As Rado returns triumphantly to Jakarta’s watch scene, we chat with CEO Adrian Bosshard to reacquaint ourselves with the essence of the brand

This year has proven to be quite an exciting period for watch connoisseurs in Indonesia. Not just in terms product variety, mind you, but also in the strong expansion of retail options offering easy access to the most recent novelties while offering exclusive shopping experiences tailored to each brand’s core message. And one particularly exciting store unveiling in 2023 was the opening of the new Rado boutique in the capital’s most prestigious shopping mall, Plaza Indonesia.

A trailblazer in the use of high-tech materials for watchmaking, Rado is known for creating timepieces that are as durable as they are stylish. Not too long ago, DA MAN Caliber had the unique opportunity to chat with Rado’s CEO, Adrian Bosshard, to discuss the brand’s expanded presence in Indonesia, its latest creations for 2023 and beyond, as well as how it remains at the forefront of cutting-edge watchmaking.

The new Rado boutique in Plaza Indonesia

DAMAN: First and foremost, we are definitely excited to see Rado return to Jakarta with its own boutique in what is arguably the city’s most prominent shopping mall. How has the reaction to this opening been so far?
Adrian Bosshard: We were able to open this boutique in the key location in Jakarta, Indonesia, in the Plaza Indonesia, together with our long-term partner, Thakral. Our aim was to have the opportunity to really transfer the full message of the brand to our fans, to the watch-connoisseurs and to the people in Indonesia—and to do so in an environment which is different than just a shop-in-shop or a display. We are very happy that Thakral was able to find a prime location and, after a couple of months opening, we have the confirmation that it was definitely the right decision. We are enjoying a huge influx of customers— Indonesian customers—with this great environment which, of course, presents the strong message of the brand while also showcasing an appropriately wide selection in the boutique.

nother close-up shot of the Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Skeleton watch

The Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Skeleton

Nowhere else do you have such wide assortment: You have the different executions, you have the different families and, due to the fact that we have also the best frontline people there, an unbeatable experience for the end consumer. Of course, when a customer is well treated and gets the full message of the brand as well as the full choice of our products, they will talk to others. So, we have had increased frequency of visitors and more customers are purchasing products.

This signifies, first of all, how important the brand message is, while also showcasing the quality of the cooperation between Rado International and Thakral. And, of course, the biggest advantage is for the end customer.

DA: What would you say are the most important collections or models released by Rado in 2023?
AB: A very important evolution in 2023 was the DiaStar Original with the skeleton movement, because the DiaStar is already implemented very strongly in the Indonesian market and in Southeast Asia in general. We’ve upgraded the DiaStar in Ceramos, which is a material that is much harder than the hard metal and even than the ceramic. I think it’s a material which is, of course, really in line with our quality expectations and which also looks very nice. This is a very premium launch, which so many enthusiasts and fans globally that we were, unfortunately, actually short in production. So, the DiaStar Original skeleton in Ceramos is definitely an important highlight in a collection that is already wellestablished in Southeast Asia.

Overhead view of the True Square Open Heart

Variations of the True Square Open Heart

Another important launch, which is also a skeletonized watch, is the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic crafted in plasma ceramic. What is particularly special for Rado and for me, is that we are able to enlarge our assortment in this sporty segment of products which is highly appreciated by young customers. The Captain Cook family was launched in the ’60s, but it wasn’t active for many years. We relaunched the Captain Cook in steel with a ceramic bezel in 2019. We’ve had huge success with this line and now we’re continuing with the Captain Cook featuring a skeletonized movement. And it has our new R808 movement which, in terms of performance, comes with an anti-magnetic Nivachron hairspring, higher precision, a power reserve of 80 hours and a beautiful execution of the bridge which is visible through the transparent dial and also through the caseback. It is a product that really highlights the Captain Cook aesthetic even more.

After that, we did some important upgrades and facelifts on the Centrix as well. The Centrix, which is mainly known for its angle-to-angle sapphire crystal and also the ceramic strap, has gained additional market share in Indonesia thanks to upgrades in terms of the movement, the shape and also in terms of performance of the movement.

Last but not least, another key product which has also been heavily appreciated in Indonesia is the True Square Skeleton, which, among other things, now comes with the new R808 movement.

To underline this evolution, in the past, Rado was mainly known thanks to the DiaStar Original, which remains a very important product family. But Rado is a brand that definitely has more product segments than just the DiaStar, as we also have the Centrix, Captain Cook and especially the True Square. And with our new boutique in Plaza Indonesia, we are capable of showing all these strengths, all these facets and all the uniqueness of these iconic Rado products.

DA: Speaking of the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Skeleton, this model also caught our interest thanks to the campaign starring Ji Chang-wook. How did this partnership first come to be?
AB: For us, it was important that when we are selecting a star, a testimonial, that, on one side, the person fits perfectly with the brand in terms of values which he represents. The second point is that the person has credibility—not only in the country they come from, but also in a larger scope. And the third point is that we are searching for long-term partnerships, which means that we look for long-term collaborations and loyal persons.

We’ve analyzed the profile of Ji Changwook and we saw that he definitely shares the same values with us. He’s not only a very, very famous and successful actor, he’s also a person who has an affinity for Swiss watches. He is also a loyal person. When we met each other, it was vastly clear that we fit perfectly. So, we are very proud that we have found each other and that we have chosen him as our brand ambassador, not only in South Korea but also on a global scale.

DA: These days, high-tech ceramics have become increasingly common in high-end watchmaking, especially in the construction of watch cases. How does Rado continue to differentiate itself with regards to the development and use of ceramics in this field?
AB: You know, when you’ve been doing something for just two or three years, you won’t have the same kind of experience that you get from doing the process for decades. And it has always been the foundation of the Rado brand, since 1917, to bring extraordinary advantage for the end consumers. In 1962, Rado was the first brand to invent a full scratch-resistant watch with the DiaStar original in hard metal. It was also the first brand to have industrialized the sapphire crystal. In other words, Rado was a pioneer.

Overhead shot of the DiaStar Original Skeleton

Close-up of the DiaStar Original Skeleton

Side-view of the DiaStar Original Skeleton

Then, 1986, Rado became the first brand to start producing watches in ceramic. And for decades, we were more or less alone in this field. We have acquired experience while more and more customers have become appreciative of the comfort of ceramic, the lightness of ceramic, also the scratch-resistance and unique design of ceramic. Due to the fact that we have been doing this for decades, we are always ahead of other brands—of our competitors who have been inspired by this unique and premium material.

In the end, we are not afraid about competition because we know that—in collaboration with Comadur, our sister company in Swatch Group, and of course, our engineers here in Lengnau—we have so much experience in this field that we have definitely always an advantage.

And the fact that other brands in even much higher price segments are also working with ceramic is a clear sign of the kind of advantage offered by ceramic for the end consumer. There’s also the fact that during the last few years, we have developed the way to create colored ceramic, with Ceramos and, of course, also with plasma ceramic, which looks like steel or titanium

A new Centrix model in rose gold and silver dial

We are constantly able to impress our customers through constant evolution, which corresponds with the philosophy of our founders in the DNA of the brand. This is best encapsulated in our founders’ motto which is: “If we can imagine it, we can make it. And if we can make it, we will.”

DA: In your opinion, what’s the next big thing in advanced materials?
AB: Research and development never stops. If a company stops doing R&D, they will soon be surpassed. The fact that, during the past few years, we have developed many different colors of ceramic, that we’ve developed plasma ceramic and that we have extended our Ceramos products—it shows that we never stop developing.

Essentially, R&D is definitely a very important part of our brand DNA. And therefore, you can definitely look forward to future developments in 2024, with plenty of surprises similar to what you’ve seen in 2022 and 2023.

A campaign image for the Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Skeleton featuring Ji Chang-wook

DA: On a more general note, what’s next for Rado? Are there any milestones that you hope to achieve in the near future
AB: Perhaps one last important point is that in Southeast Asia as a whole, we have an important share of the market. I have also seen during the past few years that within the culture of Swiss watch customers, interest has permanently increased. Customers are following the trends in the Swiss watchmaking industry. And the fact is that customers in Indonesia and Southeast Asia are really looking for the best value for money, and are therefore becoming more and more interested about Rado. They see that with a Rado watch, they don’t just have a timepiece for, say, five years; they have a watch that will last their entire lifetime and will probably even be passed to the next generation, thanks to the materials. This is an asset that really strengthens us.

Now it’s the goal of Thakral and our company to really transfer this message to more customers across Southeast Asia and Asia. We are really motivated because we see so much more potential with the watch culture there.

Exclusive chat with RADO CEO Adrian Bosshard

Adrian Bosshard,

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