Global Ambassador Tan Jianci’s Journey to Switzerland

TAN JIANCI TAKES A JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF RADO

Chinese megastar and Rado Global Brand Ambassador Tan Jianci has just completed a three-day tour of Switzerland which took him to the epicentre of Rado’s design and materials expertise. Tan is a triple-threat performer whose creative versatility is the perfect match for the brand’s iconic designs and cutting-edge innovation. During a visit to Rado’s high-tech ceramic laboratories in Switzerland’s watchmaking heartland, he enjoyed a VIP behind-the-scenes tour of its bespoke processes and was given a demonstration of the performance attributes of this remarkable material, which, just like him, has distinct star quality.

SWISS HERITAGE MEETS A MODERN PHENOMENON

As an award-winning dance prodigy, a stadium-filling singer, and a leading actor in blockbuster films faces, he is celebrated for this astonishing versatility and seemingly unstoppable talent.

Yet his just-completed visit to Switzerland offered Tan fresh inspiration – not just as it was the Rado Global Brand Ambassador’s first trip to the brand’s homeland, but because it took him to the heart of the Master of Materials, with a visit to the brand’s high-tech ceramic laboratory. Here, in the canton of Jura, a Chinese megastar stood at the cutting edge of watchmaking.

PURE WATCHMAKING EXPERTISE

During his visit Tan, who has been working with Rado since January 2025, was guided through the full weeks-long production process that transforms pure zirconium oxide powder into the incredibly radiant, durable and lightweight substance that embodies the brand’s approach to innovation. With high-tech ceramic used in Rado watch cases, crowns, bracelets and other components, in colours that run right through each piece and that never fade, this is a material that has redefined watchmaking.

Tan was walked through each production stage, following the raw material as it was first transformed through injection moulding, then with sintering (heated to 1,450°C) and finally with high-precision polishing – a journey of extremes that creates a material up to five times harder than steel. He was also shown the lab’s specialised plasma oven, which heats high-tech ceramic components at 20,000°C, resulting in a spectacular metallic appearance – without the use of any metal.

INTERACTIVE DEMOS

Afterwards, Tan participated in several interactive demonstrations that brought to life the performance attributes of high-tech ceramic. He compared its lightness against identical volumes of steel and tungsten; was invited to remove his Rado Anatom and attempt to scratch its high-tech ceramic bracelet with a variety of tools; and experimented with how quickly high-tech ceramic matched the heat of his fingertips compared to steel.

“I’ve always felt Rado’s watch designs were iconic, but this visit took things to a new level,” said Tan Jianci. “It helped me understand exactly why it’s known as the Master of Materials – there’s nothing like seeing the process behind high-tech ceramic with your own eyes. I was mesmerised by everything I saw and it helped bring to life why we’re such a good fit. I feel a really close connection with the brand’s creative vision and pioneering mindset and I’m proud to be part of the Rado family.”

ICONS OF SWITZERLAND

Before visiting the manufacture, Rado hosted Tan at some of Switzerland’s most iconic destinations. He soaked up Mediterranean vibes during a boat trip on Lake Maggiore in Ascona, before continuing to Interlaken for a visit to the Rado boutique. His journey then led him through the waterfall-filled landscapes of Lauterbrunnen and into the fairy-tale world of Lungern.

On a mountain 500 metres above Lucerne – one of the world’s leading retail markets for watches that attracts international collectors– the legendary Bürgenstock hotel was the location for a Rado photoshoot, creating collateral for future collaborations that will fuel the next phase of Tan’s role as Global Brand Ambassador.