{"id":38873,"date":"2022-03-12T19:00:53","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T18:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/?p=38873"},"modified":"2025-05-28T22:32:16","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T20:32:16","slug":"the-rado-captain-cook-2022-read-all-our-product-reviews-in-one-place","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horbiter.com\/en\/the-rado-captain-cook-2022-read-all-our-product-reviews-in-one-place\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rado Captain Cook 2022: read all our product reviews so far"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since its launch, the Rado Captain Cook<\/strong> has opened a new chapter at Rado<\/strong>. The contemporary Captain Cook<\/strong> is a nod to a top-selling and one of the most sought-after collections from the Swiss brand, uniquely offering a rugged diving watch in a luxury sports watch disguise at a fair market price. Vintage Rado Captain Cook<\/strong> watches are highly valued on the second-hand watches marketplace; thus, Rado<\/strong> has released an extensive product portfolio including vintage-inspired timepieces, though modern at heart since they feature the latest-generation 80-hour power reserve calibres, or specific mechanical movements as with the top-of-the-range High-Tech Ceramic<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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The current Rado Captain Cook<\/strong> watch collection kicked off with the Captain Cook 37mm<\/strong>, alongside neo-vintage timepieces like the Rado Captain Cook Hyperchrome<\/strong>, a specific take on the Captain Cook<\/strong> template sitting across this and the HyperChrome<\/strong> collection. The model mentioned above is out of catalogue now, and the current offering has lost the HyperChrome<\/strong> nickname, which usually refers to a whole different product. The Rado Captain Cook Limited Edition<\/strong> models (measuring 37mm across) are much appreciated among vintage-Rado fans or those with a reasonably small wrist.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Instead, the Rado Captain Cook MK2<\/strong> and Captain Cook MKIII<\/strong> belong to the Rado Original<\/strong> range while representing reissues to specific historical models, despite the Rado Captain Cook MK III<\/strong> being a \u201cneo-vintage\u201d take. You\u2019ll find links to their hands-on reviews while reading the article. In contrast, this archive article includes the titanium option once classified as HyperChrome<\/strong>, as stated, and usually referred to as Rado Captain Cook XXL<\/strong> or The Rado Captain Cook given its hefty 45mm<\/strong> case size.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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The green Rado Captain Cook<\/strong>, offered initially as a 200m<\/strong> and as a 300m<\/strong> rated watch then, is the collection\u2019s bread and butter, yet the newly released Rado Captain Cook in Red<\/strong>, featuring a smoked red dial, is the most attractive of them all, so far.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022: The Rado Captain Cook comes with a smoked red dial and black ceramic bezel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 300-meter Captain Cook<\/strong> is as good as it gets. It\u2019s a fairly-priced compliant sports watch on a steel bracelet boasting excellent build quality. The new variant couldn\u2019t be any different; it instead proves we can still buy top-notch watches on a budget offering the same product quality found on timepieces costing twice as much or more.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new smoked red dial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The piece of news is the 2022 new smoked red dial<\/strong>; it goes from red to black as you move towards the dial\u2019s outer edge. It reminds me of the limited red edition Rado Golden Horse<\/strong> and adds a vintage touch to a quintessentially contemporary watch. While the green option comes as no surprise any longer, the Rado reference R32105353<\/strong> offers superior sophistication. The black ceramic inlay makes it a less polarizing but distinctive watch whose pedigree epitomizes Rado<\/strong>\u2018s DNA better than its green counterpart. I would opt for the Red Captain Cook<\/strong>, which sets itself apart as a two-tone Captain Cook<\/strong> sports watch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The overall features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bracelet offers a subtle and hidden quick-release mechanism offering seamless integration with the case. Yet, I\u2019m not the greatest fan of watches adopting quick release pins instead of push-buttons, especially on a steel bracelet. It takes time and tiny fingers to quickly release and lock the bracelet to the case; a push-button is my fav choice and is widely adopted by other brands belonging to the Swatch group. You\u2019ll end up losing the pin quickly. I\u2019m not the biggest fan of Captain Cook<\/strong>\u2018s three-link bracelet, too; I think its design is too mainstream, while Rado<\/strong> offers a more attractive \u201cbeads of rice\u201d option. It looks bizarre, but I also hardly understand why Rado<\/strong> is not offering any rubber replacement strap on a 300 meters<\/strong> diving watch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Rado Captain Cook<\/strong> is a grown-up product, consistently improved along the way. The 42 mm<\/strong> case is perhaps too much, but the 12,3 mm thickness<\/strong> makes it comfortable enough for various people. However, I\u2019ll offer a 39 mm<\/strong> model sometime soon. I\u2019ll also add a replacement rubber strap soon since summer is approaching, and I\u2019ll, nonetheless, come with a titanium option, too, paired to this 42 mil template.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021: The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic watch hands-on<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic<\/strong>\u00a0adds to a product range conceived to celebrate iconic\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watches from the past geared towards vintage\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watches die-hard fans. The\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0collection raised a wide following since its launch, and the offering was so classic, so far, that I wouldn\u2019t have foreseen any addition other than the umpteenth vintage-inspired\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watch. With the\u00a0High-Tech<\/strong>\u00a0four variations introduced, Rado is the only brand to offer modern yet classic timepieces alongside the most modern take on the full ceramic watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did Rado develop the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Rado<\/strong>\u2018s mission is to design and manufacture the ultimate (and affordable) full ceramic watch. Despite housing the most modern calibres,\u00a0its neo-vintage collections<\/strong>\u00a0played with the nostalgia factor to attract a selected group of customers. However, the brand keeps adding a flagship product to showcase its expertise and trigger tech-savvy enthusiasts to discover new collections.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Compared to similar experiments across the portfolio, the Captain Cook High-tech Ceramic<\/strong>\u00a0is the most advanced since it is a\u00a0300-meter professional diving watch<\/strong>\u00a0and comes equipped with terrific technical upgrades inside and out. Whether you\u2019re a fan of full ceramic\u00a0Rados<\/strong> or not, you can\u2019t deny there\u2019s no competition in this price segment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case and bracelet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, the\u00a0Captain Cook High-tech Ceramic<\/strong>\u00a0is available in four variations, two of which are pictured here; you\u2019re offered with three options in black ceramic (with or without ceramic matching bracelet), and a fourth one adopting plasma ceramic,\u00a0Ceramos<\/strong>\u2122 and a blue ceramic inlay on the rotating bezel. The latter is to\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0what a plasma ceramic HyperChrome Chrono<\/strong>\u00a0is to standard models and has a steel or titanium sports watch feel to it. All models adopt\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s signature one-piece case design, which is as ingenious as a kind of a letdown.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The build is robust and guarantees enough strength to offset zirconium oxide\u2019s poor resilience when compared to steel, for example. However, the outcome is a bold but hefty watch designed to accommodate mainly large wrists: it measures 43 millimetres<\/strong>\u00a0across and is\u00a014.6 mm<\/strong>\u00a0thick. Weighing in at\u00a0157 grams<\/strong>, the\u00a0High-Tech<\/strong>\u00a0is a \u201ctool watch\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Nonetheless, there are some metal parts here and there; the rotating bezel\u2019s grooved ring is in (hardened) steel and adopts a PVD coating<\/strong>\u00a0on the gold-coloured variation. The bracelet alternates glossy to matt black ceramic links rather than matte or polished plasma ceramic ones; both are fastened via a butterfly-designed clasp in titanium. The concave ceramic insert\u2019s finish is exquisite, and the rotating bezel offers a sturdy, no-gap feel.\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s expertise in making multi-compound ceramic watches stands out here.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The dial is a see-through sapphire crystal; it is brilliant since it visually lightens the watch and enhances the three-dimensional construction and displacement of parts, like the floating trapezoidal indexes and the equally floating logo with the anchor on top. It looks like an unconventional mixture of a \u201cvaguely vintage\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong> with contrasting ultra-modern materials. This controversial combination is the main esthetic takeaway. The mass-produced mechanical movement offers unique specifications, which we will discuss in the following paragraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Rado calibre R734<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0R734<\/strong>\u00a0is the product\u2019s communication\u2019s centrepiece, and for a good reason. Capable of\u00a0running for 80 hours<\/strong>\u00a0when fully wound, the new movement is the first of its kind to adopt a\u00a0Nivachron<\/strong>\u00a0hairspring. Few people know that this hairspring (crafted out of a titanium base) was developed with\u00a0Audemars Piguet<\/strong>\u00a0and sets itself as an option for in-house silicon hairsprings. The\u00a0Swatch Group<\/strong>\u00a0declares the\u00a0Nivachron<\/strong>\u00a0offers superior resistance to magnetic fields (whose impact is 10 to 20 times lower, depending on the model) compared to a traditional hairspring and is not affected by temperature changes while ensuring optimal shock resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Certina<\/strong>\u00a0debuted the\u00a0Swatch Group<\/strong>\u2018s new hairspring; I believe\u00a0Nivachron<\/strong>\u00a0is a mass-produced industrial component whose performances are in line with silicon while cutting down on production costs. From a product marketing perspective,\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0pushes on its value proposition\u2019s uniqueness inside and out of the watch, in contrast to the original and exclusive full-ceramic storytelling. As a proof of concept, each timepiece goes through a\u00a0five-position regulation instead of three<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic<\/strong>\u00a0is perhaps the most sophisticated or advanced\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watch money can buy, and I\u2019ll pick the plasma ceramic model option, no doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n

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It is the closest thing to any steel or titanium sports watch but is far less prone to wear; a High-Tech<\/strong>\u00a0will preserve its as-new condition for years to come, thus reducing after-sales costs when it\u2019s time for a whole product overhaul, which includes case polishing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Conversely, its size and weight make it a niche timepiece; I suggest Rado<\/strong>\u00a0slim down case width and height to hopefully please smaller wrists. The retail price is\u00a0\u20ac 3,950<\/strong>, thus sitting on top of\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s price waterfall while offering a package that outperforms any approachable competitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020: The Rado Captain Cook 300 meters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you ask a\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0executive which model is the current brand\u2019s hero, you\u2019ll perhaps end up hearing:\u00a0\u201cThe Rado Captain Cook.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Launched in\u00a02019<\/strong>, in various color combinations, the\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0has raised much success, especially with a green or blue dial and matching ceramic bezel. The offering also includes multiple case sizes and dial styles, thus appealing to vintage\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0fans as much as to potential new customers whose budget is in the mid-range class of products. Accordingly, I appreciate what they did when they also introduced the\u00a0Rado Original Captain Cook MKII<\/strong><\/a>, whose feel is so close to the original version that I own. A year has gone, and\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0has upgraded the\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0collection already. What did they change, and why? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Upgrading an almost new timepieces\u2019 product line is as rare as it gets, even for a fast-moving brand like\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0unless the so-called\u00a0\u201cVoice of the customer\u201d<\/em>\u00a0has pushed the brand to change something, which is not the case, however. From a consumer\u2019s perspective, anyone who bought the\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0first edition might find this move misleading, given the one-year lifecycle so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, from a specs sheet point of view, the upgrade was not that relevant, nor irrelevant too, in my opinion. The\u00a02020 Rado Captain Cook 300m<\/strong>\u00a0is essentially unchanged; the mechanical movement included (it is automatic with eighty hours of power reserve when fully wound), but, as the name suggests, it is water-resistant to up to\u00a0300m<\/strong>, with the\u00a0\u201coutgoing\u201d<\/em>\u00a0variant being\u00a0200m<\/strong>\u00a0WR<\/strong>\u00a0instead. You can quickly spot new and old ones since the former showcases the\u00a0300m<\/strong>\/1000ft<\/strong>\u00a0wording on the dial.<\/p>\n\n\n

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They both come at\u00a042mm<\/strong>\u00a0across and are\u00a012,1mm<\/strong>\u00a0thick. As soon as I unboxed the new one, I couldn\u2019t\u2019 avoid noticing the\u00a02020 Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0features a darker green Pantone too. Take a look at our photos of the\u00a02019<\/strong>\u00a0edition, and you\u2019ll recognize the previous one\u2019s green is brighter and more brilliant.\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0confirmed what we have guessed; my idea is that\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0designers should opt for a darker tone to pair with the steel option as smoothly as with the new\u00a0bronze one<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new three-link bracelet sporting the\u00a0Easy Clip<\/strong>\u00a0quick release system debuts, along with a folding clasp with micro-extension mechanism, proving the\u00a02020 Captain Cook 300<\/strong>\u00a0is a more tool-watch take on the standard one. Anyone can swap bracelets as per his or her liking, whether you\u2019re in for a\u00a0Captain Cook 200m<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cbeads of rice\u201d<\/em>\u00a0or not, including leather and\u00a0NATO<\/strong>\u00a0straps alternatives.\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0added a kit option too, including those strap options, at a very attractive premium price.<\/p>\n\n\n

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As the\u00a02020<\/strong>\u00a0products phased-in, the\u00a02019<\/strong>\u00a0model didn\u2019t phase out, at least until quantities last, I believe. The truth is that you can still opt for the\u00a02019<\/strong>\u00a0edition, on a bead of rice bracelet, and the\u00a02020<\/strong>\u00a0option on a three-link bracelet as well, as standard. The point is:\u00a0\u201cWhich one should a potential buyer choose?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0The answer is not as straightforward as you\u2019d love to hear. The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook 2020<\/strong>\u00a0is, no doubt, technically more refined (especially if you\u2019re a diver) but jumps in at\u00a0165 grams<\/strong>, hence a 20% more than its\u00a02019<\/strong>\u00a0sibling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The price gap,\u00a02,170 Euros<\/strong>\u00a0Vs.\u00a02,070<\/strong>\u00a0Euros<\/strong>, is insignificant. At a\u00a02,370 Euro<\/strong>\u00a0retail price, you can go for the kit version with two additional straps, whereas, by adding\u00a0160 Euros<\/strong>\u00a0to the\u00a02020 Captain Cook<\/strong>\u2018s sticker price, you can make a bead of rice replacement bracelet yours. In summary, you might make the\u00a02020 Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0on old bracelet yours, weighing the original\u00a0137 grams<\/strong>, by spending\u00a02,330 Euros<\/strong>\u00a0instead of\u00a02,070 Euros<\/strong>. Here is my choice, at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020: the Rado Captain Cook Automatic Bronze<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The new\u00a0Rado Captain Cook Automatic Bronze<\/strong>\u00a0combines three materials: bronze, titanium, and ceramic. It is not breaking news in the industry except you won\u2019t expect such a strange offering from the brand that is synonymous with ceramic watches. That\u2019s an acceptable choice when looking at the beautiful\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>, among\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s most appreciated and top-selling new timepieces, instead. The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook Automatic Bronze<\/strong>\u00a0is the brand\u2019s second bronze watch, after the HyperChrome, whose adoption of bronze was restricted to a few parts.<\/p>\n\n\n

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This new variant of\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0also confirms what\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0experimented when launching the\u00a0True Thinline Nature Collection<\/strong><\/a>, which means releasing three color variants inspired from and connected to nature. Unlike the original steel\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>, the bronze one comes exclusively on a leather strap with matching bronze tang buckle, unlike most brands. The pin buckle is a perfect match for this collection. If I had to pick the closest possible competitor, it would bring me straight to\u00a0Montblanc\u2019s 1858 collection<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and the time-only version, primarily.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Both technically and esthetically, the curved bezel with ceramic inlay is among the\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u2018s design cues. It also is a clear homage to the sixties, as proved by the freshly released\u00a0Breitling Superocean Heritage 1957<\/strong>, whose vintage sibling adopted a similar solution. Measuring\u00a042mm<\/strong>, across, and\u00a012<\/strong>,5mm<\/strong>\u00a0in thickness, it is bold without being hefty. By pairing the bronze case and bezel with a titanium-alloy-crafted case back, the watch is hypoallergenic, while stopping its weight to a more than acceptable\u00a079 grams<\/strong>. My only concern regards the engravings on the back, which, in my experience, usually pinch the wrist. Nothing we can confirm until we are allowed to fasten one around our wrist, something we hope to do anytime soon. The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0Bronze<\/strong>\u00a0houses the\u00a0ETA C07<\/strong>\u00a0caliber whose base module is common to other brands belonging to the Swatch group, although no silicon balance spring is mentioned in the specs sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The caliber\u2019s eighty hours of maximum power reserve prove the timepiece is modern and technically more refined than its direct competitors if we exclude, again, those coming from\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s sister brands. A slightly cambered dial and golden applied indexes filled with lots of white\u00a0Super<\/strong>\u2013LumiNova<\/strong>\u00ae (the\u00a0Rado Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0is a diving watch, capable of ensuring a 300-meter water resistance) complete this range extender\u2019s package. If I were asked to list the pros, I would first mention the bezel\u2019s build quality. You cannot expect anything other than excellent build quality from the master of all things ceramics, and this\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0is no different. For example, the ceramic inlay is exquisitely crafted and offers touch and feel on par to that provided by competitors costing twice as much.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Regarding the color options, I would go for the blue or green ones and discard the brown one instead. When going for any bronze watch, consider it will change appearance over time, due to the natural oxidation process. Under such conditions, the brown dialed variant might tend to become too brownish; vice versa, I predict the other two ones create a pleasant contrast between patina and polished parts, like bezel and dial. We\u2019re just speculating since you won\u2019t know how everything will end up unless you own one. The\u00a0Rado Captain Cook Automatic Bronze<\/strong>\u00a0has a retail price of\u00a02<\/strong>,680 Euros<\/strong>. It can also be purchased online if you\u2019re living in the following countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019: The Rado Captain Cook Automatic 42mm watches hands-on<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m glad to see that\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0keeps re-issuing its historic timepieces and enlarging the current\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0collection. That collection has a huge following and is equally appreciated\u00a0by vintage\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0lovers and millennials, whose admiration for the brand\u2019s products grows at a steady pace. The\u00a02019 Rado Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0collection follows the likes of\u00a0successful watches like the\u00a0Rado Original Captain Cook MKII<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and the newly released\u00a0Rado Golden Horse 1957<\/strong>, a faithful re-edition of the original\u00a0Golden Horse<\/strong>, that was on display last year at\u00a0Villa<\/strong>\u00a0Gamberaia<\/strong>,\u00a0Florence<\/strong>, during the\u00a0International Press Launch of the Rado True Thinline Nature Collection<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Green, blue, and brown color combinations to symbolize nature.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Three new colored versions join the current collection (with the addition of a black one), and two of them are pictured here. The renewed\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0range was initially launched in\u00a02017<\/strong>, showcasing two slightly different designs: a hefty\u00a045mm<\/strong>\u00a0large\u00a0Rado Hyperchrome Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0and an accurate replica of the first-ever made, the\u00a037mm<\/strong>\u00a0wide\u00a01962<\/strong>\u2013piece limited edition Rado Captain Cook Automatic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Rado<\/strong>\u00a0has an unconventional approach, aesthetically speaking,\u00a0when it comes to drawing inspiration from the past: it designs a replica, geared towards vintage replica addicts, and a more modern take on the original one, that blends past and present as the\u00a0<\/span>HyperChrome<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0did. Two years after the official launch, the product family broadens with the addition of a list of\u00a0<\/span>42mm<\/strong>\u00a0sized\u00a0<\/span>Captain Cooks<\/strong>, to close the gap between small and big timepieces.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Frankly, the\u00a042mm<\/strong>\u00a0case is a winner: the vintage-inspired lines, the elongated and straight lugs, the curved-on-the-side yet flat-in-the-center sapphire glass-box, and, finally, the\u00a012<\/strong>.1mm<\/strong>\u00a0thickness make this\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0look clean and graceful. The\u00a02019<\/strong>\u00a0collection welcomes three color schemes: the ceramic inlay on the rotating bezel comes in vivid green, dark blue, or brown, thus mimicking one-to-one the\u00a0Rado True Thinline Nature<\/strong>\u00a0collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>A journey into the 60s.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The sixties reshaped politics, culture, music and, as far as mechanical watches are concerned, welcomed some of the most desirable watches in decades. Old and new brands (with no historical roots in watchmaking) keep re-issuing or re-inventing vintage divers\u2019 watches from that age, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Among the new releases, I think the\u00a0Rado Captain Cook 42mm Automatic<\/strong>\u00a0with green dial and matching green ceramic bezel is divine, first and foremost when associated to the steel mesh bracelet, showcasing a slim and long folding clasp, with the embossed\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0brand logo on it. It pays tribute to the old\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watches, except for that patented surface treatment that made them the first virtually scratch-proof watches ever. The inlay is an exquisitely-engineered ceramic ring, whose thickness is smaller than that of an\u00a0HyperChrome<\/strong>\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u2018s. In this variant it is in light, vivid green, coupled to a glossy green smoked dial; all in all, execution and style are flawless.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The second one comes with an oceanic dark blue mated to a glossy blue smoked dial instead. It is essentially the same watch, yet the latter doesn\u2019t feel as sexy as its green sibling. The truth is that blue is abused these days, while green is uncommon to a vintage divers\u2019 watch instead. At least, I would have preferred to compare them like for like (steel on steel).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Regarding details, the\u00a0Rado Captain Cook<\/strong>\u2018s main design attribute is the visual contrast between the concave bezel and the sapphire glass, that makes it mesmerizing. As an option, or a replacement strap,\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0offers a strap in soft leather with one stitching per side, that would have worked dramatically on a pin buckle, as on the\u00a037mm<\/strong>\u00a0sized\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>. In either case, elongated straight lugs help to make the watch very comfortable, and \u201cwearability<\/em>\u201d is where most product managers are focusing their efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Eighty hours of power reserve: let\u2019s talk about it.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Style and comfort on the wrist end up with sidelining the product specifications: the\u00a0Rado Captain Cook 42mm Automatic<\/strong>\u00a0benefits of the most recent upgrades at\u00a0ETA<\/strong>\u00a0included the popular three-hand mechanical caliber with the date and\u00a0eighty hours of power reserve<\/strong>, that outperforms the competition in this price range (2<\/strong>,020<\/strong>\u20ac). If you compare\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0to other brands belonging to the\u00a0Swatch Group<\/strong>, this performance is often emphasized on some brands (Mido for example), although many are the distinctive features between this movement and its competitors\u2019 within the Group, like the Chronometer certification or the silicon balance spring, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n

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However, I think this performance is so distinctive in today\u2019s competitive scenario, that each brand should always emphasize it, considering that a long power reserve is what people appreciate the most in everyday use, especially so during the weekend where many usually replace their mechanical watch with a multi-functional smartwatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017: please welcome the Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the 60s,\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0(founded in 1950) entered the world of watch-making with a mission of a sort of materials laboratory\u00a0and reinterpret products in an original manner. The time of powders sintering \u2013 the first step that led towards the creation of ceramic cases \u2013 was still far away and\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2018s work mainly focused on how to harden traditional metals (a process already quite widespread in the chemical and metallurgical industries).<\/p>\n\n\n

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Rado<\/strong>\u00a0was one of the best performers of an era that saw the brand\u2019s being born, when its timepieces were the expression of the avant-garde movement that brought in a new concept of durability and reliability that still did not exist, coupled with the typical shapes of the time. The\u00a0Rado Ticin<\/strong>\u00a0that I own\u00a0still sports both a perfect case and a bracelet despite it being used very often and having undergone no servicing in over forty years. The\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0family \u2013 to which this watch belongs \u2013 is one of the main pillars of the project that aims at bringing back the brand\u2019s roots.<\/p>\n\n\n

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This is an intelligent operation, because it adds the historical reminiscence of past models that began last year with the Cape Horn and that clearly aims at consolidating\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u2019s heritage value to its current avant-gardist style.\u00a0The\u00a0Rado Hyperchrome\u00a0Captain Cook 2017<\/strong>\u00a0made its come-back in three versions that are suitably segmented for those who love the vintage style and different sizes; perfect examples of these new trends are the\u00a037mm<\/strong>\u00a0case, the historic diver\u2019s dial of the collection, or the Milanese mesh with\u00a0Top Wesselton<\/strong>\u00a0diamonds on the dial in the woman\u2019s version of the timepiece.\u00a0Finally, because this is a\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0watch no matter what, it also features an oversized version with arrow-shaped indexes on the dial, a\u00a0grade 5 titanium case<\/strong>, and a bezel with a\u00a0ceramic insert<\/strong>\u00a0applied to a stainless steel bezel with carbon injection.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The timepiece is entirely crafted using blue tones; a shade that is always present in watch catalogues, the\u00a0Rado Hyperchrome\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0Blue<\/strong>\u00a0sports a peculiar bezel with an edge inclined towards the middle of the dial; a rather odd choice that increases the feeling of greatness of a watch that is otherwise extremely light, well-built and completed with a blue denim strap (with leather insert) that is perfect for the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Three sea horses are engraved on the case-back; the symbol of the scuba divers\u00a0made in<\/strong>\u00a0Legnau<\/strong>. The inner part of the watch hosts the\u00a0ETA C07.611<\/strong>\u00a0calibre that guarantees up to\u00a080 hours of power reserve<\/strong>. If this figure sounds familiar to you, it is because this calibre is the same one that equips other timepieces of other brands pertaining to the same group. Never was calibres\u2019 standardization as useful as on this occasion, especially when it focuses on such high technical characteristics for an automatic three hands timepiece.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Honestly, I do not know if I would rather go for this version or the\u00a037mm<\/strong>\u00a0version with a flat bezel and maybe a\u00a0Nato Strap<\/strong>, but if you regard the word \u201cvintage<\/em>\u201d as a source of inspiration only, then the\u00a0Rado Hyperchrome\u00a0Captain Cook<\/strong>\u00a0Blue<\/strong>\u00a0is a well-balanced mix of\u00a0Rado<\/strong>\u00a0culture from the 70s and the best that you can find on the market as far as quality and sturdiness is concerned. This timepiece is an ode to the above-mentioned pioneering era and a tribute to a more traditional concept of watch-making that many of us would like to see in a\u00a0Rado<\/strong>, without having to give up on innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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