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Rado DiaStar Original Automatic 30mm Ladies Watch Black
Ref. R12171653
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Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The DiaStar is where Rado's story begins. When it launched in 1962, the brand built it around hardmetal cases at a time when scratch resistance was a genuinely unsolved problem, and the anchor — still present here as a small rhodium-coloured moving figure on the dial — was chosen to signify that hardness. This 30mm iteration carries that lineage into a contemporary idiom: black dial with a patterned yellow ground beneath it, eleven red cubic zirconia markers catching light at angles the flat description of them does not prepare you for. At 88 grams on the wrist, the bracelet has presence without weight, its polished and brushed links reading as a considered alternation rather than a default finish. The Ceramos bezel — a ceramic-metal composite Rado developed for its resistance to marking — means the gold tone here is not one that will dull or abrade at the edges the way plating on softer alloys tends to. The R586 inside is regulated in five positions and carries a Nivachron hairspring, which resists magnetic fields that would disturb a conventional hairspring; in a watch worn daily near phones and bag clasps, that is not a trivial detail.
- Reference
- R12171653
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- DiaStar
- Case size
- 30mm
- Case thickness
- 11mm
- Case material
- Gold PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- R586
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
- Weight
- 88g
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 6 collections
This watch appears in the Rado DiaStar range (8), Back in Stock (4,154), Watches Under 37mm (1,522), Automatic Watches (1,518), Women's Watches (1,455) and Gold Watches (632).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 30mm wears small and slips under any cuff
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Sits in the lower half of Rado's range as we list it
Rado DiaStar Original alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R12171653 | L33204726 | 5985-P-97081 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £2,000 | £1,350 |
| Case size | 30mm | 30mm | 29mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 48 hours | 45 hours | — |
| This watch | 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 48 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as women's.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £1,800, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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