Rado - Green Horse Seventy-One - No reserve price - 11873 - Men - 1970-1979

Now available at auction from Second Vintage This highly unusual Rado Green Horse 'Seventy-One' immediately stands out with a quirky and sought-after dial configuration. Featuring a distinctive vertical day and date display at six o'clock, balanced by a green seahorse logo placed unconventionally at nine o'clock, this piece offers a highly attractive layout for fans of unconventional vintage designs. Brand: Rado Model: Green Horse Reference Number: 11873 Movement: 25-jewel automatic Dial: Champagne with vertical brushed finish, vertical day and date at 6 o'clock, green seahorse logo at 9 o'clock Case Size: 34mm (excluding the crown) Case Material: Gold-tone Production Year: 1970s Condition: Fair vintage condition. Timegrapher: +2+5s/day with strong amplitude, performing remarkably well. Dial and Hands The dial is well-preserved with a highly unusual and attractive layout. It features a champagne surface elevated by a fine vertical brushed finish. Applied gold-tone indices with black inserts provide excellent contrast, complementing the gold-tone baton hands that also feature black central stripes. The visual weight of the dial is wonderfully distributed by an unconventional vertical day and date window positioned at six o'clock and a distinctive green seahorse logo placed at nine o'clock. Under macro inspection, the dial reveals minor dust and light spotting, while the hands show honest minor surface oxidation and light scratches consistent with the dial's overall presentation. Case and Crystal The gold-tone cushion case presents in a heavily worn condition with obvious plating loss, reflecting its history of use. Significant plating wear and tarnishing are present, particularly concentrated along the edges and lugs. Surface scratches and handling marks are visible throughout the case surfaces. The unsigned ribbed crown, which features a dimpled end, also shows commensurate plating wear. The caseback exhibits light scratches, though its engravings remain clearly legible. A domed acrylic crystal protects the dial, showing some light surface scratches and minor edge wear. Movement Powering this timepiece is a gold-tone 25-jewel automatic movement. The caliber presents a clean overall appearance with no obvious signs of heavy corrosion or damage, and the rotor is signed Rado. Engravings reading Rado, 25 Jewels, and Swiss are visible on the movement plates. Exhibiting remarkable accuracy and consistency, performing brilliantly for a vintage timepiece. The timegrapher records a rate of +2+5s/day with strong amplitude. Strap The watch is fitted with a period correct gold-tone link bracelet. Matching the heavily worn character of the case, the bracelet shows heavy plating wear, tarnishing, and scratches across its links. The endlinks are stamped with the codes B49 81F. The bracelet will accommodate a maximum wrist size of up to 18.5 cm. Condition Fair vintage condition. The dial and hands are well-preserved, maintaining their highly attractive configuration with only minor spotting and oxidation visible under magnification. The gold-tone case and period correct bracelet show heavy wear, with obvious plating loss, tarnishing, and scratches throughout. The automatic movement remains in excellent functional order, recording strong timegrapher results. Dimensions Case Size: 34mm (excluding the crown) Remarks This Green Horse 'Seventy-One' offers a highly engaging layout that breaks away from traditional dial symmetry. The striking vertical day and date display, combined with excellent mechanical performance, makes this a fascinating and sought-after configuration for any collector of distinctive 1970s design. History Rado has long been celebrated for its willingness to experiment with unconventional case shapes, materials, and dial layouts. During the 1970s, the brand produced numerous variations of its popular Green Horse line, exploring different aesthetic avenues to appeal to a rapidly changing market. The 'Seventy-One' variant stands out as a particularly intriguing execution, utilizing unusual logo placements and vertical calendar windows to create a distinct identity. Today, these quirky configurations are appreciated by collectors who value the bold and imaginative design language of the era. / Second Vintage SKU: RAD-RGH-0080