I’ve always been curious about the Rado Captain Cook. Something about the mix of vintage inspiration and ceramic-forward swagger had me circling the runway, even if I never quite landed. But like most things in this hobby, tastes evolve—especially when brands start playing with sizing that actually makes sense. Enter the new 39mm Captain Cook, now officially part of Rado’s core lineup and ready to serve up retro diver vibes in a more wrist-friendly format.
For a brand like Rado, which has made a name for itself with futuristic ceramics and minimalist chic, their continued commitment to the Captain Cook line is one of the more charming plot twists of modern watch enthusiasm. The original launched in 1962, but this post-2017 revival has seen everything from 45mm chronos to sleek ceramic-cased oddballs. Now, finally, we get a permanent 39mm version—the first one outside of that limited-edition Tennis tease from earlier this summer.
What you’re getting here is pretty familiar if you’ve been following the line: polished stainless steel case, beads-of-rice bracelet, domed dial, and a dive-ready ceramic bezel. But the 39mm sizing (with a tidy 12mm thickness) is what really sells it. It’s the Goldilocks zone between the 37mm reissues and the chunkier 42s, giving you a solid toolish presence without the bulk.
Rado is doubling down on summer aesthetics with two new dial variants. One is a vibrant turquoise gradient that fades from an oceanic edge to a silvery center, and the other leans moodier—a black base that melts into this almost seaweed-green glow. Both sit beneath a boxy sapphire crystal meant to mimic the acrylic charm of the ’60s original. The signature Captain Cook cues are all here: big arrow hour hand, red-date display at 3 o’clock (no cyclops, thankfully), and that spinning anchor logo up top. Yes, it still moves. No, it doesn’t actually tell you when to service the watch anymore.
There’s blue-emission Super-LumiNova on the applied indices and hands, and the ceramic bezels come in either a light blue (paired with silver markings) or classic black with luminous contrast. As usual, the bezel action is unidirectional and clicks through 120 steps—diver-appropriate even if your idea of adventure is just catching the train. Inside ticks Rado’s calibre R763, which is basically a Swatch Group Powermatic 80 outfitted with a Nivachron hairspring. So you get 80 hours of power reserve, resistance to magnetic fields, and solid reliability—even if it’s not something you’ll ever see through the closed caseback.
At CHF 2,200, this isn’t bargain-bin stuff, but it feels reasonable for what Rado is putting on the table. Ceramic bezel, serious water resistance, decent lume, and a bracelet that actually looks good on-wrist? There’s a lot to like here.
Would I call it the definitive Captain Cook? Not really. But if you’ve always wanted in on the line without wearing a small dinner plate or an overpolished retro nugget, this 39mm hits a sweet spot. It doesn’t scream for attention, and that might be its greatest strength. Just a solid, well-sized diver from a brand that’s finally learned to read the room—or the wrist.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.