Swiss watchmaker Rado has announced a new three-piece collection for its True Thinline watch line, inspired by three plants from the endangered species list.
Limited to just 99 examples for each colour way – and each priced at £2,500 or available to buy as a three-piece set in a special presentation box – the set is called True Thinline x Great Gardens of the World.
All three watches have a 40mm case diameter and house an automatic R766 movement with a power reserve of 64 hours. They also share the same ceramic case material with matching bracelet-style strap, and their simple dials show only the hours and minutes, with no second hand or date complication. All three also share an exhibition case back with a 'Great Gardens of the World' inscription and their chapter number.
The black ceramic model is called Chapter 8 (Loulu lelo) and is inspired by leaves of the palm tree of the same name. The strap is made from ceramic and lightweight titanium and, as with the other two members of the collection, the watch is water resistant to 30 metres. Sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating protects the front of the watch, and this specific model has a dial with black and grey striping and contrasting yellow gold coloured hands.
Next up is the Chapter 9 (Araucaria), with a white ceramic case and strap inspired by the leaf outlines of the Araucaria, a rare Chilean tree. This model is technically very similar to the Chapter 8, but features a mother-of-pearl dial with silver coloured hands. As with the other two, this model is also limited to 99 examples worldwide and is priced at £2,500.
Lastly, there’s the Chapter 10 (Dragon Blood Tree), which is made from what Rado calls plasma high-tech ceramic, and has a matching ceramic and titanium bracelet strap. Also 40mm in diameter and 9mm thick, this watch’s design is inspired by the intricately entangled branches of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree.
This inspiration creates a two-layer dial where a rose gold-coloured backplate is displayed through the skeletal cutouts of a plasma grey top layer. The hands and Rado logo are pink gold-coloured, while the rest of the watch is the same as its two siblings.
Rado says how the three plants chosen to inspire this collection are all presently on the endangered species list, and “bring sensuality and a lovely visual rhythm to the individual designs.” We're definitely impressed!
