From the challenge of designing around a case that could not change, to why Rado ceramic is often mistaken for metal, to the unexpected decision that reshaped the watch entirely, this conversation goes beyond specs and into design philosophy, material mastery, and emotional connection.
In this episode of On Time, presented by Miami Watch Club, Lex sits down with Rado CEO Adrian Bosshard and industrial designer Tej Chauhan to explore design legacy, innovation constraints, and the future of modern watchmaking.
Recorded in Miami during Art Basel, the discussion breaks down what happens when an iconic heritage case becomes the fixed starting point and creativity must happen through dial language, finishing, strap architecture, and emotional storytelling.
Tej explains his mission to make ceramic visible as ceramic, not just as polished metal-like surfaces, and how color, matte textures, and contrast became key to telling that story. Adrian shares why the rubber strap requirement mattered strategically and how it opened new design opportunities rather than limiting them.
The conversation also examines Rado’s long-term brand identity as a design-first materials pioneer, how ceramic creates a second-skin feel on the wrist, and why modern collectors are increasingly driven by community, education, and emotional meaning.
Closing the episode, Adrian reflects on leadership lessons from his years as a competitive motorcycle racer: team dependency, performance under pressure, and the reality that in both motorsport and watchmaking, sustained excellence is the only path that lasts.
What This Episode Covers
- Designing within fixed-case constraints
- Why ceramic perception still confuses collectors
- How a rubber strap decision transformed the final product
- Balancing heritage codes with contemporary expression
- Emotional design and “forever object” thinking
- Leadership lessons from motorsport applied to watchmaking
- How brands engage modern collector communities
