When you think of Rado, what do you think about – their use of high-tech ceramics? That would be apt, as they do a lot of interesting things with ceramic. Still, that’s giving short shrift to their sportier lines that focus on more traditional materials. The Captain Cook lineup manages to get you vintage diver looks, and their latest – the Rado Captain Cook Chronograph – brings a new complication to the case.
As with any Rado watch, the Rado Captain Cook Chronograph looks to have a well-sorted approach to aesthetics that wraps around a technically competent watch. For me, it starts with the broad-arrow hour hand that really anchors the Captain Cook line (pun fully intended) along with the rotating anchor at 12 o’clock that marks Rado’s automatic watches.
The big change, of course, for the Rado Captain Cook Chronograph are the two chronograph subdials that appear on the dial. This obviously marks the watch as a chronograph, as do the pushers that flank the crown. Once those pushers and the crown are screwed down, you’ve got a watch that’s good for a 300m WR rating, so you could actually dive with these if you wanted to.
In terms of aesthetics, you’ve got three different color options in the Rado Captain Cook Chronograph line. You’ve got a classic blue-and-bronze, a blue-and-steel (my favorite), and a gradient brown-black on steel. With these three, they all come with three strap options – NATO and leather for the bronze case, and steel, NATO, and leather for the other two. These were released at the start of the month, and you can pick up the bronze version for $4,410 or the steel versions for $3,710. Check them out, as well as the rest of the range, directly at rado.com.
Tech Specs from Rado
Ref. R32146208
- Movement: Rado calibre R801, automatic, 37 jewels, 5 hands, red printed date at 6 o’clock, 59-hour power reserve, antimagnetic NivachronTM hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy
- Case:
- Brushed bronze (CuAl) case
- Bronze (CuAl) turning bezel with polished blue high-tech ceramic insert with engraved numbers and markers, triangle with vintage-look yellow Super-LumiNova® Circular-brushed titanium screw-down case back with sapphire crystal
- Polished bronze (CuAl) screw-down crown and pushers
- Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Water-resistant to 30 bar (300m)
- Dial:
- Blue, sunray
- Yellow gold-coloured applied indexes with vintage-look yellow Super-LumiNova®
- Yellow gold-coloured moving anchor symbol with red backplate
- White printed Rado and Captain Cook logos, 300m / 1000ft
- Hands:
- Yellow gold-coloured with vintage look yellow Super-LumiNova®
- Yellow gold-coloured second chrono hand with red tip
- Yellow gold-coloured minute chrono hand counter with red tip
- Yellow gold-coloured small second hand counter
- Strap:
- EasyClip system
- Blue textile NATO style strap with a gold coloured middle line, brushed bronze (CuAl) pin buckle and loops
- Blue leather strap, brushed bronze (CuAl) pin buckle and loops Blue textile NATO style strap, brushed bronze (CuAl) pin buckle and loops
- Dimensions: 43.0 x 49.5 x 14.8 (WxLxH in mm)
Ref. R32145208
- Movement: Rado calibre R801, automatic, 37 jewels, 5 hands, red printed date at 6 o’clock, 59-hour power reserve, antimagnetic NivachronTM hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy
- Case:
- Polished stainless steel case
- Stainless steel turning bezel with a polished blue high-tech ceramic insert with engraved numbers and markers, triangle in white Super-LumiNova®
- Circular-brushed stainless steel screw-down case back with sapphire crystal
- Polished stainless steel screw-down crown and pushers
- Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Water-resistant to 30 bar (300m)
- Dial:
- Silver to blue gradient
- Rhodium-coloured applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova®
- Rhodium-coloured moving anchor symbol with red backplate
- White printed Rado and Captain Cook logos, 300m / 1000ft
- Hands:
- Rhodium-coloured with white Super-LumiNova®
- Rhodium-coloured second chrono hand with red tip
- Rhodium-coloured minute chrono hand counter with red tip
- Rhodium-coloured small second hand counter
- Strap:
- EasyClip system
- Blue textile NATO style strap with a gold coloured middle line, brushed bronze (CuAl) pin buckle and loops
- Blue leather strap, stainless steel folding clasp
- Blue textile NATO style strap, stainless steel pin buckle
- Dimensions: 43.0 x 49.5 x 14.8 (WxLxH in mm)
Ref. R32145158
- Movement: Rado calibre R801, automatic, 37 jewels, 5 hands, red printed date at 6 o’clock, 59-hour power reserve, antimagnetic NivachronTM hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy
- Case:
- Polished stainless steel case
- Stainless steel turning bezel with a polished blue high-tech ceramic insert with engraved numbers and markers, triangle in white Super-LumiNova®
- Circular-brushed stainless steel screw-down case back with sapphire crystal
- Polished stainless steel screw-down crown and pushers
- Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Water-resistant to 30 bar (300m)
- Dial:
- Silver to black gradient
- Rhodium-coloured applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova®
- Rhodium-coloured moving anchor symbol with red backplate
- White printed Rado and Captain Cook logos, 300m / 1000ft
- Hands:
- Rhodium-coloured with white Super-LumiNova®
- Rhodium-coloured second chrono hand with red tip
- Rhodium-coloured minute chrono hand counter with red tip
- Rhodium-coloured small second hand counter
- Strap:
- EasyClip system
- Polished and brushed stainless steel, extendable folding clasp
- Brown leather strap, stainless steel folding clasp
- Black textile NATO style strap, stainless steel pin buckle
- Dimensions: 43.0 x 49.5 x 14.8 (WxLxH in mm)
