At first glance, the new Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition watch looks much like the core-collection pieces that came out last year, showcasing the movement through the dial and seemingly entirely crafted from lightweight ceramic. The new release of 1,962 pieces has some notable differences however; firstly making history as the first Rado watch powered by their new R808 movement and boasting a case entirely made of ceramic meaning no steel bezel in sight.
The Rado Captain Cook watch was originally launched in 1962, taking its name from British navigator and explorer James Cook. Amazingly, despite its stunning concave inward-sloping dive bezel, rice of beads bracelet and domed acrylic crystal glass, no more than 8,000 pieces of the Rado Captain Cook were manufactured until production stopped entirely. The design remained lost in the brand’s extensive archives until 2017, when Rado announced a new “vintage replica” of the design at Baselworld. Selling out almost instantly, it seemed the Rado Captain Cook had finally found it’s era and ever since, it has become one of the Swiss watch brand’s best-selling models. The vintage diver’s watch has been launched in several sizes and styles ever since, with last year’s Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic line being one of the most innovative boasting ceramic cases and bracelets and gorgeous skeletonised dials. This aesthetic is revived and improved for the new Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition watch featuring a full ceramic case and a new Rado movement.
A Full Ceramic Case
The new Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition is the first Captain Cook model to be fully executed in ceramic – aside from the case back which is done in titanium. Last year’s models had stainless steel bezels with ceramic inserts fitted on top while this time, the bezel is entirely engineered from ceramic as is the screw down crown at 3 o’clock. The bezel also boasts a new grained texture which adds to the contemporary finish of the design. It still maintains its unidirectional functionality and 60 minute scale in gold.
The rest of the case is done in matte black ceramic, sitting on the wrist at the usual 43mm in diameter with a height of 14.6mm. There’s also a matching black ceramic bracelet, box-shaped sapphire crystal glass and a water resistance of 300 metres. As mentioned, the case back is the only element of the Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition’s case that is not done in ceramic. Instead, it elects titanium with a black PVD coating and a black tinted sapphire window for a faded view of the new movement housed within.
The New R808 Movement
The new Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition watch is the first Rado watch to house the brand’s new R807 automatic winding movement, replacing the Rado R734 calibre found within last year’s releases. The movement enjoys the same impressive 80-hour power reserve and anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring but delivers some new visual traits you can appreciate through the case back and dial. The bridges and plates are executed slightly differently, engineered with a more geometric look and finished in gold. You can witness elements like the anchor-shaped oscillating rotor, the balance wheel which oscillates at 21,600vph and the visible mainspring in its skeletonised barrel. We’re also assured the movement has been adjusted in five positions instead of three as in the previous editions.
The dial of the Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Limited Edition maintains the large arrow-tipped hands for the hours, minutes and seconds, outlined in gold and infilled with a grained matte black effect similar to that on the bezel. The square and trapezoid-shaped hour markers are designed to match and we’re pleased to report there’s still no date window in sight. Finally, the display presents the Rado logo printed in gold below the signature oscillating anchor emblem at 12 o’clock.
The new Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic watch is a limited edition of 1,962 pieces and retails at £4,295. If you’d like to learn more about the release and shop it for yourself, head over to the Jura Watches website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at help@jurawatches.co.uk.
