Television presenter James May spotted wearing a Rado

James May was captured here behind the wheel — helmet on, radio in hand — almost certainly in the context of a Top Gear or The Grand Tour production shoot. It's the kind of setting where a lesser watch would be left in the hotel room. May, however, kept the Rado Ceramica firmly strapped to his wrist, which tells you something about the man's relationship with his watches: functional, considered, and quietly contrarian.

The Rado Ceramica is built from Rado's proprietary high-tech ceramic (HTC), an extraordinarily hard material — approximately 8.5 on the Mohs scale — that resists scratching far better than most metals. The rectangular case with its softly rounded corners is manufactured as a near-seamless unit with the bracelet, giving the watch its signature monolithic aesthetic. The black dial on this example is flat, uncluttered, with applied baton indices and slender sword hands in polished silver — a study in negative space. Case dimensions run approximately 38mm × 30mm, keeping it trim and wearable. The movement is a reliable ETA-based Swiss quartz, in keeping with Rado's design-over-complication philosophy.

The Ceramica debuted in 2002 and quickly became Rado's definitive statement piece — the model that synthesised the brand's long obsession with alternative materials (dating back to the DiaStar of 1962, the world's first scratchproof watch) into a coherent, wearable object. It has earned quiet respect among collectors who prize material innovation and industrial design over mechanical showmanship.

May's choice is characteristically intelligent. He has spoken publicly about his preference for objects that are well-designed and purposeful without being ostentatious. The Ceramica — priced accessibly for Swiss-made, visually bold but not loud — fits that brief precisely. It's not a watch that shouts; it reasons.

On the grey market, the all-black Ceramica trades close to retail, reflecting steady demand and Rado's consistent positioning. For a ceramic-cased Swiss watch at this price point, the value proposition remains strong, and May's low-key endorsement won't hurt its profile among enthusiasts who pay attention.