Late in 2023, Rado introduced a new generation of watch enthusiasts to the shapely and ergonomic marvel that is the Anatom.
Originally launched in 1983 – the same year that NASA conducted its seventh Space Shuttle mission and Return of the Jedi hit movie theatres – the Anatom’s definitive characteristic is as a fulcrum of futuristic design.
In the ‘80s, at a time when other Swiss watchmakers were pointedly still focused on small metallic watches, the Anatom gripped consumers with the force of a tractor beam: an impression that retailers (much like Tourneau of Manhattan below) sought to amplify through clever sci-fi-inspired advertising.
Mind you, they didn’t need to try too hard to sell the idea. Rado’s design was demonstrably ahead of its time: fusing a large, convex sapphire crystal and ceramic bracelet into “a unified, cohesive shape”.
In other words? A forerunner to so many of the ‘form’ and ‘shape’ watches that are a favourite of good design lovers today.
Time-jumping ahead four decades: Rado has recently expanded its range of rubberised Anatom models with three contemporary additions.
Conceived in the same groundbreaking spirit as its ‘80s predecessor, they are in a class unto themselves: combining retro-futuristic design and the emblematic high-tech ceramic (‘HTC’) that is Rado’s specialty. And, at a price point well below $10,000.
The Anatom’s HTC construction and square-ish geometry (what Rado watchmakers have described as “organically curvaceous”) ensured it was already famously comfortable in the ‘80s – contouring to most wrists in the general watch-buying public. Now, Rado has taken those ergonomics to an even more elevated plane: through the introduction of matching integrated bracelets, engineered with steel and HTC.
Integrating seamlessly with the Anatom’s distinctive edge-bevelled crystal, the new bracelet drills down on the pleasures of high-tech ceramic. True to Rado’s renown as ‘Master of Materials’, the HTC used to make it is plasma carburised. This proprietary process, applied to fully finished ceramic pieces, involves exposure to plasma flame at 20,000℃. The result? A shimmering, metallic material which contains no metal.
Lightweight and sinuous, it fuses with the signature Anatom case to form a natural extension of one’s own body: making it a compelling choice for daily wear, no matter the hour or situation.
In the case of the new ‘two-tone’ releases – such as the flagship R10203102 – each bracelet’s mid-links are machined from stainless steel and PVD-coated. Yet again, these individual components benefit from a construction that is, for the most part, high-tech ceramic.
This makes for an object that is a pleasure to wear – and a pleasure to handle. Rado’s HTC material is light, smooth to the touch and thermo-regulated (the latter being especially useful if you plan to wear your Anatom through hot weather).
In conjunction with the R766 calibre – a robust movement capable of generating up to 72 hours of reserve – we’d say you have all the ingredients of a timepiece which utilises mechanical watchmaking to better embrace the modern age. What was true of the Anatom in 1983 remains true of it today.
This article is presented in partnership with Rado Switzerland. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
