We could say that with summer approaching, ones mind turns to thoughts of a robust dive watch to embrace the outdoors and waterways with. Really, though, is there ever a bad time to wear a good dive watch? In our book, we say no. If you’re getting tired of stainless steel and want a new material for your watch box, why not ceramic? That’s what you can get with the new Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver collection.
Now, you’re probably thinking about the last time you dropped your coffee mug, right? While we’ve never dropped a loaner from Rado before (that’s just bad form), we’re pretty confident that these will hold up, so long as you’re not taking a hammer to it (or, you know, dropping a coffee mug on them). The really neat thing about the ceramics that Rado uses is that they can get the polished or PVD finishes that make them look like steel cases, but giving you a different weight and much different feel. In other words, yes, we’re a fan.
For this launch of the Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver collection, there are actually six different models available. There are two in a matte black (mimicking a black PVD finish) on either bracelet or rubber strap, two in matte olive (on a bracelet or rubber strap), and then two that have alternating finishes on the bracelet, and then the choice of a grey or blue dial (yeah, that blue dial is pretty great).
The ceramic definitely helps to define the look of the watch, and the handset and dial layout look much like the Captain Cook models that have come before (this is a good thing). Also like those previous releases, the Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver is not just about exterior appearances – it’s actually a capable dive watch.
For starters, you’ve got the 300m water resistance rating (plenty good for your local pool or lake), just so long as you’ve got the crown screwed down. You’ve got the divers click bezel there with a luminous triangle (and lume on the handset and dial as well) helping maintain that visibility. Keeping it accurate (if you were tracking dive time) would be the Rado R763 automatic movement, that’s tested and adjusted for accuracy, as well as offering an 80-hour power reserve for those rare times you’d take the watch off.
At 43mm (and 14.6mm thick) these are watches that won’t fit every wrist, sure. But if you are looking for a larger watch and want something that’s a little bit different from the norm, it would be hard to argue against these new Captain Cook models. Prices for the collection range from $3,000 to $3,500 depending on the colorway and strap or bracelet option you’d go for. You can check all six options out, as well as the rest of the Rado Captain Cook collection out right over at rado.com
Tech Specs from Rado
- Movement
- Rado calibre R763, automatic, 25 jewels, 3 hands, red printed date at 3 o’clock, 80-hour power reserve, antimagnetic NivachronTM hairspring, exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy
- Case
- Matt black, plasma, or olice high-tech ceramic case, monobloc construction
- Polished hardened stainless steel turning bezel with a polished black, plasma, or olive high-tech ceramic insert and engraved white lacquered numbers and markers, triangle in white Super-LumiNova®
- Circular, brushed, plain or black PVD coated titanium case back with 2 stamped seahorses and engraved: “DIVER’S WATCH 300M”
- Polished hardened stainless steel screw-down crown
- Box-shaped sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces
- Water resistant to 300m
- Dial
- Black, grey, or blue, lacquered and polished or matt olive green
- Applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova®
- Black, grey, or olive green flange with white Super-LumiNova® on every 5 minute track
- Rhodium coloured moving anchor symbol with synthetic ruby backplate White printed Rado and Captain Cook logos mention of 300m / 1000ft
- Hands: Rhodium coloured with white Super-LumiNova®
- Bracelet / Strap
- Ref. R32129152
- Polished high-tech ceramic middle links
- Matt black high-tech ceramic outer links
- Titanium 3-fold clasp with black high-tech ceramic openers
- Ref. R32129158
- Matt black rubber
- Stainless steel extendable folding clasp
- Matt black high-tech ceramic cover
- Ref. R32144102 / R32144202
- Polished high-tech ceramic middle links
- Matt black high-tech ceramic outer links
- Titanium 3-fold clasp with black high-tech ceramic openers
- Ref. R32130312
- Matt olive green high-tech ceramic links
- Titanium 3-fold clasp
- Ref. R32130318
- Matt olive green rubber
- Stainless steel extendable folding clasp
- Matt hardened stainless steel cover
- Ref. R32129152
- Dimensions: 43.0 x 49.8 x 14.6 (WxLxH in mm)
