Exclusive new timepieceAustrian designer Rainer Mutsch and Rado develop the True Stratum

Swiss watchmaker Rado has added another collaborative creation to its collection: the Rado True Stratum, jointly developed with leading Austrian designer Rainer Mutsch. This exclusive timepiece sees Mutsch's trademark style housed inside Rado's popular True watch family.

The black dial features delicate, asymmetrically arranged descending steps that emphasize the three dimensionality of the concave surface. Together with a slightly raised, oblong logo plate, these elements impart texture to what would otherwise be a plain monochrome dial. Matt rhodium hour and minute hands and a yellow second hand provide a pop of colour as well as easy readability. Further depth is added to the design with a perfectly centered black dot metallized on the underside of the sapphire crystal, which hovers over and casts its shadow on the dial. The True Stratum features matt black surfaces that are crafted in high-tech ceramic – Rado's signature material, and one that is favoured among high-end watchmakers for its exceptional properties.

"From an industrial design point of view, I believe the tactile experience in terms of touching and feeling is very important," says Mutsch. "So for the True Stratum I have chosen hightech ceramic for the case and bracelet since I really like the feel, the scratch resistance and the temperature of this material."

To emphasize that a watch is a wearable piece of technology, Mutsch introduced a small sapphire glass window on the back of the case, which gives the wearer a glimpse of the automatic movement within. The engraved surface of the dial is repeated on the back, creating a pleasant and comfortable feeling on the wrist.

Elegance, precision, simplicity

Much of Mutsch's design practice centers around explorations of new materials and production techniques. While his work does not commit to any particular style or shape, his approach is informed by elegance, precision and simplicity. “In the case of the True Stratum I was playing with materiality, manufacturing processes and the idea of ambient light,” comments Mutsch. “I was trying to re-question, in a subtle way, how time is displayed by introducing an element of three-dimensionality on the dial. The appearance of the dial changes constantly depending on the light, always creating new reflections and gradients.”

"The Rado True Stratum is a beautiful blend of technique, functionality and emotion," remarks Rado CEO Matthias Breschan. "Rainer Mutsch truly understands the nature of good design, and we're very happy to have his work in the Rado collection."

About Rainer Mutsch

Rainer Mutsch studied Furniture Design at the Denmarks Design Skole Copenhagen, Product Design at the University of Arts Berlin, and completed his degree in Industrial Design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. In 2008, he opened Studio Rainer Mutsch, a multi disciplinary design studio where he and his team develop elegant, precise and simple products that are, above all, meant to meet human needs. Mutsch's relationship with Rado began in 2015, when his design project was displayed in the window of Rado's boutique in Vienna as part of the Rado Star Prize Austria competition.