A big, bold blast from the past.

Can’t get enough of throwback tickers? Here is another contender for your consideration.

The year 1965 finds itself at a crossroads where fashion is concerned – a decade that started conservatively and ended in the swirl of bright psychedelic colours. And like its namesake year, the Rado Tradition 1965 XL Auto is a watch that finds itself planted in right the middle of sartorial extremes. While unabashedly loud and attention-seeking, the timepiece also wears its classic aesthetic proudly, making it an ideal choice to bridge the smart-casual style divide.

A clear standout trait is, of course, the watch’s huge rectangular case, meant to evoke the Manhattan skyline. In a surprising twist, the Rado Tradition 1965 XL Auto doesn’t come in high-tech ceramic like most of the brand’s other models. Instead it is clad in grade 5 titanium, which is lighter but hardier than steel.

Elsewhere, the rectangle motif echoes on the hour markers, hands and day-date display, as well as facetted finishing on the case, resulting in a neat and cohesive design that contributes firmly to the retro theme. Even the colour combination is on-point: the navy dial and aged brown leather working together to evoke a 1960s workwear tonal palette.

Though ‘XL’ in size, the watch looks larger that it is. Measuring 44mm across, it is as wide as a lot of regular modern sports watches, and we have no problems at all where fit is concerned. Quite an anomaly in Rado’s repertoire – from the retro styling to the titanium case – the Rado Tradition 1965 XL Auto’s exclusivity is further assured as a limited edition collection, capped at, what else, but 1,965 pieces.

Case	Grade 5 titanium
Dial	Brushed blue with rhodium coloured applied indexes
Movement	Automatic ETA C07.621
Strap	Brown vintage look leather
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds, day and date
Power  Reserve	80 hours
Price	S$3,250