The Rado Captain Cook Bronze | WatchGecko Review

Описание: WatchGecko Review - The Rado Captain Cook Bronze

Rado is a brand that needs no introduction. Whilst it might not have the same fanbase as other brands in the Swatch Group, the company has some decent heritage. Rado has existed for over a century and in that time has become renowned for its use of high-tech materials.

Oddly enough, one of their biggest hits in recent memory is a reissue of one of their more run-of-the-mill watches - the Captain Cook. The original watch was released in 1962, at a time when dive watches were vital tools made for a specific purpose.

Of course, Rado can’t resist combining this traditional diver with their affinity for high-tech materials, and at the start of the year they released the Captain Cook in bronze, with a retail price of £2,415.

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Model Wrist Sizes
6.75 inches

Products featured:

The Rado Captain Cook Bronze
https://www.rado.com/en_gb/collection...

Vintage Otley Padded Genuine Leather Watch Strap
https://www.watchgecko.com/vintage-ot...

ZULUDIVER Quick Release Sailcloth Padded Divers Watch Strap
https://www.watchgecko.com/zuludiver-...

Simple Handmade Italian Leather Watch Strap
https://www.watchgecko.com/classic-ha...

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What Rado have done with the Captain Cook is try and find a balance between classic Sixties’ aesthetics, and the specs a modern diver needs. And they’ve certainly achieved the latter. The watch is water resistant to a decent 300m, and the domed sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel provide protection from scrapes and scratches.

Whilst the case is bronze, the screw-in case back is titanium. This is to minimise any contact between the wearer’s skin and the bronze, which could speed up the oxidation process. It’s centre is adorned with one of Rado’s iconic images- a trio of seahorses.

And as to what’s underneath that case back, well Rado have gone with an ETA C07 movement. The 25 jewel automatic beats at a rate of 3Hz and has a hefty 80 hour power reserve. So, if you’re the type of person who takes their watch off for the weekend you needn’t worry about your watch having stopped come Monday.

Despite its 42mm size, the Captain Cook wears well on my small wrists, though I wouldn’t want it to be any bigger. It’s also just 12.5mm thick, which is nice and thin for a watch of this size.

The bronze has an all-brushed finish that keeps the watch from looking too formal. If the bronze was polished I think the watch would look too, well... “blingy”.

The bezel turns in a series of exceptionally satisfying clicks. It’s a very solid action, but I feel as though it could do with being a touch smoother. That said, the bezel wins me back with its unusual concave insert. Not that it really matters with a ceramic insert, but the fact it slopes inwards protects it from scratches. Combined with the domed crystal it adds some delightful character to the watch.

The dial is delightfully clean and simple, and of course copies the layout of the original. The deep emerald green of the sunburst dial is pretty mesmerising in person, and the colour pairs wonderfully with the bronze case. Likewise the golden applied markers match well with the green, and they give off a subtle warm glint when they catch the light.

Something you can’t really appreciate about the watch until you see it in person is that the dial is actually curved. It’s a subtle thing, but together with the minute track printed on the sloped rehaut, it provides a great sense of depth.

I’m also keen on the quirky font chosen for the “Captain Cook” text. It’s a small detail, but one that really stands out against the clean dial. Likewise the purple and gold Rado logo also pops. The anchor itself also spins, which is a cool feature originally designed to indicate when a service was required.

The brushed broad arrow handset is nice and legible, with a nice level of finishing all round. I was quite surprised to find that the faux-aged lume is reasonably bright. It’s not the brightest on the market, but thanks to the large markers and hands, it’s still easy enough to read in the dark.

The green leather strap is delightfully supple, and overall its quality is excellent. My one complaint about it is that it’s a bit big for my 6.75” wrists! Personally I would like to wear the watch just one notch tighter, and it’s frustrating Rado didn’t add another hole to the strap.

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