Montres Rado S.a.

Rado Uhren Ag

Montes Rado S.a.

Marc Lederrey

Watch case

The watchcase has the upper face of its caseband wholly covered by the glass composed of: an outer plate of transparent material; a smaller transparent plate centrally glued to the inner face of the outer plate for securing the glass to the caseband by its insertion in the caseband opening, and an ornamental opaque fitting in the form of a frame also glued to the outer plate, radially some distance apart from the smaller transparent plate. This fitting may consist either wholly of a transparent body opacified by a vaporized layer or partly of a transparent body, under which a precious or semi-precious stone is glued, or of a metallic or ceramic body. Like a bezel, it determines the aspect of the visible watchcase face while the watch is worn. Every piece of a series of identical watchcases can be given an original appearance simply by gluing a particular fitting to the glass.

Watchcase

A crystal (1) of a wristwatch case contains a sapphire base plate (2) which, in front view, entirely covers the body (3) of the case. That plate (2) is in turn entirely covered by a second sapphire plate (4) which is glued (5) to plate (2) very rigidly. The crystal (1) is fastened to the body (3) by screws engaged from the back side of the body (3) in sockets (7), a head (9) of which is captured between the two plates (2, 4) of the crystal (1). The position of the sockets (7) is exactly determined by a conical seat (10) of housings hollowed out in plate (2), at the bottom of which rests the conical head (9) of the sockets (7). Flats (14) are formed on the heads (9), so that the glue forms packings (15) preventing the sockets (7) from turning while screwing the crystal (1). The upper face (6) of the square (3) and the heads (9) of the sockets (7) are masked by a metal coating (12) deposited by vacuum spraying on the other side of plate (4). The crystal (1) is, furthermore, decorated with semicylindrical colored sapphire baguettes (16) glued in corresponding grooves (19) of plate (4).

Wristwatch case

The protecting device comprises a transparent sapphire plate. The trade-mark of the watch and a digital indication are applied on the reverse side of that plate. These indications are applied by vaporization under vacuum. The digital indication is introduced in an index by the watch manufacturer and forms part of a code permitting the individualization of the watches produced and to identify them at all time. Said plate is indissolubly glued onto the sapphire glass of the watch so that said indications are sandwiched between these two pieces. The individualization of the product, that this protecting device permits, constitutes for the purchaser of the watch the guarantee that the indication designating the origin of the watch is genuine.

Protecting device of a descriptive information appearing on a watchcase

The bottom of the watertight wrist-watch casing is composed of a metallic piece (1) having its edges (2) bent up at right angles, and of a thin elastomer layer (3) lining the inner face of piece (1), to which it strongly adheres by means of a metal/elastomer junction. This bottom is secured to the caseband (9) by means of screws (24) which cause the bottom edges (2) to bear against the caseband (9), thereby pressing the thicker periphery of layer 3 against the caseband (9), to form a tight seal between the bottom and the caseband. The layer (3) is molded with two projections (6) serving as a substitute for the conventional case screws, and with four pillars (7) which hold the dial (18) in abutting engagement with the bottom of a lodging (17).

Watertight wrist-watch casing

The glass (1) of the wrist-watch casing carries the ornamental pieces of the casing visible face surrounding the watch dial (17). These pieces comprise a frame (2) of precious or semi-precious material or a very thin metallized layer (31) deposited under the glass (1). The frame (2) is glued in an indissoluble and resistant manner under glass (1) and a spacing frame (3) is similarly glued under frame (2). The collar (6) of tapped sockets (5) is caught and glued in lodgings (7) provided in the face of frame (3) which is glued to frame (2). The unit composed of these pieces (2, 3, 5) and the glass (1) are removably secured to the caseband (8) by means of screws (9) crossing the caseband and engaging sockets (5) fitting borings (19) of the caseband. Under the metallized layer (31) a single spacing frame (25) of base metal is necessary and sockets (5) are welded in lodgings (26) of that frame.

Growing community of inventors

Le Landeron, Switzerland

Marc Lederrey