FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Material
Service

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Material

HOW HARD ARE RADO WATCHES?

The extreme hardness of Rado high-tech materials guarantees durability and brilliance. The Vickers scale is used to indicate hardness: the higher the value, the greater the resistance to scratches. The top value of 10,000 is attributed only to natural diamond and to Rado high-tech diamond. Rado watches are hard but not indestructible. Although our high-tech materials are resistant to scratches, Rado watches must be treated with care. They should not be dropped, and sharp knocks should be avoided. If hit hard enough, the materials may break.

IS HIGH-TECH CERAMIC/CERAMOS™ SCRATCH-RESISTANT?

Scratch-resistant means “capable of withstanding scratching that occurs with normal everyday use”. Rado high-tech ceramic has a very high level of scratch-resistance. However, there is a risk of scratching if it comes into contact with materials that are as hard as or harder than high-tech ceramic. Particles of these materials can be found in nail files, in granite or in sand. We recommend that you take care of your watch and try to avoid wearing it in situations where it may come into contact with other extremely hard materials.

ARE RADO WATCHES WATER RESISTANT?

All Rado watches are water-resistant. They are resistant to a minimum of 3 bar (30 meters). Water-resistance is not a permanent condition. To ensure permanent water resistance, the watch should be checked once a year. To ensure conformity with the warranty regulations, these operations must be performed by an authorised Rado dealer or authorised Rado Service Center.

HOW LONG DOES A WATCH BATTERY LAST?

A battery should last at least 30 months, depending on the type of watch, its size, and the energy required to power its various functions. A chronograph, for example, requires more energy than a watch that only displays hours and minutes. When the battery no longer works it should be removed or exchanged by an authorised Rado service center.

DOES RADO USE SCRATCH-RESISTANT GLASS?

Scratch-resistant means “capable of withstanding scratching that occurs with normal everyday use”. Rado uses sapphire crystal, which has a very high level of scratch-resistance. However, there is a risk of scratching if it comes into contact with materials that are as hard as or harder than sapphire. Particles of these materials can be found in nail files, in granite or in sand. We recommend that you take care of your watch and try to avoid wearing it in situations where it may come into contact with other extremely hard materials.

HOW LONG DO LEATHER STRAPS LAST?

The service life of a quality leather wrist strap is between 6 and 12 months, depending on use.

The leather strap of a watch is a consumable and is subject to a natural wearing and ageing process by being worn, and through normal ageing over time. A leather strap is moreover exposed to sweat, water, soap, skin cream and other substances that come into contact with the skin and leather strap. A leather strap must therefore be replaced after a certain amount of time as it is often put under great strain in day-to-day use. We are very careful to offer our customers optimum products when it comes to our leather straps. We thus conduct strict tests on all leather straps with regard to the use of fault-free materials, careful workmanship, and avoidance of harmful substances. In this way, we can ensure maximum comfort when wearing our leather straps.

MAGNETISM

Magnetic fields can have various origins, e.g. the hard drive of a computer, medical equipment, speakers, TVs, refrigerators, induction fields for hobs, mobile telephones, power supply units, smartphones, magnetic fasteners on clothing, on jewellery, handbags and briefcases, etc. If the watch is exposed to a magnetic field, steel parts in the watch movement are magnetised, possibly even causing it to come to a standstill. However, it is important to know that the watch is not permanently damaged by this. It can be demagnetised with a special device at our service centres and will then function perfectly again.

Service

ALLERGIES

With regard to nickel precipitation in our products, we orientate ourselves towards meeting the specifications of the international implementation of the REACH directive in the EU. The maximum permitted limit value is 0.5 μg/cm2 of nickel precipitation per week. By observing this statutory limit value, we can ensure that the risk of an allergic reaction to nickel in our products is reduced to a minimum. At Rado, every watch model is checked against the aforementioned criteria before it goes on sale. In our experience, allergic reactions to our products are exclusively isolated cases. If a customer should have an allergic reaction, we recommend having this checked by a doctor. Only a doctor is able to determine whether there has actually been an allergic reaction.

HOW LONG ARE THE MAINTENANCE INTERVALS FOR A RADO WATCH?

Like any high-precision instrument, watch movements must be maintained regularly to ensure that they work perfectly. Rado is not able to specify exact maintenance intervals, as this depends entirely on the watch model, climate, and level of care exercised by the watch owner. An approximate guide for servicing a watch movement – depending on how the watch is used – is around five years.

HOW CAN I TELL IF A RADO WATCH IS GENUINE?

Only a qualified watchmaker or an authorised retailer who is familiar with Rado products is able to determine whether a watch is a genuine Rado timepiece. We advise you to only purchase Rado watches from an authorised Rado retailer. You can find your nearest retailer, as well as a full list of authorised points of sale, by clicking on the Store Locator . Every new Rado watch comes with a warranty card issued by Rado.

DOES RADO PERFORM VALUATIONS?

No. In order to determine a fair market value for your watch, Rado recommends that you consult a professional valuer who specialises in vintage watches and jewellery. The price of a worn Rado watch always depends on the offer and demand. Rado does not buy back used watches.

HOW MUCH DO SERVICES FOR RADO WATCHES COST?

The service is subject to the individual condition of each watch. To find out the service costs for your Rado watch, please contact the authorised Rado Service Center in your area.

WHERE CAN MY RADO WATCH BE SERVICED?

Rado has an international network of 5,000 authorised retailers, and many authorised Rado Service Centers, which provide reliable services worldwide. Click here to find the Rado Service Center closest to you: Find Service Center.

WHY SHOULD THE BATTERIES BE CHANGED AT A RADO SERVICE CENTER?

Rado recommends that you take your watch to an authorised Rado Service Center where the water resistance is tested when replacing the battery to ensure that your watch is properly sealed. Rado recommends replacing the gaskets and, if necessary, the crown every time the battery is replaced to ensure the water resistance of the watch. You can contact your nearest Rado retailer using the Store Locator for information on how to have your watch serviced.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR AUTOMATIC RADO WATCH

Recommendation how to use automatic watches

Before “wearing” your automatic Rado watch again, i.e. attaching it to your wrist, we recommend turning the crown 15 to 20 full turns. By doing so, you ensure that your Rado watch starts out with sufficient power reserve and its accuracy lies within tolerance.

By moving the arm and/or wrist on which the watch is worn, the automatic winding mechanism fully winds up the watch movement over time. To do this, the watch must be actively worn for several hours (approx. 4 to 8 hours, depending on the activity of the wearer) per day.

This guarantees that your automatic Rado watch will display the exact, reliable time for you.

The accuracy of a mechanical, automatic watch:

Tolerance for normal movements:

Maximum deviation from minus 5 to plus 20 seconds within 24 hours.

Tolerance for chronometer movements:

Maximum deviation from minus 4 to plus 6 seconds within 24 hours.

The power reserve of a mechanical, automatic watch:

The minimum duration is 36 hours. When the fully wound watch is put into an idle position and is no longer moved, it shows the precise time for another 36 to 40 hours and in some cases up to 80 hours.

AS A PRIVATE CUSTOMER, CAN I GET SPARE PARTS?

We do not sell any spare parts to private customers. Our spare parts customers are authorised by Rado and must meet clearly defined criteria in terms of machine and tool infrastructure as well as the technical training of the employees.

To have your Rado watch serviced, please contact one of our authorised service centres. You will find the addresses on our website www.rado.com under “Customer Service”, “Service Centers”.

HOW MUCH DO SPARE PARTS COST FOR RADO WATCHES?

Original Rado spare part replacement is subject to the individual condition of each watch. To find out the original Rado spare part costs for your Rado watch, please contact the authorised Rado Service Center in your area. Rado sells spare parts only to certified clients and service centers who meet our strict requirements in terms of quality and technical training.