Rado Florence

Watches from Rado's Florence collection have undergone many changes over the years. Rectangular cases were all the rage in the 1980s, followed soon thereafter by barrel-shaped cases until the mid-1990s, when the circular Florence first arrived on the market. While the shape may have changed, the material used to make the watches has remained the same. The Swiss manufacturer has always opted for stainless steel while also treating many models with PVD coating in various gold tones. This is also true of the bracelets, most of which are made of stainless steel, though a leather strap is also available.

Save for a few exceptions, watches in the Florence collection are all powered by quartz movements with a date display. Only a few of the earliest models and those with smaller cases lack a date display.

With cases sizes ranging from 23 to 38 mm, the delicate and rather feminine timepieces in the Florence collection are geared predominantly toward women. However, the larger models also make great men's dress watches. Simple minimalist design characterizes these watches, as is typical of Rado. The hour markers consist of thin lines, applied dots, or diamonds and sit on dials in various shades of gold, silver, and black.

Prices for a Rado Florence largely depend on which edition you choose. Current 38-mm models on a leather strap with a round case, black dial, and gold-plated hands, indices, and crown tend to change hands for around 940 USD. On the other hand, you can get a medium-sized, 35-mm model with a black dial and polished stainless steel bracelet for about 720 USD. It should come as no surprise that the Diamonds models with diamond embellishments cost a bit more. Be sure to set aside around 1,200 USD for a 38-mm timepiece with four diamond indices on a black dial and a partially gold-plated bicolor stainless steel bracelet. The smaller, 23-mm version costs 870 USD. If you are open to the idea of a pre-owned watch, you could save some major cash, with pieces starting as low as 530 USD.

Models with rectangular cases are even less expensive. Pre-owned, medium-sized women's and unisex watches with gold-plated cases on a leather strap go for well under 370 USD in good condition. You'll need to spend around 480 USD for a rectangular Florence featuring diamonds. Pieces with barrel-shaped cases are somewhat harder to find. One of these pre-owned watches with a stainless steel bracelet and diamond indices demands about 610 USD in good condition.