Rado Golden Horse - References, Prices and Owners' Reviews

What attracts the eye to a watch? What catches the eye first: the dial, here the red is powerful, warm and moiré, constantly changing according to the light, captivating. This precious and rather rare shade could be sufficient in itself but the assets do not stop there. We then linger on the general architecture, the 37 mm case, its proportions, its alternations of polished or brushed steel, more conventional but all in harmony. Then the eye rests on the details. We notice the relief of the smoked dial, slightly convex, an effect accentuated by the superb double domed sapphire. All this benefits the finesse of the watch, less than 11 mm thick. Applied indexes, dauphine hands, faceted date window… airs of Grand Seiko? No, Rado takes care to add its own little coquetries, the cute seahorses that kiss each other or the amusing wandering anchor that swings with the movements of the wrist. Although not particularly a fan of the brand specializing in flashy materials, this reissue of the oldest Rado model has totally won me over. Not only is the design very accomplished but the watch also has modern attributes that do not limit it to the simple role of a graceful dress watch. Delicate but solid case, reassuring sapphire crystal, respectable water resistance of 5 ATM, ETA 80 h movement, all this gives it a great versatility despite the intimidating color. The crocodile-style strap is of quality but I am seriously eyeing the rice grain-style metal to further increase this versatility and perfect the vintage panoply. To be continued…