Brand of the Month

ANATOM- About the name

Anyone with an appreciation for words and lovely names will have spotted that inside “anatomical” is neatly nestled the futuristic word “atomic”. Take your thinking back to the 1960s, with its dreams of drones and flying cars and endless energy, and you will smile. Everything was about science and optimism and human comfort in every place possible. Smart watchmakers of the day of course did not fail to see the trend. A new way of looking at timepieces, naturally, and a promising vision, timepieces that melted into the human form, a harmonious “anatomical” design that would flow with the wrist to bring absolute comfort and sublime aesthetics. In today’s terms, the casual convenience of an implanted chip telling you the time but really, with the Anatom, a lot prettier.

At the start, the Anatom project evolved quite naturally from what the DiaStar had introduced. That innovative timepiece had turned absolute scratch-resistance into a reality, bringing together a sapphire-crystal watch glass and a “hard metal” case, a nearly-invincible alloy from tungsten carbide. Follow-up projects then matured into a first-version “DiaStar Anatom” as it was first called, which sought to unite that extraordinary resistance with some fresh design inspirations. Those included a thinner, more fluid profile in harmony with the wrist, something more “anatomical” as the timepiece’s name suggested. The brand’s audience was familiar with the DiaStar line and by using the compound name, the early “DiaStar Anatom” would be given a more recognizable and gradual introduction. The plan worked.

From 1983 onward, the Anatom name was dubbed to leave a definite imprint on future generations. The design and development goals at Rado were evolving, going beyond the DiaStar’s promise of timeless durability, into the expression of an equally timeless form, an anatomically harmonious form, the form of its unique Anatom line. We were seeing an extension beyond simple surface or durability timelessness, into the realm of character and aesthetic timelessness, a watch not only resistant to physical damage, but also with practically eternal style.

Another chapter in styling history

At the heart of the Anatom concept was the state-of-the-art sapphire crystal, beautifully shaped to follow the wrist, running from edge to edge without a frame. A brilliant move visually, sensuous in shape even before you touched it. Anyone familiar with the extreme hardness of synthetic sapphire can see the extraordinary process required to achieve this, on both faces of the crystal. Diamond tools and high-precision milling and, of course, a designer’s unyielding determination to achieve something truly unique in terms of profile and overall character. The earlier designs were further enhanced by stylistic elements “provided by the refined decoration in gold and other precious metals” as was stated in a mid-1990s press release for the Anatom. Another Rado expert skill, subtle but certain, was in the art of metallisation, with gold or other elements.

Over time, the clarity and character of the name “Anatom” was to stand perfectly well on its own. It became a powerful single-word product name for more than 30 years. The hundreds of thousands of early-series Anatom watches no doubt still look as good as new, today. The arrival of the High-Tech Ceramic version in 2023 is both a historical look back at an exceptional product line and a bold statement going forward, raising the “anatomical” paradigm to sublime new heights of comfort and timeless aesthetics. Where once the Anatom attracted wearers largely captivated by its exceptional resistance features, the latest ceramic version is truly the pinnacle of watchmaking achievement, in looks and wearability.