Rado’s iconic DiaStar model gets another update following last year’s 60th anniversary of the DiaStar edition, getting a case material change from hard metal to Rado CeramosTM and a one of kind Square faceted sapphire crystal.

The Rado DiaStar was first introduced in 1962, and what an introduction it was. A milestone for the watch industry, the Rado DiaStar came with a ‘funky’ design and, more importantly, a scratch-proof case. Rado designed the very first DiaStar as a ceramic timepiece with a material called “tungsten carbide”. Although some people may argue that it’s not ceramic, tungsten carbide is considered ceramic, at least by the American Ceramic Society. 

This is important because no timepiece at the time of DiaStar’s debut could offer a scratch-proof watch. When it comes to material innovation, the Diastar in ceramic was a breakthrough for the watchmaking industry. In modern times, the use of ceramic on timepieces is a more regular occurrence; however, for the industry as a whole, brands didn’t get on board with this material till around the 1980s. This highlights how far ahead in terms of material expertise and usage Rado was at the time, A testament to the motto of Rado’s founders “If we can imagine it, we can make it. And if we can make it, we will.”

Case design:

The latest edition of the DiaStar continues the pioneering work of the brand. Rado’s creative concept, “The Art of Skeletonisation”, is the primary focus of this timepiece, with their R808 automatic calibre movement being the engine for the skeletonised dial. The 38mm x 45mm shield-like case design now uses Rado’sCeramos^TM as the case material since the 2022 update.

Ceramos^TM is an innovative material, which Rado explains as “combining high-tech ceramic – specifically titanium carbide – with a metallic alloy. Light and adaptable to skin temperature, it has the same qualities and benefits as high-tech ceramic, enhanced by a metallic lustre.” The adaptability to the skin temperature certainly shows when the watch is on the wrist.

As last year’s releases with this material were simple three-hand dials ( reference R12163118), for this year’s release, Rado has decided to combine their innovative material with a skeleton dial to create a visually aesthetic timepiece. While the case design may not be to everyone’s taste, it does have an excellent wrist presence. Rado has refined the case design to be more masculine and stylish, with a sharper design than the original models. 

Dial

The dial of the new DiaStar Original Skeleton has been designed to be as visually appealing as possible. With different colour contrasts, certain features are made to stand out on purpose. The darker colour tones of the watch’s bezel and the bridges of the movement offer the perfect contrast to the movement’s elements. Elements such as the hands, hour indices and gears have been done in yellow gold to achieve this beautiful contrasting effect. Another nice touch of colour is the gold-coloured moving anchor on the red background ( which is placed at 9 o’clock).

The hour indices have a floating design, which is attached to the white-printed minute track and is suspended over the movement, giving the dial a three-dimensional layered appearance. The hands and hour indices have been coated with SuperLumi-Nova, giving that excellent nighttime/low light visibility. 

The stand-out feature for me is the square-faceted sapphire crystal. It is unique for the watch industry to have a sapphire crystal of this style, making this watch a conversational starter. One downside to having this type of crystal is that light will reflect from all angles, and at times, the dial will be hard to read. Not a deal breaker, but it’s the result of combining a skeleton dial and hexagonal crystal. The noteworthy feature of this dial is “Rado” and “DiaStar” logos are printed inside the crystal in white.

Movement

As mentioned, DiaStar Original Skeleton comes with the brand’s R808 Skeleton movement. This automatic movement has an anti-magnetic Nivachron™ hairspring which allows the movement to be extremely precise and also reliable. Rado states that the R808 Skeleton movement “exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy.” The movement also offers an impressive 80 hours power reserve operating at a frequency of 3Hz (21, 600 VpH).  

How does it wear on the wrist?

With a case dimension of 38mm, thickness of 11.9mm and lug-to-lug of 46mm, the watch comfortably sat on my 6.5-inch wrist. I enjoyed how the crystal played with light and the lustre of the Ceramos™ bezel. At the first instant of trying on the watch, it felt and looked different as you dont get to see the case lugs nor the crown. They are well tucked away thanks to the case design. Skeleton dial is visually striking and with the square-faceted sapphire crystal, I often found myself looking at the watch from different angles.

The polished and brushed stainless steel H-link bracelet is comfortable on the wrist, and I had no issues wearing it for extended wear. The easy-clip three-fold clasp is easy to operate .With 80 hours of power reserve; the watch can be put away for a while and worn without the need for winding.

The operation of the crown for me was tricky because of the design of the case; the crown is tucked away, and if you have fat fingers like me, pulling out the crown to set the time can be a challenge.

It is reasonably priced for a watch of this calibre and is the most expensive in the DiaStar Original collection. With the 60s and 70s styling, this is not aimed at the everyday watch collector but rather at someone who appreciates the brand and its unique product. Having said that, this is one of those watches that need to be tried on before jumping to any conclusions.

The DiaStar Orignal Skeleton is seriously an excellent watch with rich Rado DNA. This latest addition to the DiaStar collection brings a modern touch to the vintage inspired timepieces. If you are in the market for an original and unique watch, you can’t look past the DiaStar Original Skeleton.

Reference: R12162153

Specification:

• Case: 38mm x 45mm, 11.9mm thick and 46mm lug to lug
• Case Material: Ceramos^TM with polished stainless steel middle part and Ceramos^TM bezel
• Dial: Black annular dial with flying yellow gold colour indexes with white Super-LumiNova®
• Crystal: Square faceted sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating inside
• Water Resistance: 100m (10BAR)
• Movement: Automatic Rado calibre R808
• Power Reserve: 80 Hours
• Strap: Polished and brushed stainless steel-fold clasp with Easy-Clip system

Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD 3,250

Availability: Available at Authorised Retailers or online via Rado’s E-commerce site

Rado have added quite a few models this year to four of their collections – quite a feat for any watch brand. For Rado, these releases showcase why they are the experts in their material craft, mainly ceramic with many of these pieces designed and built in their High-Tech Ceramic.

Whilst is was a Middle Eastern and African affair at Aalia restaurant, the intimate venue just off Martin Place in Sydney known for it’s Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, the weather outside was anything but warm. Thankfully the hospitality of the Aalia staff was, as was Rado’s.

On show was a smorgasbord of watches to go with the banquet lunch, and perhaps the star of the show was the new DiaStar Skeleton 60th Anniversary piece. With its skeleton dial, the angular multifaceted sapphire crystal and retro 60’s design, was something to see in person.

The new Centrix models, whose designs and aesthetics were inspired by the desert, were a hit, especially with the ladies in the room. You can see how Rado has used the tones of the desert in these watches, and their subtle elegance and mix of materials and gems really bring these to life. The contrast of white and gold on the Centrix White Diamonds grabbed a lot of attention not surprisingly.

The new Rado Captain Cook Skeleton in High-Tech Ceramic was one for the men in the room, and did garner a bit of attention from them. The Captain Cook is Rado’s premier sports watch and these do look great in a range of colours and materials offered from Rado.

Personally the Captain Cook is my favourite collection, and having reviewed the Rado Captain Cook Bronze Chronograph late last year (check it out here), I was keen to see the new model with skeletonised dial and full High-Tech Ceramic case and bracelet in Anthracite grey. It doesn’t disappoint, and the rose-gold-coloured PVD bezel, crown and indices offset the muted grey tones well.

One of Rado’s evergreen collection’s, the True Thinline was also on display, and this year, they’ve teamed up with the Great Gardens Of The World, and as a result, the collection in collaboration pulls exquisite natural motifs from three quite-different plants into stunningly original dial designs, which is highly evident on the dials, like the the dial of the Chapter 10. A splendid creation in two layers where a rose-gold-coloured backplate shows through a skeletonised top layer, smartly cut out in organic shapes reminiscent of the mesmerising, intricately entangled branches of the Yemeni Dragon Blood Tree. Under the warm lights of the restaurant bar, looks stunning!

For those square watch lovers out there, Rado has their new line of True Square pieces available in both light and dark colourways to suit most people’s tastes. The standouts were the all White and Black variants with their skeletonised, two level dials, and Yellow and Rose coloured indices and hands.

It was a great afternoon of good food, good company and good watches. The numbers were kept small to maximise the time with pieces, which is much needed at events like these as the more time you get to spend with the watches, the more you can appreciate them and get to know them.

Our personal experience was flawless I might add too. From the pick up at the airport, to the lunch, the hospitality and warmth of the Rado staff, we were very much made to feel important and welcomed at the same time – it’s a nice feeling!

Some more images from the lunch and some more images of the new Rado watches below. Enjoy!

The new Centrix collection released by Rado continues this tradition, with the models this time evoking images of the windswept beauty of the desert. Rado states that today the Centrix models are “the most elegant yet, with unmatched precision and reliability thanks to state-of-the-art movements in both the automatic and quartz models in the collection”.

The new Centrix collection comes available in three new models, with each model having a different variant. The first model set is inspired by sand dunes and has either a silver (ref. R30019744) or brown-coloured (ref. R30019732) dial variant, with these tones being colour matched into the bracelet. The second model set is a slightly larger variant, but with a flat dial, available in brown sunray and black lacquered. The third set in this new Centrix collection is the quartz models, which copies the features of the first two series in both dial size and effect. Rado’s statement of this latest Centrix being the most elegant so far certainly rings true, thanks to the new aspects of the collection which can be seen at first glance.

For the first two models in this new collection, Rado has given the dials a facetted and lacquered with an opulent 3D effect. The final product is a spiral wave finish, reflecting the image of sand and sand dunes in the desert. The two dial colours also showcase the sand during “daytime” (silver dial) and “nighttime” (brown dial). Both dials work well to provide a fabulous backdrop to the hour indices, which have 12 diamonds (090/095, Top Wesselton, VS-SI, full cut, 0.038 carat).

The dials are enclosed in the smallest case size in this collection, a 30.5mm case made from polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel case. Like the case, the bracelet is also made from polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel, with the middle links made from high-tech ceramic to match the dial colours of each variant. The movement inside this set is the Rado Calibre R582 automatic, which gives out a decent power reserve of 48 hours.

The second set of timepieces in this Centrix collection carries the same design as the first, however now with flat brown sunray (ref. R30017732) or black lacquered (ref. R30018712) dials. The brown sunray dial comes with rose gold hands and the hour indices have 12 diamonds, however, this time is (115/120, Top Wesselton, VS-SI, full cut, 0.078 carat ). The black lacquered dial gets rhodium hands with only 4 diamond indices which are (135/140, Top Wesselton, VS-SI, full cut, 0.040 carat).

Both timepieces are offered in a 39.5mm case, with the brown dial being a polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel case and the black lacquered dial getting a standard stainless steel case. This set of timepieces gets a heftier movement (thanks to the larger case size we presume). Rado is using the R763 automatic movements, which gives out an 80-hour power reserve. Both options also come with matching bracelets, with the middle links once again being made from either brown or black high-tech ceramic.

For those that are after a quartz option in this collection, Rado comes prepared. With two varying case sizes to suit individual needs, the last set in this Centrix collection feature designs combined from the first two sets. The first model is a black lacquered dial with 4 diamond indices (135/140, Top Wesselton, VS-SI, full cut, 0.040 carat). It comes in a 39.5mm polished yellow-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel case.

The second model comes in a 30.5mm case size polished yellow-gold-coloured PVD coated stainless steel case, with the dial now being black facetted and lacquered with an opulent 3D effect. Both variants in this third set come with polished yellow-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel bracelet to match the case.

Rado’s new Centrix collection has reviewed every stage of the design process to make the watches visually pleasing to the eye whilst making them as elegant as possible. With a variety of designs and sizes to suit individual needs, this new collection as Rado states is their best Centrix line yet.

References: (Ref. R30019744), (Ref. R30019732)

Specification:

• Case: 30.5 mm
• Case Material: Polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel case
• Dial: Silver / brown facetted and lacquered with opulent 3D effect
• Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, a soft radius on edge, metallised and glued
• Water resistance: 5 Bar (50m)
• Movement: Automatic Rado calibre R582
• Power reserve: 48 hours
• Bracelet/Strap: Stainless Polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel with white/brown high-tech ceramic middle links.

Australian Recommended Retail Price: 4,050 AUD for both (Ref. R30019744) and (Ref. R30019732)

Availability: Available from April 2023

References: (Ref. R30017732), (Ref. R30018712)

Specification: Available from April 2023

• Case: 39.5mm
• Case Material: Polished rose-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel / stainless steel case
• Dial: Brown sunray / black lacquered
• Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, a soft radius on edge, metallised and glued
• Water resistance: 5 Bar (50m)
• Movement: Automatic Rado calibre R763
• Power reserve: 80 hours
• Bracelet/Strap: Polished rose-gold-coloured PVD coated stainless steel / stainless steel with brown/black high-tech ceramic middle links

Australian Recommended Retail Price: 4,050 AUD (Ref. R30019744) and 3,725 AUD (Ref. R30019732)

Availability: Available from April 2023

References: (Ref. R30020712), (Ref. R30025742)

Specification:

• Case: 39.5mm & 30.5mm
• Case Material: Polished yellow-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel case
• Dial: Black lacquered / black facetted and lacquered with opulent 3D effect
• Crystal: Curved sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both faces, a soft radius on edge, metallised and glued
• Water resistance: 5 Bar (50m)
• Movement: Quartz Rado calibre R073 / R079
• Power reserve: N/A
• Bracelet/Strap: Polished yellow-gold-coloured PVD-coated stainless steel black high-tech ceramic middle links

Australian Recommended Retail Price: 3,275 AUD (Ref. R30020712) and 3,425 AUD (Ref. R30025742)

Availability: Available from April 2023

Rado is one of those brands that does fly a little under the radar, in this writer’s opinion. They have always had good watches, and when it comes to different design materials, like ceramic, they’re up there with the best. I bought my wife a white Rado True Thinline in full ceramic about ten years ago, and it still looks as new as the day I bought it. She loves it and wears it all the time, and is quartz and keeps perfect time (until the battery goes dead, that is!) Which makes me think, why then do guys not think about Rado as they do other mainstream Swiss brands? Maybe it’s because they don’t put giant amounts into marketing with celebrities. Or maybe we’re all too caught up on the hype watches to look elsewhere? In any case, I’ve had the good fortune to try on a few Captain Cook variants this year, and I think Rado is a winner with this model line.  

A Watch Line Named After An Adventurer

For those that don’t know, the Captain Cook line goes back to 1962 and was aimed at doctors, engineers, athletes, deep sea divers and racing car drivers. Its signature was a pivoting anchor that indicated when the watch needed to be serviced – now more of a cool feature on a swivel on the dial that moves around. The Captain Cook variants are all robust, waterproof, and hardy, perfect for whatever life throws at you, and perfect for those that love adventure and the outdoors; or if you’re like me, love the idea of adventure and outdoors as life often gets in the way from these pursuits. The new Rado Captain Cook Automatic Chronograph in Bronze is just this – the perfect watch to wear in the boardroom or out to dinner on the leather strap or a quick change to the Nato, and you’re all set to tackle the beach, pool or for those lucky enough, adventuring through a foreign country.

How it wears?

At 43mm, with a 14.8mm height, this is a larger watch, so it’s not for those with smaller wrists. However, the lug-to-lug isn’t huge and wears fairly well on the wrist. It’s a more snug fit on the leather because you don’t have the Nato double pass strap between the wrist and the watch, adding another 2mm or so to the watch height. Regardless of the strap, it felt comfortable on my wrist for the week and playing with the Nato to get the right position on the watch and wrist did help, as with most double-pass Nato’s. I’d also recommend breaking in the Nato and leather for a bit, as this helps with moulding both to the wrist and, after a few wears, will be much better fitted to the wearer’s wrist.

The Design

I’ll preface that I’m a sucker for a gold/blue watch combo! Something about the contrast on the colours that just works, and with the Rado Captain Cook Chrono in Bronze, this is definitely the case. The bronze that Rado uses looks great when new – a more golden hue with a beautiful lustre that at a glance, could be mistaken for a blend of yellow and rose gold with a touch of bronze. This, contrasting with the dark blue of the dial and bezel just work well together, and the fact that Rado have brought the bronze into the hands, indices and sub-dial hands makes it super easy to read and stands out.

The blue sunray dial does change depending on the light too. In bright sunlight, it’s more a mid-navy blue that gets darker in the centre or the edges depending on the angle, but in lower light or indoors, it becomes a darker hue. The romantic in me thinks this is a subtle nod to the ocean and the fact that its namesake was an oceanic adventurer. Whatever it is, it just works.

Given the Captain Cook line dates back to the early 60s, Rado has given the Chronograph version some nice vintage nods too. The screw-down pushers for the Chronograph make it reminiscent of racing timers from the 60s and 70s, and whilst slightly fiddly when you want to use them, are a nice touch. The screw-down crown with the Rado anchor on it also harks back to the original Captain Cook line from the ’60s, and whilst the pivoting anchor on the dial isn’t to indicate the service intervals anymore. However, more of a design aesthetic, I think it still works well and gives this watch a unique feel.

Given this is a tool watch through and through, Rado has gone the extra mile and given Captain Cook Chrono extra lume. Not only are the hands and indices well lumed, but the bezel is also filled with SupaLuminova on the numerals and 5-minute markers, making it easily read at night and countdown timing easy, whether you’re under water, trekking through the jungle or sipping cocktails poolside in the evening! The other small detail that I liked is the bezel is sloped in, or concave, again, another subtle nod to those divers of the 60s.

As mentioned earlier, the three straps look great on this watch, giving it a different look. Whilst the leather does class it up a little, and the watch sits a little more flush with the wrist, I still love the look of this watch on the blue and bronze nato. It takes the bronze and blue and flows this through, with the blue Nato and golden bronze stripe down the centre. The bronze buckle and strap minders also tie this whole look together nicely.

Movement

Rado has given the Captain Cook Chronograph in bronze a see-through case back, not something you often see on a bronze watch. Admittedly, the dial side is great to look at, so you probably won’t be flipping the watch over much, and when on either of the nato straps, it’s hard to see due to the strap covering the back. However, if you choose to wear it on leather, you can admire the new R801 automatic movement. Rado says this movement is a newer and thinner version of the older chronograph movements. With 37 jewels, five hands and 59 hours of power reserve thanks to an antimagnetic Nivachron™ hairspring, it exceeds standard test requirements from 3 to 5 positions for higher accuracy. 

Whilst I had the watch, I didn’t notice any real issues with keeping time, and each day I picked it up to wear, it was still running well, with no discernable differences from my other watches. Given the testing standards, which at five positions, are equal to that of COSC, I’d expect this to be fairly accurate.

Rado still only offers a 2-year warranty with this watch, which these days are slightly less than what a $7,000+ watch should be. At least three years, and with many brands now offering five years as standard or the ability to extend to 5 years and beyond when you register the watch on the site, this is one area where Rado falls slightly behind.

Final Thoughts

The new Rado Captain Cook Automatic Chronograph Bronze is a solid, sturdy and good-looking watch. Whilst not for the faint of the wrist, it wears well for a larger 43mm watch, and those with wrists that are around 7 inches or so in circumference will quite like wearing it. Whether in sunlight or no light, the watch pops and is easy to read in any situation.

Having the three strap options is a definite bonus and adds to the already great value of this watch, making it more versatile than just on either one of the supplied nato straps or the leather.

At AUD 7,050 RRP, the Rado Captain Cook Automatic Chronograph Bronze is value for money and, to be very honest, punches above its weight in this category, even with other chronographs that are in the 5-figure price point. 

Reference: R32146208

Specification:

• Case: 43 mm, Lug-Lug 55mm and thickness 14.8mm
• Case Material: Brushed Bronze
• Dial:Satin brushed blue,  Super-Luminova filled hands, indices and subdial hands. Polished ceramic bezel with Super-Luminova inset numerals and markers
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating inside
• Water resistance: 300 meters
• Movement: Automatic Chronograph movement reference 03.801.222, 37 jewels
• Power reserve: 59 Hours
• Bracelet: Blue leather, Navy Nato and Blue and Gold striped nato with Bronze buckles

Australian Recommended Retail Price: $7,050 AUD 

Availability: Available now.

Majority of the HypChrome models in the women’s collection similar to this piece feature diamonds, which Rado has opted to reduce on this model, although not completely left out either. 

Design:

This timepiece is a perfect blend of luxury and beauty. The Rado HyperChrome Ash Barty Limited Edition comes with a 36mm polished plasma high-tech ceramic case that has monobloc construction. The case back of the watch is made from titanium. The bracelet matches the luxurious look of the case as it’s a 3-row made from polished plasma high-tech ceramic. The clasp is a titanium 3-fold clasp with high-tech ceramic openers. 

The dial is made from stunning blue mother-of-pearl with rhodium-coloured applied indexes. The diamonds for this piece are located at the 12 0’clock hour marker. The hands are rhodium-coloured dauphine shape. The effect of rhodium hour indices and hands along with the diamonds has on the dial is that it contrasts beautifully against the blue mother-of-pearl dial. This is done without taking attention away from the mother-of-pearl dial itself. 

On the centre of the dial, instead of the iconic Rado anchor symbol, it is now replaced with a rhodium-coloured moving tennis ball symbol. 

Movement:

The movement used for this piece by Rado is the brand’s own calibre R082 movement. This is a quartz movement that powers the simple three-hander on the dial along with the date window located at the 3 o’clock position. On the case back of the watch a special engraving dedicated to Ash Barty is featured. The engraving is “LIMITED EDITION xxx/996 and a Tennis ball with Ash Barty’s signature. 

This beautiful elegant timepiece dedicated to one of Australia’s great sportsmen, the Rado HyperChrome Ash Barty limited edition model is capped at 996 pieces. The timepiece will be available 

in stores from the first week of December at an RRP of $3675.

There’s certainly something out there that will fit everyone’s budget and it’s not too late if you are still thinking of a great gift idea!

What we present to you today is a Father’s day gift idea from Rado. We have selected four different types of watches from Rado’s collection of current models that we think would suit almost every type of dad. 

Adventure Dad – Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic – $5,925 AUD

The first watch we have on the list is simply put, for the adventure dad. The dad that loves going camping, hiking, or just enjoying the great outdoors, the Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic will accompany him anywhere his heart is set on. 

After many years of research and development, while digging into their history and staying true to their traditions, Rado was able to create a full high-tech ceramic watch. Fortunately, WatchAdvice had the chance to get this piece for hands-on review, where we got to spend quite a bit of time getting to know this piece. You can see the full review here.

High-tech ceramic watches are part of Rado’s DNA. This timepiece features some of Rado’s most incredible achievements, including the innovative high-tech ceramic monobloc case. The movement used is Rado’s calibre R734 which features a Nivachron™ hairspring, which is ideal for everyday wear as it greatly reduces effects from magnetic fields. The high-tech ceramic material is also scratch-resistant and also hypoallergenic making it very comfortable to wear. Perfect for the dad that loves an adventure!

Refined Dad – Captain Cook Bronze – $4,150 AUD

For the dad, that’s elegant and cultured, or in other words “refined”, we have the Rado Captain Cook Bronze model. The Rado Captain Cook Bronze is stylish, luxurious, and robust all rolled into one watch. What’s special about this timepiece is that it’s a vintage-inspired piece, with modern design codes and movement now being used to bring it to the 21st century.

An original look from 1962, the Captain Cook Bronze now comes with a beautiful sunburst blue dial with a matching blue bezel. The hour indices and hands are contrasting gold which while not only matching the bronze casing also makes the readability of the dial clean and crisp. As this is a diver’s watch, readability of the dial is a must and this watch certainly delivers. The bronze casing adds a touch of elegance which is then matched by the blue leather strap. 

With a movement that provides up to 80 hours of power reserve, the Captain Cook Bronze can be worn as a daily and all-rounder. It’s versatile as it is elegant. 

The Dad that keeps up to date with events around the world – HyperChrome UTC – $2,700 AUD

The HyperChrome UTC is a watch made for the dad that loves news and keeping up to date with news and events around the world. A simple yet classy timepiece that has a dual timezone on the dial, making it easy to tell the time between two timezones.

While the watch itself won’t display the news and events, it’ll help you keep a tab on the different times in your favourite countries so you don’t miss any events. Will especially come in handy if the dad is an avid sports follower of an international sports team. He won’t be able to miss knowing when a game is once he’s set the second timezone up! 

This watch will of course also come in handy if the father is a world traveller. With the second timezone adjustment, he’ll be able to set the time to the current country of travel or to the one back home to be able to stay connected to his loved ones. 

The HyperChrome UTC comes with a 24-hour scale bezel in matching blue to the dial. The dial itself is a beautiful sunburst blue, which is enclosed in a 44mm High-tech ceramic case. The second time-zone indicator hand is shown by the red-tipped arrow. The HyperChrome UTC comes equipped with an automatic movement that gives out a power-reserve of 80 hours, making it perfect for a daily watch.

The dad that loves to travel – Captain Cook Automatic with Travel Pouch – $3,350 AUD

While the Hyperchrome UTC is certainly a hot contender for the dad that loves to travel, the Captain Cook Automatic is also right up there. This is another timepiece in which the original model from 1962 has now been given a fresh modern update for the 21st century. The watch features vintage details and design that stays true to the 1962 original model. 

The Captain Cook Automatic comes in a luscious dark green dial with a matching bezel insert. The dial is a simple three-hander, with a date window located at the 3 o’clock position. To make the readability of the dial easy, Rado has used large superluminova strips on the hour indices along with hands, which make them look full white. This makes the indices stand out quite strongly against the dark green dial. The movement used inside as the other Rado timepieces on this list gives a power reserve of approximately 80 hours. The timepiece comes with a beautiful rice bead-style watch bracelet that compliments this watch very nicely. 

Making it perfect for travel, the Captain Cook Automatic comes with a hard-wearing leather travel pouch that has inside a selection of additional straps. Thanks to Rado’s EasyClip system These straps can easily be interchanged with the watch without the need for any tools.

With the first half of 2021 over, Watchadvice has gone through some of the special timepieces that were released this year. The staff has narrowed down the top 5 watches of 2021 so far based on their personal preferences. So without further ado, we present to you Watchadvice Top 5 Staff picks for the first half of 2021.

1) Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic

The “Master of materials”, Rado, released their latest ceramic masterpiece in the Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic. What makes this watch special and why we love it is the fact that it comes in a 43mm monobloc case that has been crafted entirely from ceramic. The inward sloping bezel, along with white numerals on the bezel and markers is all visually appealing and act as a perfect contrast to the dial.

The other notable feature of this timepiece is also the see-through movement on the dial. Rado has used a dark tinted sapphire glass on the dial to showcase the movement underneath. By using tinted glass, means that dial readability is unhindered. We at Watch Advice were fortunate enough to have this piece for a full review, which you can see here. 

2) JLC Reverso Nonantieme

In celebration of the Reverso’s 90th anniversary, Jaeger-LeCoultre released a very special timepiece earlier this year. The Reverso Tribute Nonantième (Nonantième being French for “ninetieth”) is a double-sided timepiece with one side being unique. The front of the Reverso Tribute Nonantième is quite conventional, with the display showing the date at 12 o’clock, a normal 12 hour time display, and a special moon phase display which has a disc bearing a textured moon that has been modelled after the actual lunar surface.

Flip the dial over and this is where it gets interesting. The reverse dial displays a digital “semi-jumping hour”, with a disc showing the minutes. Between the digital hour display and the minute disc, there is a blue disc with a sun and moon motif which is the day and night display. The reason we love this watch is that not only does it celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Reverso” but also because of its unique reverse dial display. 

3) Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Integral Full Sapphire

With this list being full of watches with nifty innovations and unique features, it would be a shame not to include the Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon Integral Full Sapphire. It’s needless to say we love this watch, well because just look at it!

The whole thing from top-down is fully see-through. Hublot has used sapphire for the case, the bezel, the movement plates, and even the bracelet. A watch like this is a technical feat that very few brands can master. 

On top of making the whole watch as see-through as possible, Hublot has minimalised the movement as well, to only retain the bare necessities. Oh and on top of that, they have chucked a tourbillon for added measure. 

4) Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronograph 38mm in Pink Gold

Audemars Piguet released a whole lot of epic timepieces this year, ranging from all-black ceramic, rainbow RO, to Royal Oak Frosted Gold. There was one other model, however, which is our pick for one of the best watch’s of 2021 so far.

The Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronograph 38mm in Pink Gold is one hot timepiece. While the rainbow-coloured RO’s might be taking most of the attention, this piece is certainly a show-stopper as well. 

Why do we love this watch? Well firstly, this Royal Oak Chronograph has been fitted with a purple dial that’s new for Audemars Piguet. The purple dial is almost seen as a chameleon dial as the purple tones can range from pink to purple and sometimes shades of blue, depending on lighting conditions. The second reason why we fell for this piece is the beautiful bezel.

This bezel has been fitted with amethyst stones. A lot of amethyst stones. 32 baguette-cut amethyst stones to be in fact. With the combination of the stones in the bezel along with the stunning purple dial, encased in pink gold, Audemars Piguet has done this one just right. 

5) Cartier Solarbeat Tank

At the heart of this latest Cartier watch is double innovation. The Cartier Solarbeat Tank’s first innovative feat is of course the Solarbeat movement. Taking almost two years for the design/engineering team to develop this unique movement, the Cartier Solarbeat Tank will now have a lifespan of approximately 16 years! The engineering team was able to apply the photovoltaic principle to the dial without needing to change the appearance of the dial. 

An amazing technical feat was achieved to get the light to reach the photovoltaic cells hidden underneath the dial. This was achieved through the perforation of the Roman hour numerals, whose openings allowed the light to hit the cells. 

The second innovation is actually on the watch strap. Cartier states that the watch strap is made without using animal materials while still maintaining quality and comfort. This is why we love the Cartier Solarbeat Tank. 

If there’s one watch brand that has earned the nickname “Master of Materials”, it is Rado. Being one of the biggest watch manufacturers in Switzerland, Rado uses the latest technology and innovation to create some unique materials for their watches. 

Diving into the history of the brand, in 1960 they were the first to create the “world’s first scratchproof watch”, the DiaStar 1. This was done by innovation, through introducing materials into the watch industry that were not known at the time. Materials such as hard metal and sapphire crystal. 

In 1970, Rado continued to innovate new materials by coming up with a scratch-resistant and high-tech ceramic bracelet called Rado Integral. This was arguably the first use of high-tech ceramic on a watch by Rado, and it would eventually become the brand’s signature material.

In 1990, Rado really stepped things up in their use of ceramic, with this particular year being dubbed as “the ceramic revolution” by the brand. From this point forward, the brand looked to incorporate this high-tech ceramic material into most of its collections. They even combined this high-tech ceramic material with metal alloys to create materials such as Ceramos, which promotes extra durability, lightness and even further comfort as the material adjusts quickly to skin temperature! 

Rado’s Captain Cook line which was introduced back in 2017, is a collection of timepieces that pays homage to the Swiss brand’s vintage collection, first released in 1962. The original timepiece had an automatic movement and a hefty water resistance of 220m. What made this model stand out was its iconic look, with the inward sloping bezel’s, domed dial, and large hour indexes. 

The industry is currently going through a renewed interest in vintage timepieces. As such, the 2017 Captain Cook collection saw the original 1962 timepiece reimagined in contemporary style. It has the latest materials and movement, yet maintains the iconic design intact. 

This year, Rado has taken the Captain Cook timepiece a step further by creating a watch that’s made entirely of ceramic, while also having a very visually appealing dial. Altogether, there are four different variants, with one of them being a rubber strap version instead of a ceramic bracelet. The model we have in our hands is the all-black model (ref R32127152).

Design:

The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic comes with a 43mm monobloc case, which has been crafted entirely from ceramic with a matte black finish. Previously, Captain Cook models came with a 42mm case which makes this new model larger in size. However, the 1mm increase isn’t noticeable enough particularly on this model as the all-black case helps to “slim” it down somewhat. Even with the larger case, the water resistance is still at 300m/1000ft. The inward sloping bezel is sharp, with the white numerals and markers providing the perfect contrast. The bezel has also been given a shinier finish when compared to the previous versions.

To match the casing, Rado has used their iconic all-ceramic bracelet with a combination of different finishings. The outer links are done in matte black which matches the finish of the case and the inner links have a shiny finish to match the bezel. The one we got for review is the reference R32127156 | 01.734.6127.3.215 which is equipped with the Rubber Strap option.

The dial of this timepiece is really what sets it apart from other Captain Cook pieces of the past. Rado has incorporated a dark tinted Sapphire glass to showcase the beautiful movement underneath. The whole inner face up to the minute track on the outer edge of the dial has now been skeletonised.

Rado’s iconic spinning anchor at 12 o’clock is retained in this model, with the anchor also making an appearance on the crown. All hands and hour indices have been filled with superluminova for low light visibility. 

Movement:

The movement used inside the Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is the Calibre R434. Initially an ETA 2824-2 movement, Rado has reworked this movement to bring out some serious firepower. The calibre R734 now features a reworked kinetic chain, a frequency of 3Hz, and a power reserve which has now been boosted to approximately 80 hours.

Rado has also given this movement a Nivachron™ hairspring. , which protects the watch from everyday magnetic fields. Flip the watch over, and the open case back reveals the stunning movement of the calibre R434 movement. 

How does the Captain Cook HTC wear on the wrist?

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On a 6.5inch wrist, the 43mm casing sits just right on the wrist. Compared to the other 42mm Captain Cook variants, the high-tech ceramic sits higher on the wrist at 14.6mm and slightly longer lug to lug distance of 49.7mm. This is due to the monobloc construction of the casing. Also as mentioned earlier, it’s worth noting that black watches, in general, wear smaller on the wrist. Even though the watch is 43mm in size, it wears more like a 41mm size. If you have a wrist smaller than 6.5inches in sizing, you may find it harder to pull off this watch. 

I have had the pleasure of test-driving this watch for a couple of months now and I have to say, I put this watch through a lot. I wore this watch to the official launch of the Captain Cook HTC in Tasmania, where I stayed and played golf at one of the best golf courses (Barnbougle) in Australia. Mountain biked through one of the best mountain biking courses (Blue Derby) and almost jumped into the Floating Sauna (but chickened out!).

Finally to close out the launch had an epic Tasmanian sunset chopper ride back to Barnbougle.

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At home, I wore this on a day to day basis, and even wore it to play tennis and outdoor cricket. Weighing in at just 114 grams with the rubber strap, I had no issues wearing it for longer periods. Being so used to this watch, I even wore it while cleaning my driveway, where all the dirt that came off of the Kärcher sat on the watch. I wasn’t worried one bit, because I knew how durable the high-tech ceramic is. Even after cleaning, I couldn’t find a single scratch on the watch. 

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The dial is laid out well making it easy to read the time, day or night. I like the monochromatic look of the watch, with a black casing and dark sapphire crystal dial against the white markers/hands and text. Having the ruby anchor at 12 o’clock adds a touch of colour which prevents the dial from being over monochromatic.

The dark sapphire crystal dial is a nice touch and in my opinion, is not required for a divers watch but the way the whole dial is executed, you have to look twice to see the R734 movement in action. From far you can’t tell this is a skeleton dial and to appreciate the dial you have to view it from an angle. I feel as though some may not appreciate this, but for me, I didn’t mind it as I believe this dial has the best of both worlds (skeleton/solid dial). Setting the time is easy, and not something that I had to do often due to the generous 80-hour power reserve. 

I liked that I could set the time whilst the watch was on my wrist. Due to the case construction and the crown, you can pull the crown easily to set the time. This comes in handy if you have to change the time on the go. Turning over the watch, I got to enjoy the Rado manufacture calibre R734 through the darkened sapphire crystal case back. Just like the dial, you have to view it from an angle to enjoy the finishing of the movement.

Priced at $5,275, this is the cheapest variant of the four offerings and I think this is priced well for what’s on offer. Overall, I found the Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic to be a delight on the wrist. This is certainly a watch I can wear all day and go about my daily activities without worrying about it being scratched.

The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic is perfectly equipped to be worn on the beach or for everyday lifestyle, all the while being stylishly beautiful. 

Rado Captain Cook HTC Specification (Ref R32127156):

• Case: 43mm, 14.6mm thickness and approximately 49.7mm lug-lug
• Case material: High-tech ceramic, Stainless steel
• Dial: Black
• Crystal: Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside
• Water resistance: 300 meters
• Movement: Calibre R734
• Power reserve: 80 hours

Australian Retail Pricing: $5,275.00

Availability: Available now

Enquire at local Authorised dealers here.

An original look from 1962 is brought to life in a new and improved form for the twenty-first century. With vintage details and styling true to the original, and up-to-date features that make it a match for modern wearers, Captain Cook is a watch designed to stand the test of time. This model features a bronze case as well as a NATO strap made from durable synthetic fabric for a perfect combination of ancient and modern materials.

Sitting at 12.5mm thick, the new watch is right in the sweet spot for a traditional diver. With 300 metres of water resistance and up to 80 hours of power reserve, the Rado is an excellent option for everyday wear. 

Granted, this new release is nothing more than an additional colourway to the existing model. But the new piece stands apart from the others thanks to the colourway here. A deep red is a tricky thing to pull off well, but Rado seems to have done just that here. On top of the colour is exceptionally well designed, it is worth mentioning that even Rolex have openly spoken about the difficulties of producing red ceramic for its bezels.

Here, Rado produce a burgundy ceramic bezel to perfection, which plays beautifully against the bronze case and the dial decorations. 

In spite of the traditional design language of the captain cook, the use of ceramics and bronze, are ensuring this piece goes in an entirely modern direction.

The only downside I can see here personally, is the use of a double pass NATO strap. This Rado is going to sit a bit higher than its counterparts and is likely not to get a tight fit on wrist due to the choice in strap. 

Priced at $4,150AUD, the Rado Captain Cook Bronze Burgundy takes aim squarely at the Tudor black bay. 

The name Captain Cook was of course given to honour the explorer Captain Cook. The original 1962 Captain Cook was a serious dive watch, with a case built to survive approximately 220m of watch depth. Back in 2017, Rado re-released the 1962 Captain Cook model with a 1:1 recreation of the original, all with updated movement and materials. The design of the 2017 watch was kept the same as the original, as they retained the 37mm case sizing, red numeral on date wheel, shape of hour indices and hands, down to the spinning anchor at 12’clock position. The watch community loved this re-edition of what is a classic dive watch upon its release. With the watch becoming popular, Rado decided to make multiple iterations of the Captain Cook, with many different versions with different coloured dials being released. 

Earlier this year, Rado released a new variation of the Captain Cook, with the new timepiece now given a beautiful green dial, the perfect colour for modern explorers looking to answer the call of the wild! WatchAdvice was fortunate to get our hands on this release, coming equipped in the stainless steel bracelet. 

Case Design:

The Rado Captain Cook automatic comes in two different case sizes: a 37mm and 42mm version. Opting to use two different sizes is a great way to accommodate those that prefer to have the watch sit smaller on the wrist, as most dive watches in modern times are 40mm and above. The size we have on our hands today is the 42mm. The stainless steel case measures roughly 12.3mm in height, which is ideal for a dive watch as it won’t feel too bulky on the wrist. The lug to lug size of the case is roughly 48.3mm, which makes the watch sit nicely on a 6.5inch wrist. The case has also been rated for a depth of approximately 300m (1000ft).

The Rado Captain Cook comes with a ceramic bezel which is scratch-resistant and has smooth yet tight rotations. Like the original 1962 piece, the bezel is concaved, and has clear crisp legibility thanks to the contrast of the markers against the green colour of the bezel. The bezel comes equipped with knurled edges for grip when turning the bezel uni-directional. The crown on the case is relatively large, which will come in handy if wearing gloves. The crown also comes equipped with Rado’s Anchor logo. 

Dial:

Rado’s Green Captain Cook model comes with a beautiful green sunburst dial, which has some seriously dark undertones to it. Depending on the light angle, the dial can go from a meadow green to almost full black. The dial is kept relatively the same as the original 1962 Captain Cook timepiece, albeit with modern touches. This green variant keeps the hour markers, hands and the red date all the same from the classic model. The lume has of course been updated, which gives the latest timepiece a white finish for the hour indices and hands. 

Much like the bezel, the dial is super easy to read. Even under low light conditions, the contrast of the hour markers and hands against the dial is superb. This readability is further enhanced when the sunburst dial shows darker tones, for example, when deep underwater. Under low light conditions, the large lume markers also stand out. 

At the 12o’clock position, Rado’s iconic brand logo is shown. This little brand logo rotates in 360 degrees, but not in a distracting way. The anchor doesn’t just spin freely; instead, a sudden quick shake of the timepiece is required to set it in motion. 

Movement:

The movement inside the Rado Captain Cook is the automatic Calibre C07.611. Derived from the ETA 2824-2 movement, Rado has given several of their own updates and modifications to bring the best out of the ETA calibre. Rado’s Calibre C07.611 movement now gives out a power reserve of approximately 80 hours, which is quite hefty and well above average standards. The watch comes with a closed case back and includes the iconic motif, the three seahorses along with three stars. 

How does it wear?

As we mentioned earlier, for a 42mm case size dive watch, the Rado Captain Cook wears well on a 6.5inch wrist. With a thickness of 12.3mm, the watch feels thinner on the wrist, especially for a 42mm case and can be quite easily worn as a daily, as it won’t feel too bulky. The watch does weigh in at 165g, which is slightly on the heavy side for daily wear, but I didn’t find it uncomfortable after a full day of wearing the watch. The Rado Captain Cook, with its 80-hour power reserve, means the watch can be easily left unworn over the weekend, and come Monday it can be worn again without needing to be wound. 

On the wrist, the dial is aesthetically pleasing to look at. As mentioned earlier, the Captain Cook offers a high level of readability. The silver date window with red coloured numbers also provides high visibility. The gradient green dial is easy on the eye, and the sunburst effect is aesthetically pleasing to see in person.

The steel bracelet with brushed and polished elements is comfortable to wear, and with the help of an easy-clip system ( as Rado calls it ) the bracelet of the captain cook can be easily changed without the need for any additional tools. With this in mind, the look of the watch can be easily changed within minutes from stainless steel bracelets to leather straps or nato textile straps. Which means the Rado Captain Cook is ready for all seasons.

Coming from the archives of Rado’s iconic timepieces, the Captain Cook is a bigger, bolder reinterpretation. Now donned with a beautiful green sunburst dial and bezel to match, this modern update is already proving to be a hit among watch enthusiasts. The Sub $5000 is a competitive range for dive models, with a lot of different brands offering some great choices. However, if you are in the market for your first dive timepiece or want to add another dive watch to the collection, we highly recommend the Rado Captain Cook. A watch with brand history, robust design, 300m water depth and a very aesthetic dial, you’ll be hard-pressed to look elsewhere! 

Rado Captain Cook Specification (Ref R32105313):

• Case : 42mm, 12.3mm thickness and approximately 48.3mm lug-lug
• Case material : Stainless steel
• Dial: Green
• Crystal : Sapphire, domed on both sides, anti-reflective coating inside
• Water resistance : 300 meters
• Movement : Calibre C07.611
• Power reserve : 80 hours

Australian Retail Pricing : $3,350.00

Availability : Available now

Enquire at local Authorised dealers :

• Brisbane – Wallace Bishop
• Melbourne – Hardy Brothers and Monards
• Sydney – Shum’s Watches & Jewellery
• Perth – Mazzucchelli’s Jewellers