Spontaneous and ever-changing, Nature has been sparking human creativity and talent in every field since the beginning of time. When Rado and the Great Gardens of the World organisation started their
collaboration, as an opportunity to unite their appreciation of outstanding design and beauty, a whole new range of textures and shapes found their way into Rado’s watchmaking work. Elements from the organic world enhanced the creativity of talented watch designers.
The latest series of timepieces from this inspired collaboration pulls exquisite natural motifs from three quite-different plants into stunningly original dial designs. Each was chosen for the individual timepiece to match the mood and shade of its True Thinline monobloc high-tech ceramic case, in black, white or plasma grey. The plants selected — the Hawaiian Loulu Lelo, the Chilean Araucaria and the YemeniDragon Blood Tree — all presently on the endangered species list, bring sensuality and a lovely visual rhythm to the individual designs.
Chapter 8, the first in the new series, unites a polished black case with a matching dial that exudes pure mystery and whose pleasing, orderly structure imitates the pleated leaves of the Loulu Lelo. The model uses the same premium Rado R766 movement as the other two chapters, providing a generous power reserve of 64 hours. All models in the new series are equipped with a NivachronTM antimagnetic hairspring, for highly reliable precision. The mood of the dial, guarded by a box-shaped sapphire crystal with antireflective coating on both faces, strikes perfect harmony next to the dark case. A metallised gold-coloured Rado logo adds a tasteful touch on the inside of the watch glass.
The next model in the series, Chapter 9, is a brilliant reflection of the designer’s visual inspiration in connection with the Araucaria tree. The white high-tech ceramic case offers a different mood — airy, peaceful and unique, enhanced by a white mother-of-pearl dial engraved to recall the fresh, almost playful leaf outlines of the rare Chilean tree. The smooth contours of high-tech ceramic — particularly sensuous and palpable in white, are a clever contrast to the pointed extremities of the tree leaves, especially against the cool, radiant mother-of-pearl, a smart look that watches lovers will appreciate. As do the other chapters, the watch carries a titanium case back with a sapphire crystal window digitally printed with the mention “GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD” and the timepiece’s chapter number. A subtle motif showing the growth rings of a large, noble tree trunk in cross-section is used as a background on the case back and repeated on the display boxes of the collector’s trio sets and the special edition card included with the timepieces.
Last but not least in the lineup, Chapter 10 features a plasma high-tech ceramic monobloc case, in those mysterious grey tones typical of plasma treatment. The process, launched in an extreme environment nearing 20,000°C — many times the temperature found at the Sun’s surface — is then maintained at around 1000°C for the full duration of the treatment. In Chapter 10, the dial is a splendid creation in two layers where a rose-gold-coloured backplate shows through a skeletonised top layer, smartly cut out in organic shapes reminiscent of the mesmerising, intricately entangled branches of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree. The hour/minute hands carry a pink-gold colour, for a beautiful touch that truly shows the watchmaker’s finest artistry. All three chapters are equipped with their own matching, polished high-tech ceramic bracelet, fastened by a reliable, triple-fold titanium clasp. The watches are all water-resistant up to 3 bar (30 m) and the outstanding precision of their automatic calibre is confirmed by testing in a full five positions, rather than the usual three. Nature at its best, most beautiful and unwaveringly precise.
Chapters 8, 9 and 10 of this new Rado “Great Gardens of the World” product line are available individually or as a trio in a special collector’s display-box edition, limited to 99 units.
Rado True Thinline x Great Gardens of the World Technical Specifications
- Chapter 8 (Loulu lelo) – Ref. R27113152
- Chapter 9 (Araucaria) – Ref. R27118902
- Chapter 10 (Dragon blood) – Ref. R27088122
Movement
- Rado calibre R766, automatic, 21 jewels, 2 hands, 64-hour power reserve, antimagnetic Nivachron™ hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy, water-resistant to 3 bar (30m)
Dimensions 40.0 x 44.6 x 9.0 (WxLxH in mm)
R27113152 / Chapter 8 / Loulu lelo
Case
- Polished black high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with yellow-gold coloured metallised Rado logo and antireflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD CHAPTER 8
Dial
- Black pleated stamped structure stylising the leaves of Loulu lelo palm tree
- Hands Yellow gold-coloured
Bracelet
- Polished black high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
R27118902 / Chapter 9 / Araucaria
Case
- Polished white high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with silver coloured metallised Rado logo and anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD CHAPTER 9
Dial
- White mother-of-pearl engraved with the stylised growthing structure of the Araucaria tree Hands Silver-coloured
Bracelet
- Polished white high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
R27088122 / Chapter 10 / Dragon blood
Case
- Polished plasma high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
- Box shaped sapphire crystal with rose-gold coloured metallised Rado logo and antireflective coating on both faces
- Titanium case back with digital printing on sapphire crystal: GREAT GARDENS OF THE
- WORLD CHAPTER 10
Dial
- Two-layer dial : sun brushed rhodium colour skeletonised top layer stylising the branch entanglement of the Dragon blood tree / rose gold coloured back plate
- Hands Rose gold-coloured
Bracelet
- Polished plasma high-tech ceramic, titanium 3-fold clasp
About Great Gardens of the World
In many countries, gardens have been commissioned by kings and leaders, used as showcases of their good taste and authority. In the late 19th century, gardens began to open up and be considered for community use, and nature itself appreciated as a vital element of our collective existence. In recent times, gardens have become wider public spaces where people meet, and some of the best designs are often funded by private or public foundations. It was natural for a future-thinking brand such as Rado to build a bond with the Great Gardens of the World organisation, a group that now includes sites and institutions in many countries, often featuring some of the world’s best landscape designers. Visit www.greatgardensoftheworld.com for more information and discover the Great Gardens of the World.