n 2017, Rado collaborated with the visionary Japanese fashion designer Kunihiko Morinaga to create a limited edition timepiece that blended the brand’s renowned mastery of materials with the colour-changing technology for which the avant-garde designer is so well known. Rado and Morinaga have announced the release of their latest shared masterpiece, the Rado True Square x Kunihiko Morinaga Special Edition watch.

It’s no surprise that the new Rado True Square x Kunihiko Special Edition watch is visually breathtaking. It features a squarish polished black monobloc high-tech ceramic case and crown. The black PVD sandblasted titanium case back is fitted with a sapphire crystal with the metalised words: Kunihiko Morinaga Special Edition.

The transparent dial is one of the watch’s defining elements. In true Kunihiko Morinaga fashion, it has a photochromic treatment, which means that it changes colour according to the available light. The designer explains, “The intent was to add colour and take it away. I tried to capture the ethereal nature of time in the design by integrating a photochromic lens that changes colour based on ultraviolet light.”

And it works! When it is exposed to sunlight, the True Square’s dial darkens. But as the sun goes down – as it invariably does – the dial shade evolves into grey and finally becomes transparent, revealing the Rado calibre R734 at the heart of the watch. The sight of the automatic mechanical movement is worth waiting for. It is fitted with an antimagnetic Nivachron^TM balance spring and, like the movement holder, features circular grain decoration.

In stunning contrast to the eye-catching dial, the rhodium-coloured hour and minute hands have a white veneer and are coated with white Super-LumiNova, which makes them legible regardless of the position of the sun.

The Rado True Square x Kunihiko Morinaga is presented on a polished black high-tech ceramic bracelet secured by a titanium three-fold clasp. The watch, which is water resistant to 5 bar (50m), is delivered with a Special Edition certificate.

The Rado True Square x Kunihiko Morinaga Special Edition is the result of a natural partnership between an innovative brand and a disruptive fashion visionary who are dedicated to blending the boundaries between technology and design.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Ref. R27086172

Movement

• Rado calibre R734, automatic, 25 jewels, 3 hands, 80-hour power reserve, antimagnetic Nivachron^TM hairspring, open heart, circular grain decorated movement holder, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy

Case

• Polished black high-tech ceramic case and crown, monobloc construction
• Black PVD sandblasted titanium case back with sapphire crystal
• Special metallisation on sapphire case back: Kunihiko Morinaga Special Edition
• Flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
• Water-resistant to 5 bar (50m)
• Dimensions: 38.0 x 44.2 x 9.7 (WxLxH in mm)

Dial

• Transparent with photochromic effect White printed Rado logo
• Hands: Rhodium coloured with white veneer and white Super-LumiNova rhodium coloured second hand

Bracelet

• Polished black high-tech ceramic
• Titanium 3-fold clasp