This is where Rado shines, with loving attention to detail and a thoroughly modern, luxurious feel. There are a lot of homages and even one-to-one recreations of vintage watches around today, but what separates a "good" reissue from the rest lies in its execution. it all makes for a supremely satisfying retro watch experience for the modern wrist. The size, the steel case, the midcentury eccentricity. The late '50s were starting to show some of the stylistic funkiness that the following decades would bring, and the Golden Horse probably felt casual and forward-looking for the relatively buttoned-up conventions of the time.
The Golden Horse was produced in steel, and watches from the era with the same 37mm diameter were, in fact, sometimes even dubbed "Jumbo." This was right around the time that sport and tool watches such as divers began to be available to the public, but they weren't yet popular like they are today. A stylistically more formal time in general, a dedicated "dress watch" would have probably been significantly more low-key, thinner (on account of being manually wound) and likely in a precious metal like gold. From a 1950s perspective, however, it's safe to postulate that it would have been viewed a bit differently. We call this a dress watch from a modern perspective because it's moderately sized, functionally simple, shiny and, well, obviously not a sport watch. The exact model that Rado chose to reproduce in the 21st century is from 1957, and you can still find vintage examples online that are virtually identical to the reissue in most ways. rebranded to "Rado" in the late 1950s, and the Golden Horse was the first collection under its new name. The Rado Golden Horse is on-trend in all of those ways, and yet it doesn't feel obvious - it feels like an actual piece of the '50s, presented in vivid technicolor.įounded in 1917, watchmaker Schlup & Co. If 2020 watch trends could be represented in a single product, it would be a vintage remake with a green dial and "reduced" diameter. If you're looking for a style reminiscent of that of the Golden Horse but on a tight budget, certain models in Seiko subsidiary Orient's Tristar collection ($120+) might scratch that itch - but, of course, not with comparable quality. Those digging the vibe but not so concerned with price might try something like, say, the Rolex Datejust 36 ($7,300) in steel on a Jubilee bracelet with a blue dial. It's perfectly appropriate for adding some bling to your everyday wear - there' a lot of polished metal here - and though retail price just south of $2k means this is an investment in a luxury experience, it's one that's not unattainable for many people.Īlternatives: Not just any vintage-styled dress watch qualifies as an alternative to the Golden Horse: it's got to have some pizzazz.Įxisting laterally to Rado in the Swatch Group with respect to price, sister brand Longines offers a slightly more formal look but evokes the same era with its Flagship Heritage ($1,675), and for nearly the same price as the Golden Horse. Slim-wristed individuals will be well-served, but even those accustomed to larger watches won't be put off.
Who It's For: Really, who doesn't want a shot of midcentury panache in their life? There should be broad appeal to the Golden Horse, but elements like its 37mm diameter help give a bit more focus to its target audience. And though a striking beads-of-rice bracelet doesn't make the Golden Horse cool all by itself, it sure makes it cooler and adds significant interest and value. Notable: Dense with fine details and Rado's obligatory dash of flair (it's definitely not one of those quiet dress watches), the Rado Golden Horse 1957 is quite simply a modern rendering of 1950s watch design done right, complete with a high level of fit and finish, thin-wearing proportions and a captivating dial.
Even as reissues proliferate from almost every watch brand, the Golden Horse 1957 stands out for its authentic feel and stellar execution. Faithfully recreated for the 21st century, however, its 37mm case and throwback vibe offer a compelling combination for modern tastes.
In the 1950s when the Rado Golden Horse was introduced, it might have looked big and a little funky. Vintage watch remakes don't get much better than this.
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