Architecture can influence more than the buildings around us. It can also shape the way we see colour, proportion and materials. Rado explores this connection in its latest True Round x Les Couleurs® Le Corbusier® Special Edition, a collection of three timepieces inspired by the work of the Swiss-born design visionary.
The collection continues Rado’s long-running collaboration with Les Couleurs Suisse®, which has so far produced 12 watches referencing Le Corbusier’s contribution to modern architecture. His use of bold colours and modern materials also reflects Rado’s own interest in material innovation and contemporary design.
Each of the three new watches takes inspiration from a different project, while using colours from Le Corbusier’s Polychromie Architectural palette. First introduced in 1931 and extended in 1959, the palette was developed around colours that could work together across architectural spaces.
La Cité Radieuse In Ivory White
The first timepiece takes its inspiration from La Cité Radieuse in Marseille, France. Completed in 1952, the vast concrete apartment building was designed around a new approach to modern urban living.
Its influence appears on the watch through a laser-engraved dial inspired by the building’s rough-cast, board-formed concrete, known as béton-brut. The pattern captures the uneven texture of the material while allowing the surface to respond to light.
The watch is presented in Ivory White, reference 4320B, across its monobloc high-tech ceramic case, crown and bracelet. It also marks the first time Rado has used this specific colour in high-tech ceramic.
The colour is integrated into the ceramic during the sintering process, when the material is heated to 1,450°C. The hands introduce three additional shades from the Polychromie Architectural palette: Lucent Sky Blue, Luminous Ultramarine Blue and Light Ultramarine Blue.
The Carpenter Center In Iron Grey
The second watch looks to the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Completed in 1963, it was the only building Le Corbusier designed in North America and was among his final projects.
Its moulded concrete facade is translated into another laser-engraved ceramic dial. This time, the watch uses Iron Grey, reference 32010 from the Polychromie Architectural palette, reflecting the more monochromatic character of the building’s concrete structure.
Against the darker dial, the lacquered hands introduce Cream White, Powerful Orange and Slightly Greyed English Green. The combination creates a sharper contrast while keeping the concrete-inspired design at the centre of the watch.
Chandigarh And The Idea Of A New City
The final timepiece draws from Le Corbusier’s plan for Chandigarh, India. Conceived as a new capital for Punjab, the city was designed around a geometric grid, shared architectural principles and the integration of nature into its urban planning.
For the watch, Rado takes an abstract detail from the facade of the Palace of Assembly, one of three buildings within Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex. The pattern is laser engraved into the ceramic dial, continuing the collection’s approach of translating architectural surfaces into watch design.
The case, crown and bracelet appear in Ivory Black, reference 4320E. The darker base is paired with lacquered hands in Powerful Orange, Emerald Green and Olive Green.
Across the three watches, Rado takes different aspects of Le Corbusier’s work and translates them into the proportions, materials and colours of the True Round. The result connects his architectural ideas with Rado’s own approach to high-tech ceramic, creating a collection where the influence of the building remains visible without becoming a literal reproduction.
The Rado True Round x Les Couleurs® Le Corbusier® Special Edition is available at Rado boutiques in Pavilion KL, Suria KLCC, The Exchange TRX, IOI City Mall Putrajaya, Gurney Plaza Penang, Suria Sabah KK and KB Mall Kota Bharu.
