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Rado True Square Automatic Skeleton 38mm Unisex Watch
Ref. R27197152
Sits in Rado’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Rado watches we list, which start at £735.
Price range £735 to £5,150 across 61 Rado watches in stock.Rado has long treated high-tech ceramic not as a coating but as the whole structure, and this watch is that philosophy at its most committed — a monobloc case, crown, and bracelet cut from the same matte black material, with no metal interrupting the surface. The square format suits it: the flat planes of ceramic read as architectural rather than decorative, and at 38mm the proportions sit comfortably on a range of wrists without the case bulk that skeletonised movements sometimes demand. The dial rewards attention. A sandblasted top plate sits proud of the lower one, which carries horizontal brushed finishing that catches the movement working beneath it. At four o'clock a rotating rhodium anchor marks the seconds, giving the eye something specific to settle on. The R808 runs on a Nivachron hairspring — antimagnetic, and more stable across temperature changes than a conventional alloy spring — and its 80-hour reserve means a watch left unworn on Friday will still be running Monday morning. At 117g, the bracelet contributes most of the weight, but ceramic wears differently to steel: it stays cool, takes no scratches worth mentioning, and does not drag against the skin. The titanium clasp underneath is the only concession to metal, and you would not know it without looking.
- Reference
- R27197152
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- True
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 9.7mm
- Case material
- Ceramic
- Case shape
- Square
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- R808
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Ceramic bracelet
- Strap colour
- Black
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Weight
- 117g
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 7 collections
This watch appears in the Rado True range (9), Back in Stock (3,460), Automatic Watches (1,573), Rectangular & Square Watches (364), Skeleton Watches (248), All Black Watches (224) and Ceramic Watches (98).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 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
- One of Rado's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Rado True Square alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R27197152 | L16494922 | 34238AA39.BVA136 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,850 | £2,700 | £2,750 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Ceramic bracelet | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 80 hours | 72 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
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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