pontaneous and ever-changing, Nature has been sparking human creativity and talent in every field since the beginning of time. When Rado and the Great Gardens of the World organisation started their collaboration, as an opportunity to unite their appreciation of outstanding design and beauty, a whole new range of textures and shapes found their way into Rado’s watchmaking work. Elements from the organic world enhanced the creativity of talented watch designers.

The latest series of timepieces from this inspired collaboration pulls exquisite natural motifs from three quite-different plants into stunningly original dial designs. Each was chosen for the individual timepiece to match the mood and shade of its True Thinline monobloc high-tech ceramic case, in black, white or plasma grey. The plants selected — the Hawaiian Loulu Lelo, the Chilean Araucaria and the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree — all presently on the endangered species list, bring sensuality and a lovely visual rhythm to the individual designs.

Chapter 8, the first in the new series, unites a polished black case with a matching dial that exudes pure mystery and whose pleasing, orderly structure imitates the pleated leaves of the Loulu Lelo. The model uses the same premium Rado R766 movement as the other two chapters, providing a generous power reserve of 64 hours. All models in the new series are equipped with a Nivachron^TM antimagnetic hairspring, for highly reliable precision. The mood of the dial, guarded by a box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti- reflective coating on both faces, strikes perfect harmony next to the dark case. A metallised gold-coloured Rado logo adds a tasteful touch on the inside of the watch glass.

The next model in the series, Chapter 9, is a brilliant reflection of the designer’s visual inspiration in connection with the Araucaria tree. The white high-tech ceramic case offers a different mood — airy, peaceful and unique, enhanced by a white mother-of-pearl dial engraved to recall the fresh, almost playful leaf outlines of the rare Chilean tree.

The smooth contours of high-tech ceramic — particularly sensuous and palpable in white, are a clever contrast to the pointed extremities of the tree leaves, especially against the cool, radiant mother-of-pearl, a smart look that watch-lovers will appreciate. As do the other chapters, the watch carries a titanium case back with a sapphire crystal window digitally printed with the mention “GREAT GARDENS OF THE WORLD” and the timepiece’s chapter number. A subtle motif showing the growth rings of a large, noble tree trunk in cross-section, is used as a background on the case-back, and repeated on the display boxes of the collector’s trio sets and the special edition card included with the timepieces.

Last but not least in the lineup, Chapter 10 features a plasma high-tech ceramic monobloc case, in those mysterious grey tones typical of plasma treatment. The process, launched in an extreme environment nearing 20,000°C - many times the temperature found at the Sun’s surface - is then maintained at around 1000°C for the full duration of the treatment. In Chapter 10, the dial is a splendid creation in two layers where a rose-gold-coloured backplate shows through a skeletonised top layer, smartly cut out in organic shapes reminiscent of the mesmerising, intricately entangled branches of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree.

The hour/minute hands carry a pink-gold colour, for a beautiful touch that truly shows the watchmaker’s finest artistry. All three chapters are equipped with their own matching, polished high-tech ceramic bracelet, fastened by a reliable, triple-fold titanium clasp. The watches are all water-resistant up to 3 bar (30 m) and the outstanding precision of their automatic calibre is confirmed by testing in a full five positions, rather than the usual three. Nature at its best, most beautiful and unwaveringly precise.

Chapters 8, 9 and 10 of this new Rado “Great Gardens of the World” product line are available individually or as a trio in a special collector’s display-box edition, limited to 99 units.