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Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton 38mm Unisex Watch
Ref. R12164153
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The DiaStar Original is Rado's founding watch — the model the brand launched in 1962 with the claim that it could not be scratched — and this skeleton reworks that premise. Where the original made its point through hardness and an unbroken surface, this one answers the same question differently: the Ceramos bezel and sapphire crystal remain as scratch-resistant as ever, but the dial has been removed entirely so the R808 movement fills the frame. That movement repays the exposure. The calibre runs an 80-hour power reserve, carries a Nivachron hairspring that resists magnetic interference without a Faraday cage, and has been regulated in five positions — the kind of preparation that produces long-term accuracy rather than a headline figure. Rado has treated the movement in anthracite grey, which pulls it away from the gold of the case and bezel and turns the dial into a study in contrast: dark mechanical architecture, warm gilt hands and indices, white Super-LumiNova on both. At 38mm it sits at a genuinely unisex proportion, and at 11.9mm it wears closer to the wrist than most automatic skeletons at this rating. The sapphire caseback means the movement is visible from both sides, and the three-fold clasp on the bracelet adjusts without tools — a small thing that matters once the novelty of the skeleton has settled and you are simply wearing the watch every day.
- Reference
- R12164153
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- DiaStar
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 11.9mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- R808
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Weight
- 140g
Learn more about Rado
Rado began as Schlup & Co, a movement manufacturer founded by the Schlup brothers in Lengnau in 1917. It became one of the largest movement producers in the world before releasing watches under the Rado name in 1957.
The brand's entire identity rests on a single question: how do you stop a watch from looking worn? The DiaStar of 1962 was marketed as the world's first scratchproof watch, using hardmetal — tungsten carbide — and a sapphire crystal at a time when both were exotic in watchmaking.
Rado then spent decades pushing further into materials most watchmakers avoided because they are difficult to machine and impossible to correct. High-tech ceramic arrived in 1986 with the Integral, and the Ceramica of 1990 was made almost entirely from it. The company developed plasma high-tech ceramic, which is heated to 20,000 degrees to acquire a metallic sheen without any metal content, and Ceramos, a ceramic-metal composite.
The V10K of 2002 used high-tech diamond and reached 10,000 on the Vickers scale — the hardness of diamond itself, and a Guinness record.
Rado's design language is correspondingly clean and monolithic, with the True and Captain Cook lines carrying the modern collection. The company has been part of the Swatch Group since 1983.
- 1917
- Founded as Schlup & Co in Lengnau.
- 1957
- The first watches carry the Rado name.
- 1962
- The DiaStar introduces a scratchproof hardmetal case.
- 1986
- High-tech ceramic enters production.
- 2002
- The V10K reaches diamond-level surface hardness.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in the Rado DiaStar range (8), Back in Stock (3,460), Automatic Watches (1,573), Gold Watches (487) and Skeleton Watches (248).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 38mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 80-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Rado DiaStar Original Skeleton alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R12164153 | 86012M04 | 01 733 7771 3157-07 3 19 03BRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,250 | £2,105 | £2,100 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 80 hours | 63 hours | 38 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 80 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb list it at £2,250, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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