Rado True Thinline

Watches from the True Thinline collection do their name justice: They are by far the thinnest pieces in the Rado catalog. The Swiss Watch manufacturer has taken their many years of experience working with ceramic and developed the so-called "monobloc" case. It is made entirely of high-tech ceramic without a single stainless steel element. This case paired with the under 1-mm thick quartz ETA caliber 210.001, allowing Rado to develop a watch with a thickness of only 4.9 mm. The three-piece link bracelet is also made of high-tech ceramic, making this watch particularly light and scratch resistant.

Rado intentionally kept this collection's design simple: Two hands display the time on dials, whose only feature is thin line indices to mark the hours. The indices and hands on certain models have been treated with a rose gold coating. Other versions use diamonds to mark the hours, while the most minimalist pieces do without hour markers entirely. Each dial features a subtle sunburst in a color that matches perfectly to their case and bracelet. Since Baselworld 2017, these watches have come in a wider variety of colors. In addition to the typical black or white, blue, green, brown, and gray options are now also available.

There is also an automatic version of the True Thinline, powered by the slightly thicker automatic ETA caliber 2892. Design limitations mean this watch comes in at 7.5 mm thick, which is still extremely flat and comfortable on the wrist.

The most affordable versions of the Rado True Thinline are those that come with a rubber strap instead of a ceramic bracelet. You can get a new 30-mm women's model in white with gold-plated indices and hands starting at around 1,200 USD. The 39-mm black men's version costs about 120 USD more. Prices for models with a ceramic bracelet come in at 1,500 USD for the women's model and 1,700 USD for the men's. If you prefer the minimalist design without indices, you will need to spend at least 2,100 USD. A men's True Thinline Diamonds with diamond indices at 3, 6, 9, and 12 costs 2,200 USD, while the women's edition with 12 diamond indices goes for 2,400 USD.

With the 2017 presentation of the True Thinline Colors, Rado quite literally added a splash of color to the collection. Prior to that, these super thin ceramic watches only came in black or white. Now they are available in a chocolatey brown, dark blue, cool gray, and shimmering green, each with a matching sunburst dial. Each color comes with its own finish. For example, the brown watches are entirely matte, while the blue models have polished cases and bracelets with polished outer links. Those in green are entirely polished. True Thinline Colors sell for almost 2,500 USD at offline retailers. Online prices can be much lower. On Chrono24, you can buy a new True Thinline Colors in green starting at 2,100 USD and in gray for 2,300 USD.

Rado expanded this line by one at Baselworld 2018 with the True Thinline Leaf. This model is, at its core, a green True Thinline Colors, but with a gold-plated crown, hands, and indices as well as a translucent, shimmering green mother-of-pearl dial. That alone would make it striking, but the addition of a printed leaf pattern makes this timepiece a real treat. This watch is powered by the quartz ETA 282.002 movement and will first go on sale in June 2018 at an expected price of 2,100 USD (2,000 CHF).

Just like the quartz-powered versions of the True Thinline, the models featuring automatic movements are least expensive when paired with a rubber strap. You can get a new one of these pieces for as little as 1,500 USD. Plan to spend around 1,900 USD on a True Thinline Automatic on a ceramic bracelet with hands and indices in a stainless steel finish. If you prefer gold-plated hands and indices, the price climbs to approximately 2,100 USD. The True Thinline Skeleton has a limited run of 99 pieces and is a true highlight of this collection. Its skeletonized dial allows the wearer to have a look at the refined ETA caliber 2892 inside. Expect to pay around 6,200 USD for one of these skeletonized watches.