Rado Watches

In 1917, brothers Fritz, Ernst and Werner Schlup made a decision that would change their lives and those of future generations: they became watchmakers. Their humble atelier was located in a converted part of their parents’ home in the village of Lengnau, Switzerland. Through their relentless energy and uncanny ability to spot new opportunities, Schlup & Co. got off to a promising start, signing agreements with a wide array of importers around the world.

Rado’s formula
Having swapped their family atelier for a purpose-built factory, the brothers never looked back. In 1962, they released the world’s first scratchproof watch, the Rado DiaStar. It was crafted from ultra-resistant hard metal – an impressive technical innovation – and boasted a futuristic design approach that was becoming a crucial strand of the brand’s DNA. Turning visionary ideas into bestselling phenomena was a formula that Rado made its own.