VIDEO: The Rado Captain Cook comes correct

Nick Kenyon

First released in 1962, the Rado Captain Cook offers firepower on the wrist, as well as more than half a century of rich history. The initial production numbers may have been small during the swinging ’60s, but the Captain Cook left its mark on dive watch enthusiasts around the world, and in 2017 Rado treated its fans with a re-release of the famous watch. In this example with a black dial, we are offered a 42mm steel case with a glossy black bezel that frames the dial nicely. The blend of brushed and polished surfaces on the case add contrast, and sharpen the lines of the case as they taper into the faceted lugs. Arriving on a beads of rice bracelet is the perfect companion to the Captain Cook, giving a taste of the pioneering dive watch days with this style of bracelet was enormously popular, as well as the functional aspect of supreme comfort that it offers.

While the market for Swiss-made dive watches is a crowded one, the Rado Captain Cook Automatic can proudly stand on its own two feet, with a strength of design that has carried it over five decades, and is both accessibly sized and competitively priced. If you don’t currently have a dive watch in your collection, and are looking for a style of watch that doesn’t scream out as belonging exclusively on the wrists of frogmen, you could do much worse than choose a Captain Cook as a companion to recreationally dive as well as desk dive.

 

Rado Captain Cook Automatic price and availability

The Rado Captain Cook Automatic with black dial on a beads of rice bracelet is AUD $2900, and is currently available at boutiques.

Made in partnership with Rado. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.