Rado Original Hardmetal Watch Review: Diver, Jubile, Quartz, Automatic, Skeleton

In Original collection Rado expand the brand's horizons, literally taking them beyond the planet's atmosphere. The title itself implies “origins” – perhaps those of cosmological creation – while the watches' aesthetic bears strong resemblance to a futuristic space shuttle. Without digressing too much into poetic impressions, Original is first and foremost a line of utility, damage resistant, quartz and automatic watches not alien to touches of luxury.

Main categories include Automatic Chronograph (split-seconds in some models), Diver, and Jubile. Main color becomes gray instead of the trademark black: hardmetal and steel used for the case and bracelets respectively accord more with their natural shade; additional versions employ gold and bicolor orange palette. Most of the automatic pieces contain, besides the almost ubiquitous date, a day of the week complication, positioned right above the former in the same aperture.

Watches display a rare variety of dial compositions, some daringly experimental. For instance, one model demonstrates a zipper like face where a thick horizontal line splits the dial in two: each side is bordered by a line of small diamonds, while the logo travels to nine o'clock from its usual twelve o'clock position.

Most of the watches employ diamonds as hour markers, echoing a night sky spectacle. Chronographs – quartz and automatic – adhere to traditional design elements, offering tightly organized purposeful instruments that treat symmetry and subdials with a dose of calm. The same cannot be said about the intense Skeleton pieces.

A unique addition to Rado assortment, Diver Original timers feature carefully blue and red charted fronts – these allow to perform a range of sport and diving related measurements without sacrificing usability and legibility.

Though the company clearly doesn't focus on diver's watches, this branch appears professional in every way, and offers both bracelet and rubber strap variations as befits a true diver line. Overall, Original possesses all the required qualifications to launch a bid for the most diverse Rado collection.