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Rado True 40mm Unisex Watch
Ref. R27057732
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Stepping up in Rado's range
The True has been Rado's ceramic argument since the 1990s — a long-running case that hardness and lightness could do more for a watch than polished steel ever managed. This reference takes that proposition somewhere more considered than most in the line: plasma high-tech ceramic gives the case and bracelet a dark, almost graphite tone that shifts between charcoal and a cooler metallic grey depending on the angle of the light, and 12 diamonds set at the hour positions read not as decoration but as a deliberate contrast against that industrial surface. At 40mm the watch sits neutrally between gendered sizing, and 10.4mm keeps it from feeling substantial despite weighing 121 grams across case and bracelet. The R763 runs on an ETA C07.611 base fitted with a Nivachron hairspring, which resists magnetic fields without the antimagnetic case engineering some movements require, and the 80-hour reserve means a watch left on the nightstand Friday evening is still running Monday morning. The titanium folding clasp is lighter than it looks — a small thing, but noticeable on a bracelet that is already doing a great deal of work to keep the overall wear comfortable.
- Reference
- R27057732
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- True
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 10.4mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA C07.611
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Ceramic bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Weight
- 121g
- Origin
- Swiss made
- Gem set
- Yes
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 4 collections
This watch appears in the Rado True range (9), Automatic Watches (1,573), Grey Dial Watches (193) and Ceramic Watches (98).
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What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 80-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Rado True alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R27057732 | 128672 | YA126390 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,250 | £2,300 | £2,130 |
| Case size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 80 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?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
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 Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £2,250, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
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