**** 1970s Vintage Rado Manhattan Automatic Men’s Watch Reference 11815-1 ****

[is that my watch]

Well have always like the Manhattan but find it hard to spot the good from the bad, so thought if out resident rado guys could give a few pointers here on what to look out for in good and bad points would be a help as got my eye on a few at the minute and also what is there view on the 1950s Vintage Rado President De Luxe too.. would be good to hear about that one too.. and maybe other i might link to over time so even thou i title it about the Manhattan i might over time broaden it out .


As always ismy

[Henry Krinkle]

That one looks authentic. I would say that because of the three ro NSA it is from the early 70s. If it is on the seven row it is likely from the sixties.

What to look for

- Minute markers. They don't belong. Rado never made a Manhattan with them.

- Case sharpness. The original case is very sharp for steel. Are the edges good? Most are over polished blobs. The one you posted looks pretty good. It has likely been lightly refinished at some point in the past

- Does the bracelet have the fitted end links? If not, the bracelet is a replacement. Likewise, if it comes on a leather strap. These come under a general rule for Manhattans and that is as soon as everything that is visible is less than 100% correct there is a better than average chance that things not visible are not correct either.

- Does the crystal have an anchor in the centre? If not, it has been replaced.

- The Manhattan wasn't offered in a lot of crazy colours and most that were available were rather subdued. If it is bright, it's probably a redial. My rust coloured gold Manhattan is about as far out as a Manhattan gets.

- If it is authentic pay attention to the edges of the dial. The Manhattan had a water resistance rating of 700+ feet with a snap on back and no screw down crown. Rado used a super sticky gasket to achieve this. If untouched the gasket seals the watch for decades, but most will eventually break down to a tar like substance which tends to migrate up onto the edges of the dial. This causes dial discolouration and sometimes loss of the dial finish.

As for 1950's President deLuxes, there are a lot of models and I can't really give too many general rules for any of them.

[is that my watch]

thanks the one in the pic is a question mark to me as their are good point from what I could see and bad they showed a dial shot out the case but not a movement shot so that makes me very wary .... of it and think with the rado my thought is as same as the omega what level do i want.. what if going top end price then got to be 100 percent original and in very good order if toward the bottom end price point then you takes your chance but you can still learn as you go with the low end point if they come on bracelets some time they are worth the money to get the right age and condition bracelet ..

I have punted £65 plus post on a RADO PURPLE SABRE the pics was not the best and not got it's original bracelet if it came on one .. it has a missing sign crown so will need to source one as it has a unsign one now and the dial looks damaged ..but hoping maybe the crystal is scuffed so that it is that and not the dial... they say working ...

so for the price i wont of lost much if not as it should be , the president is the gold plated one with batons ? ... was also looking in when they don't have the anchor on the dial and the writing more plain how can you tell which are right and which are wrong ?

as always a fount of information you are don't know I ended of sounding all yoda like

[is that my watch]

well the president went to high on condition and not sure on the dial ant going for it

[is that my watch]

like this but again no movement shot and look's like their is really bad damage to the back plate that they don't even mention

[OhDark30]

You’re not kidding - what did they try to open that with? A pneumatic drill?

The ‘let’s hide that bit in shadow’ approach doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, either

[Henry Krinkle]

like this but again no movement shot and look's like their is really bad damage to the back plate that they don't even mention

You’re not kidding - what did they try to open that with? A pneumatic drill?

The ‘let’s hide that bit in shadow’ approach doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, either

Also, while that is a Diastar bracelet, it is a 21st Century bracelet on a 1970s Diastar.

[Henry Krinkle]

well the president went to high on condition and not sure on the dial ant going for it

That looks authentic. It would be post 1957 and it is probably very early 1960s.

[is that my watch]

so not bad then call them both kosher just lot of wear damage on them ...wonder if my sarbe will be the same as in kosher

[is that my watch]

so this one is a repainted dial then ?