Description: Described herein is a Rado 56-H chronometer from 1966, which has been almost perfectly preserved with its original model-specific boxes, guarantee booklet, and chronometer certificate. Described in my article on early Rado chronometers at the NAWCC blog and within this website, this is one example from a handful of small series of certified chronometers Rado produced between 1957 and 1972 using A. Schild automatic movements exclusively. The specific designation of this model is 56-H B, indicating it is the second-generation, using an AS movement with date.  The dial is the Weissblatt type (radially brushed silver-white with 18k hands, markers and anchor, versus goldfarbiges Zifferblatt --the same with gold base) as indicated on the packaging shown below.

As shown in the photos below, the watch is accompanied by its original outer and inner box (specific to this era of Chronometers), a brochure in German and the chronometer certificate, asserting "especially good results", issued from the Bienne observatory in October of 1966. The small brochure indicates the watch was originally sold in 1967.

Photos: 

Rado promotional material for the 56-H line and other early Rado chronometers can be viewed here.

Note: More specific information pertaining to the manufacture/issue date of this and other 56-H watches is welcome. Also, I am always seeking 56-H watches and parts--including boxes and paperwork.  I have a personal mission to preserve these watches, especially those which have been removed from their gold cases. 

Please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have 56-H information or material. 

 Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com

Description: This is an early-1960s example of a Rado 56-H chronometer. This watch has a typical Rado case of 34mm diameter in the style of contemporary watches, such as the Golden Horse, but where those watches have a sea-horse emblem on the case back, the 56-H generally has a medallion featuring an image of a shooting star above the earth (sadly, missing from this example). The significance of the model name and the image is described inmy article on early Rado chronometers. As a flagship model, the 56-H was mainly produced in gold, but this generation of the line also has been seen in cases of stainless steel (also pictured below) and in gold plate with a steel back.

Previously published accounts* of this model indicate that between 1957 and 1972 Rado created 911 wrist chronometers using A. Schild automatic movements exclusively. The specific designation of this model is 56-H B, indicating it is the second-generation, using an AS movement with date. 

The case shows very little wear; the dial appears to be original and nearly 100%. The 30mm dial is silver with 18k gold markers and anchor symbol. The crown should be signed with block letter R. Unfortunately, the original crown and chronometer certificate are not present with this watch.

Photos: Click for larger images

*Click here to see an excerpt about a similar Rado from Fritz Von Osterhausen's book Wristwatch Chronometers (Callwey Verlag, Munich, 1996). Also, Rado promotional material for the 56-H line and other early Rado chronometers can be viewed here.

Note: More specific information pertaining to the manufacture/issue date of this and other 56-H watches is welcome. Also, I am always seeking 56-H watches and parts--including boxes and paperwork.  I have a personal mission to preserve these watches, especially those which have been removed from their gold cases. 
Please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have 56-H information or material. 

 Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com

Description: 

Presented here is a steel Rado chronometer from the period 1969-1972. This model is the first chronometer issued by Rado after their 56-H series, which was first produced in 1956. Early 56-H models were only issued in 18k gold cases, the second series (a.k.a. 56-HB) has been seen with cases of 18k gold, gold-plate, or stainless steel. The present watch, Ref. 11821 (known only as Chronometer) was issued only in steel, and was the last chronometer model with a traditional watch case and shape (as opposed to oval Diastars of Tungsten-Carbide) until a Japan-only Golden Horse chronometer was issued in 2008.

This watch features a distinctive case which, at 39mm, is larger than that of most Golden Horse (and related) models of the same period. It has 19mm lugs which are cut straight across, rather than rounded to the radius of the bezel. A slight bevel to the lugs is matched by beveled edges of the OEM bracelet, shown in the catalogue image below and in photos generously provided by noted Rado collector and instagram user rado_jp.

In addition to the large, solid case, the 31mm dial has additional features which bring the Rado chronometer into a more modern age than its predecessors. Thick rectangular hands and markers replace the more delicate pointed ones of the 56-H, and the applied script Chronometer label adds to the bold, masculine presence. Aficionados of vintage Mido watches will recognize the script as the one also used on some Commander and Ocean Star models from that brand. Around the time this chronometer was produced, Rado and Mido both joined ASUAG, the predecessor to SMH and today’s Swatch Group. It seems likely they shared some suppliers. Rado did carry-over one design element from the 56-H into the 11821 Chronometer: a simple 5-pointed star is printed on the dial below the center post. The box-style crystal exhibits the small embossed anchor logo in the center as did many of the period.

Another modern element of this watch is not obvious to the observer. In an effort to provide some robust protection of the movement, the winding stem benefits from a pair of small o-rings, which create a seal in the case tube, presumably increasing water and dust resistance (see image below).

Production figures for this model are unknown; a request for information has been made to Rado Watch Co, and I intend to update this article as more data becomes available. Please check back. For now, the assumption that Fritz von Osterhausen's published figure of 911 Rado chronometer wristwatches made 1957-1972 is assumed to be correct, and that it includes this line in addition to the 56-H models. An informal accumulation of information from examples of this reference seen on the web, and in the hands of EOT Rado Forum members, shows that the case numbers fall within the range ofG.33350044 to G.33350848. This suggests that 800 or more cases of this type were made, but it is unknown whether they were all built into watches and whether all those watches were Ref. 11821 chronometers. Very similar cases have been seen on other models such as the Jetliner 333 and some Day-Night and LITENITE models. Examination of their case numbers will be made as opportunities arise. Two Jetliner 333s have been shown to have case numbers in a different range (eg, G.4481640). Movement numbers in several 11821s have been recorded and span a range between 60234 and 60484, suggesting that at least 250 Cal. 1858 movements were submitted for chronometer testing in this period. If you have information on these watches, including the significance of the G in the case numbering, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A gallery of promotional materials related to early Rado chronometers, including this model, can be viewed by clicking here.

Photos: Click for larger (more photos to come)

Bracelet and advertising images courtesy rado_jp:

Advert from a ~1970 Japanese importer's catalogue:

 Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com unless otherwise indicated

Description: 

This is an uncommon Rado Murano with steel case and bezel insert made of glass from Murano, Italy. Via e-mail, Rado in Lengnau, Switzerland indicated that 10,000 Murano watches--red, green and blue glass versions--were produced beginning in 1972, though few seem to survive intact today. A second reference number (11976) was assigned to a version with gold-plated bezel. This distinctive model appears to be part of a large series of watches produced by Rado which are named for famous places whose names begin with the letter M (see also Manhattan, Mannheim, Miami, Manchester, etc.); it is also an excellent example of Rado's penchant for using non-traditional case materials.

Production from 1972 – 1979
Number of pieces: approx. 10,000
11974 (625.3050.4 after 1972): blue / red / green with white bezel (stainless steel); CHF 350.
11976 (625.3051.4 after 1972): blue / red / green with yellow bezel (gold-plated); CHF 455.

Another reference number has been seen—625.3048.4 with blue glass insert—but not confirmed. More information on this is available in the Rado Discussion Forum at www.EquationofTime.com.

Also, a Murano case with a dial marked Rado Laser Beam (a name used by Tressa during this period) has been seen but not authenticated.

Dimensions are as follow:
Case width--
without crown 36.2mm
with crown 39.2mm
Case length--38.2mm

Photos: Click for larger

A pair of Japanese adverts (the first somewhat amusingly in black-and-white, the second from 1973):

 Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com

RADO Advertising & Promotional Pages
(Chronometers)
↔

Early Rado 56-H, Ref. 11670 (ca. 1957-1961)
Print ads, brochures and an image from a Japanese importer's catalogue

Second series 56-H B (ca. 1962-1969)
Product brochures and ephemera

Chronometer Ref. 11821 (Ca. 1968-1972)
A page from a Japanese importer's catalogue, with detail of the chronometer

Other Rado Chronometers:
Japanese print advertisements for Diastar Chronometers

This reference page is a service of WatchCarefully.com.

Some images have been borrowed from the Internet--if you own the image in question, please contact me for proper credit.
If you have read this far, you must be a fan of vintage Rado watches. I invite you to visit and participate in the EOT Rado Discussion Forum.
Also, I'll be publishing a new article on Rado Chronometers soon, check back to learn more. 

Brand: Rado

Model: Quartz 150m diver

Ref. 738.9502.4

Case: Stainless steel with screw-back and rotating bezel

Bracelet: n/a

Movement: ETA 952.111, 7-jewel quartz

Description: This is a thin dive watch with asymmetrical case, probably made sometime in the 1980s. The blue dial has a waffle pattern with applied Rado logo and luminous markers.

The bracelet pictured is not original to the watch and was added for purposes of photography.

Photos: Click for larger images

This watch has been sold.

Any details or production information about this model are welcome. Please contact me.

Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com