Tag Heuer and Rado are two of the most well-known Swiss watchmakers today. Tag Heuer, a world-renowned luxury watch brand best recognized for its high-quality and elegant sports watches, is on one side.
Rado, on the other hand, is a brand associated with innovation and cutting-edge watch technology. Needless to say, there is a highly anticipated showdown between two Swiss watchmaking powerhouses with drastically different approaches to their timepieces.
Key Takeaways
- Tag Heuer is a Swiss luxury watchmaker known for its sports watches and clocks, while Rado is a Swiss brand renowned for its innovative designs and high-tech materials.
- Tag Heuer emphasizes precision and performance, with connections to motorsports and endorsements from prominent athletes, whereas Rado focuses on elegant, minimalist aesthetics and durability.
- Rado pioneered using materials such as ceramic, tungsten, and sapphire crystal in watchmaking, while Tag Heuer has a strong history of developing and patenting various watch mechanisms and technologies.
Tag Heuer vs Rado
Tag Heuer watches are sponsors of many racing events and teams, while Rado watches are characterized by their minimalist designs and clean lines. Tag Heuer watches are sporty and dynamic, while Rado watches are sleek and minimalist, with simple designs that emphasize the beauty.
Tag Heuer is the brand for you if you like timepieces with almost faultless precision and a more daring and thrilling environment. Tag Group Holdings officially purchased the Heuer Watch Company in 1985, and the company is now recognized as Tag Heuer.
Tag Heuer is still regarded as one of the greatest Swiss sports watch manufacturers.
Rado is a luxury watch company that has perfected the art of distinctive visual flair. If you’re seeking absolutely unique timepieces with the best and most elegant construction, Rado is a great place to start.
Rado was first recognized for its waterproof automated models. Rado was the first one to use Sapphire crystal in watchmaking because of its scratch-resistant properties.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Tag Heuer | Rado |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1860 | 1917 |
| Founding Place | St-Imier, Switzerland | Lengnau, Switzerland |
| CEO | Frederic Arnault | Matthias Breschan |
| Founder | Edouard Heuer | Ernsy Schlup, Fritz Schlup, Werner Schlup |
| Parent Organization | LVMH, Techniques d’Avant Garde | The Swatch Group |
| Watch Mechanism Quality | Better | Not as good |
| Aesthetics | Not as good | Better |
What is Tag Heuer?
Edouard Heuer established Uhrenmanufaktur Heuer AG in St-Imier, Switzerland, in 1860. TAG Group acquired a majority share in the company in 1985, becoming TAG Heuer.
In 1999, the French luxury goods firm LVMH purchased nearly all of the Swiss companies.
The first half of Tag Heuer’s famous moniker was not given to the company right away. It was initially known as the Heuer Watch Company when it was founded in 1860.
The Heuer Watch Company, named after its founder Edouard Heuer, had a clear strategy for approaching the market — that is, making a name for themselves in the lucrative sports industry.
The iconic Heuer micrograph was introduced by the Heuer Watch Company for the first time in 1916, marking a watershed moment in the company’s history. The Heuer micrograph is a true masterpiece of watchmaking, with its exceptional timekeeping ability.
Heuer unveiled the Autavia a few years later. The Heuer Autavia was the first watch of its kind, designed specifically for racing drivers.
Heuer introduced the first board chronograph for autos, called “Time of Trip,” in 1911. By 1913, the business was advertising the production of bracelet watches with 11 and 13 ligne movements, as well as pocket watches with 19 ligne movements.
However, Heuer’s main product was stopwatches. In 1916, the company patented and manufactured the “Micrograph,” the world’s first stopwatch with a precision of 1/100 second.
In addition, the firm served as the official timekeeper during the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp. It also served as a timekeeper in 1924 and 1928, as well as in a number of ski competitions.
In 1933, Heuer created the first board timepieces for racing automobiles, as well as the famed Autavia stopwatch.
What is Rado?
Fritz, Ernst, and Werner Schlup, brothers, made a decision in 1917 that would change their lives and the lives of future generations: they became watchmakers. Their modest atelier was housed in a converted part of their parent’s home in the Swiss village of Lengnau.
Schlup & Co. got off to a bright start, establishing agreements with a diverse range of importers all over the world, thanks to their unwavering energy and unique ability to detect fresh prospects.
Rado is another well-known Swiss watch brand founded in 1917 in Lengnau, Switzerland. The Golden Horse brand debuted in 1957, followed by the water-resistant Green Horse brand the following year.
Two for a bayonet case back and three for a screw-down back featured seahorses on the back.
Along with Longines and Union Glashütte, Rado is a “high range” brand of the Swiss watch giant Swatch Group. Schlup & Co. was founded in 1917 in Lengnau, Switzerland, and began utilizing the Rado brand in the 1950s.
Previously, it was a component of Sagiter and the General Watch Co./ASUAG. Rado is currently recognized for high-tech materials like ceramic (descended from the DiaStar) and the seahorse and anchor insignia, which represent waterproof and automatic watches, respectively.
During the decade, the brand grew dramatically, with international sales in over 60 countries. The Captain Cook dive watch debuted in 1968 and is still in production today.
Automatic Rado models featured a moving anchor logo on the dial, which would become the brand’s hallmark.
The anchor, which resembled an automatic winding rotor, pivoted at the center and was placed on a red circle meant to resemble a jewel. The anchor mark is now found on all Rado automatic variants.
Main Differences Between Tag Heuer and Rado
- Tag Heuer was founded in the year 1860. Rado was founded in the year 1917.
- Tag Heuer was founded in St-Imier, Switzerland, and Rado was founded in Lengnau, Switzerland.
- The CEO of Tag Heuer is Frederic Arnault and the CEO of Rado is Matthias Breschan.
- The founder of Tag Heuer is Edouard Heuer and the founders of Rado are Ernsy Schlup, Fritz Schlup, and Werner Schlup.
- The parent organization of Tag Heuer is LVMH and Rado is The Swatch Group.
- Tag Heuer offers better quality when it comes to watching mechanisms in comparison to Rado.
- Rado offers better aesthetics than Tag Heuer.
References
Last Updated : 13 February, 2024
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
