There’s something effortlessly cool about an all-black watch, combining quiet confidence with sartorial stealth into a timepiece you can wear literally anywhere, from the beach to the ballroom. With Rado’s latest offering in the Captain Cook ref. R32147162 – available exclusively in Australia via Gregory Jewellers – not only do we get a murdered out dive watch executed in rock-hard ceramic but with its skeletonised dial and gold-tone highlights, we’ve got an everyday winner that only gets better the closer that you look at it.
Rado’s “Master of Materials” nickname might just sound like a catchy tagline, but more than almost any watchmaker in history, Rado has pushed the use of ceramic relentlessly forward. Following the Lengnau-founded watchmaker’s research and development into tungsten carbide as a scratch-proof material for cases and bracelets, it was in the mid-80s that Rado debuted its first ceramic watch and the brand hasn’t slowed down since.
While ceramic watches have formed a core part of Rado’s catalogue for decades, it was early in 2021 that the material first found its way to the Captain Cook line with the debut of the hardened Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic collection. Since then, Rado has been working hard to expand this collection with new colours, dials and bracelet offerings, however, the latest addition in the Captain Cook ref R32147162 is its most impressive launch so far.
Starting with the star of the show, the ceramic case and bracelet, we have the same dimensions as previous generations, boasting a diameter of 43mm and thickness of 14.4mm (a chunk of which is made up of the heavily domed sapphire crystal over the dial). Unlike previous generations, the case and bracelet have been created with a uniform matte finish across their surfaces, creating a stealthier impression than the high-polish pop of the references that have come before.
The bezel has also been successfully updated with a heavily grained texture, which is complemented by gold-tone diving inserts around its circumference that bring a note of warmth to an otherwise reserved package. At the rear of the case, we find a sapphire crystal caseback that shows off the movement nicely (more on this later), which along with the screw-down crown guarantees the watch 300m of water resistance.
The dial is slightly different from the gorgeous sunray-finished dials of past Captain Cook models, instead using a smoke-tinted sapphire crystal disc to deliver another view of the skeletonised movement below. Despite the legibility challenges that some skeletonised watches suffer, this Captain Cook is easy to read thanks to the gold-tone hands and hour markers filled with contrasting black luminous material, which make telling the time simple in any lighting conditions.
Arriving at the movement and Rado debuts its all-new R808 calibre, which is both more accurate and antimagnetic than its predecessors. Before it’s assembled into the ceramic case, the R808 calibre is tested in up to five different positions to ensure the best possible accuracy, while the Nivachron hairspring ensures the movement doesn’t become magnetised. Boasting 80 hours of power reserve, Rado has pulled out all the stops with this latest calibre.
All considered, there’s a lot to love about the Rado Captain Cook ref R32147162, from the expertly crafted ceramic case and bracelet to the visually engaging dial that offers a rare view of the movement below. If that wasn’t enough, the all-new movement adds a lot to the overall value proposition, presented as a contemporary everyday diver, with more than one or two historical design cues.
As a consecutively numbered limited edition of 1962 pieces, this latest expression of the rugged and hard-wearing Captain Cook DNA arrives with an RRP of $7,425. With summer already here, if you’ve been thinking about adding a modern beach watch to your collection, this might be it.
This article is sponsored by Rado. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
