Back in 2019, Swiss watchmaker Rado unveiled a selection of slim, lightweight and vibrant ceramic watches called the True Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier. The novelties were designed in collaboration with Les Couleurs Suisse, giving Rado complete access to all 63 colours of the Architectural Polychromy colour theory.
It’s been half a decade since the series launched and yet for some reason, we’ve yet to do a hands-on review of these watches… until now. Rado has kindly sent us the True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green 32041 watch to take a look at. And since the industry is currently going crazy for colourful watch dials, it feels like perfect timing.
Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green. Credit: WatchGecko.
The Architectural Polychromy Colour Theory
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, also known by his self-given name, Le Corbusier, was a prolific writer, lecturer, artist and most famously, an architect. He is considered one of the greatest pioneers of modern architecture and created many impressive buildings and entire cityscapes across the world. His work is linked to the ideas of modernity and “Esprit Nouveau”, built with functionality and the future in mind.
But what does this have to do with watches, I hear you ask? Bear with me. In Le Corbusier’s pursuit for masterful architectural colour, he came up with the idea of an Architectural Polychromy system. It was first developed in 1931 and consisted of 43 colours, before later expanding in 1959 to include a total of 63. They are colours of nature and can be freely combined with one another. They were also chosen for their physiological, visual and emotional effects. The shades are still used by architects and interior designers today.
Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green. Credit: WatchGecko.
In celebration of Le Corbusier and his world famous colour theory, Rado launched the True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier collection featuring nine watches adorned in 9 of the 63 colours from the spectrum. What’s really quite impressive is that every part of the watch is adorned in its chosen colour. We’re talking the case, bracelet, crown, dial and even the hands and hour markers.
The Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green
Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green. Credit: WatchGecko.
The Rado True Thinline Les Couleurs collection is currently available in five shades from the more delicate end of the 1931 palette: Cream White, Iron Grey, Natural Umber, Pale Sienna and English Green (the model we’re looking at today). Then there’s a further four models from the 1959 expansion in Luminous Pink, Powerful Orange, Spectacular Ultramarine and Sunshine Yellow.
Alongside its unique grey-ish green colouring, the main draw of the Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green watch is its ceramic case material. If you’re here, most of you probably know Rado call themselves the “Master of Materials” and are well versed in utilising ceramic in their collections. The material is versatile, lightweight and scratch resistant and in this instance, kept incredibly thin and compact on the wrist with the case measuring to 39.5mm wide and only 5mm tall. The latter is largely down to the ultra-thin Swiss made quartz movement housed inside. The case also incorporates sapphire crystal glass and warrants a 30 metre water resistant rating.
Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green. Credit: WatchGecko.
The very same shade of muted green is used on the three-row link ceramic bracelet and on the dial. Even the stick indexes and slender hands for the hours and minutes are English Green, as is the lettering for the Rado logo presented at 12 o’clock. This does mean legibility is a little questionable on occasion, but we have to applaud Rado’s dedication to the colour system.
The Rado True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier English Green watch is undoubtedly fun and different; I’ll always applaud brands for experimenting, especially with colour. Plus, the feel of ceramic on the wrist is something everyone should experience at least once. The only drawback here for me is the price. Limited to 999 pieces, this English Green model retails for £1,950 and while I understand this is a full ceramic model which warrants a few zeros on the end, the quartz movement inside feels lacklustre for an almost £2k watch.
Technical Specifications:
- Brand: Rado
- Model: True Square Thinline Les Couleurs Le Corbusier
- Price: £1,950
- Limited: 999 pieces each
- Material: Ceramic
- Movement: Quartz
- Complications: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Dial: English Green
- Size: 39.5mm wide, 5mm tall
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Strap: Ceramic bracelet
