Rado Captain Cook 39mm Unisex Watch

Ref. R32223213

The Captain Cook first appeared in 1962, when Rado built it as a serious tool diver rather than a dress watch that happened to be waterproof. This version revisits that founding brief and adds a detail the original never had: a dial that shifts from black at the periphery to turquoise at the centre, so the colour changes depending on how the light reaches it. The anchor symbol on the caseback, set against a synthetic ruby, is the kind of finish that appears where most manufacturers would leave bare metal. At 39mm it sits closer to the original proportions than the larger variants in the current lineup, and 12.0mm thick is genuinely flat for a watch rated to 300 metres — it will disappear under a cuff in a way that few divers manage. The rice-grain bracelet runs polished and brushed links in alternation, which keeps it from reading as purely sporty, and the quick-release system means swapping to a strap requires no tools and about four seconds. The R763 runs on an ETA C07.611 base with a Nivachron hairspring — an alloy that holds its rate through magnetic fields that would unsettle a standard steel spring — and is adjusted in five positions before leaving the factory. The 80-hour reserve means a watch left on the nightstand Friday evening is still running Monday morning.

Reference

R32223213

Brand

Rado

Case size

39mm

Case thickness

12mm

Case material

Stainless steel

Case shape

Round

Dial

Black

Crystal

Sapphire

Movement

Automatic

Calibre

ETA C07

Functions

Date

Water resistance

300m

Bracelet / strap

Stainless steel bracelet

Strap colour

Silver

Clasp

Folding clasp

Lume

Super-LumiNova

Retailer

Goldsmiths