Rado Captain Cook “World Travel” Vintage Watch

Rado Captain Cook “World Travel” Vintage Watch

Model: Captain Cook
Case Size: Approx. 37mm (excluding crown)
Case Material: Stainless steel
Case Back: Screw-down, engraved with the Rado seahorse logo and marked “Water-Sealed”
Dial: Black dial with applied indices, luminous hands and markers, red and white inner rotating world time bezel
Bezel: Internal rotating bezel (controlled by the crown at 2 o’clock)
Movement: Automatic
Date Display: Date window at 3 o’clock
Crystal: Acrylic or mineral (typical of the era)
Bracelet: Vintage stainless steel bracelet
Crown: Dual crown (signed), one for time setting and one for bezel operation
Lume: Present on hands and markers (aged patina)
Era: Likely late 1960s to early 1970s
Other Details:

• “Captain Cook” text at 6 o’clock

• Swiss Made

• Rare vintage diver-style with a unique travel-themed inner bezel

Why It’s Rare

This version of the Captain Cook is a sought-after collector’s piece due to its uncommon dual-crown configuration, internal world-time bezel, low production numbers, and bold, tool-watch aesthetics—an unusual travel/dive hybrid from Rado’s golden era.

Short History

The watch was named after Captain James Cook, the legendary 18th-century British explorer known for his voyages into uncharted waters. Rado introduced the Captain Cook line in 1962 as a tribute to his spirit of adventure, designing a watch that could withstand rugged exploration both above and below the sea.