RADO NEW ORIGINAL

Today referred to as the Original, the oval DiaStar 1 gave birth to bold marketing statements, such as “the most important improvement of watch cases in 400 years”. The broad, unusually shaped bezel, which covers the fastening of the strap, was entirely new. The round, silver-coloured dial featured a red date on a white background and applied double indexes at 6, 9 and 12. Notably it was not only touted as 'scratchproof' but also 'super waterproof', an apt term for a 1960s watch which could withstand 22 ATM. Carrying four patents, it gave consumers three guarantees: technical, waterproof and scratchproof. But despite all these reassurances, the unusual design was initially met with scepticism. Despite an attractive price tag, it needed a few years to become popular.