first scratchproof watch, the DiaStar.

Technological Advancements

Since Rado began, materials selection has been at the top of their list. High-grade watch materials, such as sapphire crystals, high-tech ceramics, high-tech lanthanum, high-tech diamond and hard metals, have all adorned Rado watches. The “traditional” materials used by their competitors never quenched Rado watchmakers’ thirst for producing new and exciting timepieces. This has allowed Rado to make their watches into both functional timepieces and modern pieces of jewelry.

What Makes Rado Watches Unique

From producing the world’s first scratchproof watch in 1962, to the use of highly-specialized high-tech ceramics, Rado has built a legacy on pushing the limits of timepieces. Perhaps one of Rado’s greatest achievements in the world of watches is their use of high-tech diamond, using it to create a watch with a hardness of 10,000 Vickers and making it the hardest watch in the world. These achievements have led Rado to receiving no less than 30 international design awards in the last two decades alone.

Recent Events

December 2010

At the “Champions of Time” awards in Shanghai in November, Rado’s new r5.5 Automatic won “Best Entry-Level Mechanical Watch” for its bold design (done by Jasper Morrison) and very attractive automatic movement. The awards ceremony was started in 2006 by Time Square magazine and has attracted many senior watch editors and professional watch evaluators from China to judge the winners.