Rado Captain Cook 'High-Tech Ceramic'

Though perhaps less well known than its contemporaries from Rolex, Blancpain, and others, the Rado Captain Cook has a long and storied history.

It debuted in 1962, not a decade after Schlup & Co, a Swiss-founded watch company, began operating under the name Rado, which means ‘wheel’ in Esperanto. Original models are notable for their skin diver cases, concave bezels, and oversize ‘broad arrow’ handsets — hallmarks of the myriad, affordable dive watches that came to market in conjunction with the explosion in popularity of recreational SCUBA. 

Rado, which is today part of the Swatch Group, has since become a leader in materials innovation, developing watches made from ultra-robust ceramics and offering them in striking colors — something it’s able to do despite its mid-tier pricing. 

This particular Captain Cook is a High-Tech Ceramic variant from the 2020s. Housed in a 43mm ceramic and titanium case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and a black ceramic unidirectional bezel, it features a super cool skeletonized dial with luminous, applied indices, a matching ‘broad arrow; handset, and an incredible view of the automatic movement beneath. Powered by the Rado Caliber R734 with an anti-magnetic Nivarchron hairspring and paired to a ceramic multi-link bracelet with a push-button deployant clasp, the package is finished off with a sapphire exhibition caseback.

Water resistant to 300m and constructed of some of the most advanced materials known to contemporary horology, this Captain Cook is a wildly cool take on a dive watch classic — and one you don’t want to miss.

Snag it while it lasts!

Rado, which means ‘wheel’ in Esperanto — a constructed international language — has its origins in Schlup & Co, a Swiss watch brand founded in 1917. In the early early 1950s, the founders adopted the Rado name, and in 1957, they released the Golden Horse, an early water-resistant watch.
In 1962 Rado debuted the DiaStar 1, which was marketed as the world’s ‘first scratch-proof watch’ due to its specially hardened steel case and sapphire crystal. This was followed in 1968 by the Captain Cook, a dive watch family still present in the brand’s modern catalog, and in 1973, the DiaStar Electronic, outfitted with an electronic movement.
Today, Rado is part of the Swatch Group, in which it’s positioned as a mid-tier brand. The company is famed for its innovative use of materials such as colored ceramic and titanium, from which it constructs ultralight, artistically designed timepieces at price points much more accessible than those of its brethren from other luxury groups.
An automatic Rado watch can often be discerned via its logo — an anchor symbol joined to the dial by a small pivot and placed on a red circle such that it moves back and forth, evoking the look of a movement jewel.

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Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.