Cooperations with other Watch Producers:

(under construction)

In 1968, Rado was sold to the ASUAG and in 1970 came under the roof of the GWC (General Watch Co.), acting as a holding of the ASUAG.

The General Watch Co. existed for decades as producer of movements and watches (Helvetia). It was founded in 1880 in Biel/Bienne by Louis Brandt & Fils (= Omega), the brandname Helvetia was registered in 1885. In 1968, the company, together with the movement production, was taken over by the SGT (Societe des Garde-Temps SA), the watch production became independant under the name Montres Helvetia SA and moved on for a few years. The SGT came to the ASUAG in 1970 and the ASUAG used the GWC, still existing as a company, now just as holding for several watch companies.

List of watch companies inner the GWC up to the merge of ASUAG and SSIH to SMH (today´s Swatch Group) in 1983 (some for just a short interim period):
A. Reymond S.A. (Brands: Arsa, Damas and Hoga )
Atlantic S.A

So you find a lot of cooperation inbetween these companies under the roof of the GWC in the 1970s.

Here are the Rado-related ones:
Rado DiaStar watches had been produced also for Certina, Eterna, Longines and Mido with their additional names on the dial. Technos used the same hardmetal case technology (but different cases) under the model name "Borazon". Rado used Longines movements in min. one model.

And an automatic Chronograph with Valjoux 7750 existed with the same case, bracelet(some of them have aftermarket bracelets or leather bands on the photos) and similar dial designs as Rado.  Here they are: Rado(2), Certina, Longines, Mido, Nivada and Technos (Rado with a 25 jw-7750, the other ones with a 17-jw.-version). These came in 1974. Some of them also exist with different dial colours.


Following Jürg Wegelin in his book "Mister Swatch" about Nicolas Hayek (who had been strategic consultant of the ASUAG in the 1970s), Hayek stated at one time that Rado had been the only watch company inner that ASUAG, later SMH construct that realised profit all the time. So it seemed likely to try to transfer a bit of Rado´s success to sister companies by using the successful Rado tungsten-carbide case technology.
The cooperations with Certina, Longines, Mido are officially confirmed.

Inner the GWC, Technos came under the roof of the Montres Edox SA in 1977, Certina followed in 1980.
1982, the Technos company, traditionally strong in the markets of Japan and Brazil, was sold to the Japanese importer, Heiwado & Co, who sold it 1995 to the former importer in Brazil - today it´s the Technos Relógios S.A. and market leader in Brazil (using Citizen movements).
1983, Edox was sold to Victor Strambini/Montres Vista in Geneve, Switzerland.
Certina, together with Rado, Longines, Eterna, Mido and some other companies stayed inner the ASUAG, which merged 1983 with the SSIH to the SMH, today´s Swatch Group.

BTW, also officially confirmed is that Rado produced DiaMaster (DS10) watches for Cartier in the 1970s.










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