Tap the image to enlarge
Rado Florence 38mm Unisex Watch
Ref. R48912703
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The Florence collection takes its name and mood from the Tuscan city — the domed skylines, the shadowed streets, the quality of light that has made the place a reference point for European aesthetics for six centuries. That influence arrives here not as ornament bolted on but as a governing softness: black dial, gold-tone hands, and four full-cut diamonds sitting at the cardinal hours in place of conventional indices. Rado specifies Top Wesselton stones throughout and sources them through the Kimberley Process, which is worth knowing. At 38mm and 8.7mm deep, this sits at the unisex end of the range without apology — wide enough to read clearly, slim enough to pass under a cuff. The two-tone bracelet carries the gold PVD treatment from the case through to the links, so the colour relationship reads as deliberate rather than incidental. At 122g it has genuine presence on the wrist without becoming heavy across a long day.
- Reference
- R48912703
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- Florence
- Case size
- 38mm
- Case thickness
- 8.7mm
- Case material
- Two-tone
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Fixed
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- R073
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Two-tone
- Clasp
- Three-fold clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Mappin & Webb
Additional specifications
- Weight
- 122g
- Origin
- Swiss made
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 Florence range (8), Back in Stock (4,007), Automatic Watches (1,417) and Two-Tone Watches (448).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 38mm suits most wrists
- 8.7mm is unusually slim for a 38mm case
- 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
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
Rado Florence alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R48912703 | YA1264191 | 68045A77 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,150 | £1,080 | £1,230 |
| Case size | 38mm | 38mm | 38mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | — | — | 42 hours |
| This watch | 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 comparedIs 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 £1,150, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
More Rado watches like the Florence
In stock, and close on style and price
