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Rado Captain Cook Tennis Limited Edition 42mm Mens Watch
Ref. R32222108
Sits in Rado’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Rado watches we list, which start at £735.
Price range £735 to £5,150 across 61 Rado watches in stock.The number 1,985 is not arbitrary: it marks the year Rado first put its name on a major tennis tournament, the Swiss Open, and this limited run of the same count closes a deliberate loop between that sponsorship and the Captain Cook's diving heritage. The result is a watch that has no reason to exist except as an act of memory, which gives it a clarity of purpose that most special editions lack. At 39mm with a 12mm profile, it is notably compact for a 300-metre-rated diver, and the box-shaped sapphire — curved both ways — adds a softness to the silhouette that sits well against a wrist rather than on top of it. The dial runs a ruthenium-to-white fumé gradient, dark at the centre and clearing toward the edge, which means the reading experience changes noticeably under different light: flat indoor light keeps it sober, angled daylight opens it up entirely. The beads-of-rice bracelet, polished and brushed in alternating links, gives the same two-finish contrast in miniature. The R763 runs on a Nivachron hairspring, which resists magnetic fields without needing a separate soft-iron cage, and its 80-hour reserve means a watch left on Friday evening is still running Monday morning. The movement is tested in five positions rather than the standard two or three, which shows in day-to-day accuracy more than any single number can.
- Reference
- R32222108
- Brand
- Rado
- Collection
- Captain Cook
- Case size
- 42mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Unidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- ETA C07.611
- Functions
- Date
- Water resistance
- 300m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Three-fold clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
Learn more about Rado
Rado began as Schlup & Co, a movement manufacturer founded by the Schlup brothers in Lengnau in 1917. It became one of the largest movement producers in the world before releasing watches under the Rado name in 1957.
The brand's entire identity rests on a single question: how do you stop a watch from looking worn? The DiaStar of 1962 was marketed as the world's first scratchproof watch, using hardmetal — tungsten carbide — and a sapphire crystal at a time when both were exotic in watchmaking.
Rado then spent decades pushing further into materials most watchmakers avoided because they are difficult to machine and impossible to correct. High-tech ceramic arrived in 1986 with the Integral, and the Ceramica of 1990 was made almost entirely from it. The company developed plasma high-tech ceramic, which is heated to 20,000 degrees to acquire a metallic sheen without any metal content, and Ceramos, a ceramic-metal composite.
The V10K of 2002 used high-tech diamond and reached 10,000 on the Vickers scale — the hardness of diamond itself, and a Guinness record.
Rado's design language is correspondingly clean and monolithic, with the True and Captain Cook lines carrying the modern collection. The company has been part of the Swatch Group since 1983.
- 1917
- Founded as Schlup & Co in Lengnau.
- 1957
- The first watches carry the Rado name.
- 1962
- The DiaStar introduces a scratchproof hardmetal case.
- 1986
- High-tech ceramic enters production.
- 2002
- The V10K reaches diamond-level surface hardness.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Rado Captain Cook range (17), Back in Stock (3,460), Stainless Steel Watches (2,531), Automatic Watches (1,573), Sports Watches (696), Silver Dial Watches (577) and Dive Watches (499).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 300m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 80-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Rado's more premium watches
Price history
This watch is currently at its highest recorded price. It was £2,000 on 14 August. Prices are checked every day, and we record any changes.
Rado Captain Cook Tennis Limited alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | R32222108 | L37744902 | ZO3560 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,500 | £2,350 | £2,299 |
| Case size | 42mm | 42mm | 42mm |
| Water resistance | 300m | 300m | 300m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 80 hours | 72 hours | — |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 300m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 80 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
Has the price changed recently?
It's currently at its highest recorded price. It's ranged between £2,000 and £2,500, today it's £2,500.
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