Half a decade has passed since Rado first reintroduced the Captain Cook to its lineup – a refreshingly faithful reissue that offered a glimpse into the depth of Rado’s archives. In the five years since, the Captain Cook collection has grown impressively, offering a range of colours, sizes, materials and complications. However, the newest member of the Captain Cook collection is one of the best yet, in the Rado Over-Pole Worldtime.
Rado Over-Pole: What Is It?
The first Captain Cook reissue from 2017 was a modest 37mm timepiece, a size that Rado has returned to with the Over-Pole Worldtime, keeping with its vintage-inspired design. With its 100m of water resistance and eye-catching sunburst dial, you’re still getting all of the best bits of the original Captain Cook reissue, however, the watch also offers the charming aesthetic and additional functionality of the world-time bezel.
Not only does the bezel really tie the design together, but it’s also perfectly timed with a return to international travel, making it very compelling as an affordable and good-looking companion for your next trip.
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Case
As mentioned, the Over-Pole features a 37mm steel case, which might be smaller than the majority of the Captain Cook collection, but it adds to the vintage charm of the watch. With a lug-to-lug measurement of 43mm, it certainly isn’t overly demure and is nicely proportioned to sit comfortably on a range of different wrist sizes.
The bezel is enough to immediately grab your attention, with its ceramic surface engraved with the names of 24 different cities around the world that reflect 24 of the different global timezones. You’re able to rotate the bezel in both directions, giving you a quick guide to the time anywhere in the world.
Dial
The dark grey dial of the Rado Over-Pole has been radially brushed to play with the light, looking almost silver under direct light and nearly black in lower-light environments. The hour markers are different from the typically printed markers found on the rest of the Captain Cook collection, executed in several complex faceted shapes that have been nicely polished. At 3 o’clock you’ll find the roulette date window, as a practical concession for the jetlagged traveller.
Movement
Powering the Over-Pole is a new movement for the Captain Cook collection, in the manually wound Rado calibre R862 that offers an impressive 80 hours of power reserve. As the first non-automatic movement in a modern Captain Cook, it’s been made visible through a sapphire crystal case back, giving you a good look at the Geneva-striped bridges and oscillating hairspring.
Strap & Bracelet
One thing the Captain Cook collection has been excellent at over the last five years is the range of strap offerings available, and the Over-Pole is no different. The watch arrives with both a twin-stitch leather strap and a stainless steel beads of rice bracelet, which you’ll be able to swap between easily thanks to the quick-change mechanism. Depending on if you’re looking to dress it up or down, or you just have a preference for a strap or bracelet, you’ll be covered with the options the Over-Pole arrives with.
Verdict & Price
Admittedly, the vintage aesthetic isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy designs from the past you’ll likely love the Rado Over-Pole. It’s compellingly designed with quintessential cues from the ’60s, while it’s got a more robust build quality and is powered by a movement that is as good as it gets for the price point.
If you also consider that you get both a bracelet and leather strap, as well as a well-made leather storage pouch, all for an RRP of $3,850 you’ll admit that there’s a lot to like about what Rado is offering. The Rado Over-Pole is available in Australia from today and is a limited edition of 1,962 individually numbered pieces.
