Designer Tej Chauhan Brings Fresh Energy To Rado’s Diastar Original In New Collab

Well-regarded internationally for his “Emotive Industrial Design,” award-winning British industrial designer Tej Chauhan partnered with Rado to re-create its high-tech ceramic True Square watch back in 2020. Now, the pair have taken on a slightly more ambitious task for their second collaboration – re-creating arguably Rado’s most beloved piece, the Diastar Original. The new Diastar Original x Tej Chauhan infuses the designer’s quintessential sense of play into the form of the world’s first truly scratch-proof watch, and it might just be the most fun piece in Rado’s contemporary catalog. 

For those unfamiliar with Chauhan’s work, the designer is best known for his joy-centric approach to the products he creates. His creations, whether they be a telephone, a nursery monitor, or even a car tire, are at once futuristic yet human, and exhibit a keen consideration both for aesthetic and for how they will fit into the lives of their consumers. Think lots of pleasantly round, bubbly shapes, bold colors, and imaginative use of materials. All of this is immediately apparent in this latest collaborative timepiece, yet somehow does not grate against the familiar form of the Diastar Original, but rather revitalizes the key elements of the established design. 

When the Diastar Original first hit the scene in 1962, its saucer-like case crafted in scratch-proof “Hardmetal” (a tungsten carbide alloy) was something of a revelation and a direct testament to the exploratory ethos of the Post-War era. Rado has carried the torch of innovative material use into its modern interpretation of the Diastar Original line and now utilizes its proprietary Ceramos throughout its construction, which is a composite mix of ceramic and metal, and the brand now uses precision-injected molding techniques to create its monobloc cases. The result of the brand’s propriety material maintains the essential scratch resistance while also being light on the wrist.  

In the case of the watch at hand, the Ceramos has received a PVD treatment to achieve the yellow-gold hue of the bezel, effectively blending the gold tones of classic horology with new technology, which the brand details were among Chauhan’s original goals when approaching this project. Chauhan has paired the lustrous gold case of the Diastar Original with a black dial whose unique radial lines denote the minutes in both grey tones and bright blue, which the designer introduced in the first collaboration, though this time, the lines spread all the way to the center of the dial. And about that blue section from 9-12: the brand details that they have nicknamed this quarter the “Party Time” zone, given that its either when the wearer would either be clocking in for the day or getting ready for the party at night. The graphic white hour and minute hands feature a luminous coating of Super-LumiNova, while the seconds hand is bright yellow. The play with primary colors extends to the window at 3 o’clock, which denotes the day and date in a funky font designed by Tej Chauhan himself. For Rado’s own specialized detail, the brand’s signature oscillating anchor logo has been placed front and center at 12 o’clock. 

Among the most novel details of this collaboration is the strap this watch is paired with. While we’re accustomed to seeing the Diastar Original paired with a bracelet of some kind, Chauhan has opted, quite unconventionally so, for a rubber strap. The brand is referring to the different segments of the strap as “pillow-shaped,” which I find quite endearing, and it quite clearly highlights Chauhan’s approach to design. The underside of the strap features text impressions of the phrases “The time is now” and “TC Souvenirs of The Near Future,” and the clasp is the same yellow-gold color as the case. Housed within the 38mm case is the Swiss-made automatic R764 caliber. This movement features a Nivachron hairspring, which enhances the accuracy of its timekeeping, and has an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Additionally, this piece is water resistant up to 100 meters. 

I love optimistic futurism in design – like the late '60s Space Age era and even the Y2K takes on futurism – and I feel that such playful perspectives have largely left the chat in recent years. And, admittedly, working in watches I’m always waiting in hope for the next release that’s truly fun to fall across my desk. In the case of this watch, both of those boxes were ticked. Still, I don’t think the amount of fun and play here renders the watch unwearable, or even difficult to style –there is such a thing as too much fun, after all. The retro-futurism elements work for me paired with the dark denim the brand has styled it with, and I think if someone is in the market for a funky statement piece, this is a great option to achieve that. I mean, it’s made to start a conversation. 

The Rado Diastar Original x Tej Chauhan Special Edition is available now for $2,250 USD. For more information, visit the brand's website here.