Borna Bosnjak
Though much of the horological technology we rely on has existed in one form or another for centuries, watches are certainly not immune to the cyclical nature of trends. We seem to be done with the big and brawny and the 1950s-inspired divers, and have fully adopted the 1970s and 1980s. That means funky case shapes and materials, so it’s no surprise Rado chose to resurrect its Anatom line back in 2023. Its latest iterations, though, have brought the Anatom the feature it was missing at launch – a ceramic bracelet matching the case to fully immerse the wearer into the brand’s take on the material. We’ve already looked at the Anatom Jubile and its minimal, diamond-set dial, but this grey-cased Anatom in high-tech ceramic is set to be a crowd-pleaser, combining just enough ’80s funk with modern design.The case and braceletThough our reviews usually split talking about the case and bracelet, it only makes sense to talk about them in the same breath when it comes to integrated bracelet watches. This rings even more true with watches like the Anatom, where the bracelet defines the wearing experience as much as the case, if not more. When the Anatom was initially re-released in 2023, it only came with an integrated rubber strap – not having a bracelet option was a bit of an aberration, something which Rado has corrected with aplomb here.In true 1980s fashion, we’ve got a two-tone look, though not in its traditional sense. Instead, Rado uses a mix of what they call “high-tech plasma” ceramic and PVD rose gold, which really just means a cool, gunmetal grey ceramic contrasting against the warmth of the gold highlights. On paper, the 32.5mm width and 46.3mm lug-to-lug length suggest quite a small watch, but as the bracelet links don’t fully articulate and the case is rectangular, you don’t have to worry about a diminutive watch. It actually has plenty of presence even though the case itself doesn’t take up much wrist real estate, as the wide bracelet really dominates.Add to all that the fact that the bracelet doesn’t taper as much as you’d find on a non-integrated type and the all-polished finish, and the result is a much blingier wearing experience than I expected. Rado also did a good job of balancing the watch on the wrist. The case measures in at 11.3mm in thickness, but the bracelet doesn’t feel overly slim and dinky in comparison. If you’ve ever worn a chunky cuff bracelet, the Anatom wears similarly and with the same smoothness on the outside, helped by the butterfly clasp closure.The dialWith a case and bracelet as the highlight of the watch, the dial doesn’t need to be overt in design, and it isn’t. Rado applies a subtle horizontal texture that continues the pattern of the bracelet links, with simple, applied hour markers that match the lightly tapered hands. Dial purists (yours truly included) will be happy to find the date window symmetrically positioned at 6 o’clock, with even the date disc colour-matched to the grey of the dial. This is something that I feel is really important with watches that are so focused on their design rather than being made for some explicit function, and especially with watches that have long left the affordable aspect behind. A small Easter egg you’ll find with many Rado models is the anchor logo at 12, which actually rotates the way a winding rotor would.The movementAnd speaking of anchor-shaped things that rotate, Rado clearly put some thought into the design of the movement, too. The bones are that of an ETA 2892, the movement maker’s mid-range automatic that’s known for its slimness, though the Rado R766 variant receives some notable upgrades. Visually, there’s the anchor winding rotor, of course, but more importantly, power reserve has been upped to 72 hours, potentially as a result of reducing the beat rate to 3.5Hz from 4Hz, but more likely contributed to by an upgraded mainspring.As far as other decoration goes, the Swatch Group’s movement manufacturer did attempt some simple finishing, with sunray brushing of the bridges and striping of the rotor. As expected, however, this was not the focus of this watch, nor where its implicit value lies.The verdictRado has long sat in the middle of the Swatch Group’s offering in terms of price point, though often offering good value by focusing on championing the use of luxury materials like ceramic. The new high-tech ceramic Anatom with its case-matching bracelet has now clearly stepped into a luxury segment with its A$7,550 price tag, doing a commendable job at backing that up with its on-paper specs and wearing experience.The two potential snags the Anatom could experience on its journey to justifying Rado’s new positioning are the use of a relatively ordinary movement and bulkiness that the smaller-wristed among us could find difficult to contend with. Luckily for Rado, the execution of the ceramic case and bracelet (which are the headlining acts) is impressive, and needed to help justify the steeper price point, making the Anatom an encouraging step.Rado Anatom Automatic pricing and availabilityThe Rado Anatom Automatic in grey high-tech ceramic is available now from Rado retailers. Price: A$7,550BrandRadoModelAnatom AutomaticReferenceR10203102Case Dimensions32.5mm (W) x 11.3mm (T) x 46.3mm (LTL)Case materialHigh-tech ceramic, stainless steelWater Resistance50 metresCrystal(s)Sapphire front and backDialGreyBraceletHigh-tech ceramic and PVD rose gold steel bracelet, folding claspMovementRado R766, ETA 2892 base, automaticPower Reserve72 hoursFunctionsHours, minutes, seconds, dateAvailabilityNowPriceA$7,550
22.04.25