Rado has been making waves for all the right reasons and so when their CEO, Adrian Bosshard, was in KL for a new boutique launch, we took the opportunity to chat over a cup of coffee
It is no secret that Rado loves ceramic. Today, its entire brand identity is based on this trendy material. However, the difference between Rado and the rest of the brands that are heftily incorporating this scratch-proof, hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant material into their repertoire is that Rado has been doing it for much longer. Through a conversation with their current CEO, Adrian Bosshard, we found out that time equals experience, and it is this experience that allows Rado to do many things with the material that its competitors simply cannot.
For the longest time, this focus on ceramics and its often sleek and minimalistic design were the brand’s only calling cards. These days, however, we are happy to report that Rado has far more going for it in terms of depth than ever before. The relaunch of the Captain Cook and its subsequent success created a solid foundation for another brand pillar and since then, Rado has been exhaustively digging into the archives to revive bangers of the past. The DiaStar Original in Ceramos comes to mind and the recent revival of the Anatom also offers an insightful look into the brand’s storied past.
Under the leadership of Bosshard, WOW Malaysia has also seen an expansion of the brand’s visibility in the country. There was the time the brand invited the Korean superstar, Ji Chang Wook, for the launch of the boutique in Pavilion KL and just recently, it minted yet another boutique in The Exchange TRX. With so much going on with Rado, we thought it apt to take a breather with Bosshard and have a casual chat on where the brand is headed.
“Personally, I really believe that other brands, luxury brands which are in different price segments, using ceramic is a compliment for Rado. It is underlining that we are doing something right”
You have been with Rado for, what is it, four years now?
Yes, four years. I started [with Rado] on July 1, 2020, after 24 years in the Swatch Group handling Certina, Union Glashütte and I was also the coordinator for the Swiss market and Eastern Europe. I have had a lot of functions but because Rado is such a big global brand, I wanted to focus on it exclusively.
Having now moved to Rado, what are the few things you noticed that are different between Rado and brands like Certina and Union Glashütte?
As the CEO of a brand, you always have to serve the brand. So you need to put yourself into the philosophy of the brand and act accordingly. Certina is a sporty brand in the mid-price segment; Union Glashütte is a German brand with classical watchmaking values; and Rado is a pioneering brand, master of materials, with innovative and provocative designs that are both unique and inspired by no one else. With other brands, sometimes they need to be inspired by their peers but with Rado, there is no need to be inspired by others because we have different technologies to make the watches. Therefore, the biggest difference for me was the size. Certina was an international brand but not a global brand. Union Glashütte was a regional brand, present in Germany, Austria and China. And Rado is a global brand. It is on a totally different scale.
There was a time when Rado was one of the only brands to use ceramics. In the last five years, however, there has been a growing number of brands, some at much higher price points that are using and developing the ceramic material as well. Is the future of Rado in jeopardy?
Personally, I really believe that other brands, luxury brands which are in different price segments, using ceramic is a compliment for Rado. It is underlining that we are doing something right. We were the pioneers in 1986, the first brand to use ceramics with the Integral, and after that, it was the Coupoule and the Ceramica models. We are using a material that has so many advantages – scratch-resistance, lightness and aesthetic beauty and it is only normal that other brands see the advantage and want to integrate such materials into their collections.
However, due to the fact that Rado already has decades of experience in ceramic, it is also obvious that Rado has a patrimony in the material which will always give us an experiential advantage. So for example, in colour variation, we have so many colours which we can produce. When you see the Le Corbusier, you will see that we can make many different colours at a stable level. And all of this at a price point which is unbeatable. Who else can offer a fully ceramic watch at our price point? We have the competence to play around with colours that will never stop. And additionally don’t forget we have other materials like Ceramos on our DiaStar, which is still a popular collection here in Malaysia.
With the DiaStar our experience also gives us an edge. Before this, it was only possible to create the DiaStar at this price point with hard metals but today we can do it in Ceramos as well. Lighter than hard metal, even more resistant and with greater wear comfort, it has the same features as high-tech ceramic. This is our advantage as well to have this kind of variation.
Rado has just launched its new facility in Switzerland. What would you say will be the advantages for the brand now that it has these new capabilities?
The new facilities have three main advantages. When I first started with Rado I told Mr Hayek the biggest asset of the brand is the materials. So the first advantage is quantity and quality. With the new facilities, we are now able to have higher output in terms of production, but with the same level of quality. Secondly, we have better resources for the development of materials. In this facility, they are only making the components for Rado. Only a few bezels are for Longines but the rest are for Rado meaning most of the employees are already Rado-oriented and it is much easier for R&D if everyone there is on the same page. Lastly, the new facilities will be great for telling the brand story to visitors and journalists. When they understand what goes into the watch behind the scenes, it has that much more value.
What do you think the market is looking for? And how are you steering Rado towards this direction?
You know, we are selling more mechanical movements, and this is a trend globally. People who are buying watches at a certain price point like the timeless quality of mechanical movements. Today’s customers mostly have many watches and when they pick up a quartz watch after a long time, the battery can sometimes be flat. With a mechanical watch, they can pick it up, wind it up and it works. And also there is an emotional appeal to winding up the watch, giving it energy. Customers like this.
“As a teaser, we are also currently in the development phases of a movement which we think you will be extremely excited to see”
It is true that the watch buyers of today are looking for more mechanical movements. They are also looking for complications. Will we be seeing more complications coming from Rado in the future?
You are perhaps a few steps ahead of Rado! Of course, now we have a power reserve indicator in the Coupole collection and in the DiaStar we have some small seconds. But you are right, we were, in the past, never a brand to focus on complications. We mainly focused on material innovation and design. But I definitely believe that certain complications, not tourbillons and the like, but some complications can elevate the brand.
We have been quite successful with the addition of the power reserve indicator in the Coupole classic so we will be making more versions with this feature. Also, there are moonphases on the horizon and, a GMT.
Ah the GMT, yes this will be popular!
Yes the GMT is interesting because I think the GMT has a good function. And also we will be having a big surprise next year in the form of a chronograph. And we already have the competence to add these complications because, under the same group, our supplier is ETA. We are already working very closely with them to customise all our movements to our specifications. Tested in five positions, for example, the rotor in the shape of the Rado anchor is another. So it would be easy to develop some complications for Rado’s watches.
However, when we work with ETA in terms of development, we have to finance it. So when there is a business case for it, we absolutely can do it, like the Calibre R808 for example. As a teaser, we are also currently in the development phases of a movement which we think you will be extremely excited to see. But for this, you probably have to wait around two more years. Movements take time…
With such a long history not just in Rado but in the wider Swatch Group as well, what can you tell us is something that has changed over the years?
When I first started in the watch industry as the CEO of a brand it was 2003. At that time there was a huge difference between markets, especially in watch sizes. In China, there was a demand for very classical, small-size watches while in Europe it was sporty, large watches. Today, the markets are more similar because you have global communication through social media. Even if you are in China, the US or Malaysia you get inspired by the same sources worldwide.
I would say the one important difference we still have, especially in South East Asia and India is that yellow and rose gold is much more appreciated in the region as compared to Europe.
What is your focus on the business end of things moving forward?
We have much room for improvement in terms of retail, not just in Malaysia but globally as well. Only with proper retail you can transfer the strength of the brand to the end-user and cultivate a good perception of the brand in the market. In Malaysia, we are on the right track, gaining more and more market share with the Captain Cook collection and with the True collection, and we will continue to develop our retail to continue this trend.
When you are producing products like Rado does, I don’t want to want to see the brand showcased in a crowded environment. It is not a matter of arrogance, it is because we are proud of our products, so we don’t want to see our watches in a store that is not capable of transferring all the features to the end consumer. Because when you are a customer of Rado I want you to be well-served. We want to have the best service possible so we are becoming more selective with our partners.
Just as an example, when I started four years ago, we had about 4,050 points of sales globally. Now we have cut it down to around 3,000 doors and yet, we are selling more watches. And we are not quite done yet.
This article first appeared on WOW’s #74 Autumn 2024 Issue.
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