Hands-On: The Rado Captain Cook Over-Pole Returns In Gold PVD
When Rado reintroduced the Over-Pole as a limited edition in 2022, it came as a single stainless steel model. Today, nearly three years later, a historically correct version in yellow gold PVD is here. With gold-colored watches increasing in popularity, this latest Rado is an elegant option for those who still enjoy tool-watch functionality. We’ve been fortunate enough to go hands-on with this limited edition and are excited to share all the details.
Though 2019 feels like a long time ago, I still remember stumbling across a vintage Rado Over-Pole on Yahoo! Japan Auctions. The watch looked like a Captain Cook diver, but it contained much more detail. The concave “arena” bezel was filled with city names instead of a 60-minute scale, and the dial had applied indexes instead of printed ones. The bottom line is that I had to have it. When it arrived, it was similar to the Captain Cook diver, but I struggled to find information on the watch. Enter Rado.
The Rado Captain Cook Over-Pole in gold PVD
Rado’s headquarters in Switzerland was kind enough to send original catalog scans, and several depicted a gold-plated version. This differed from my stainless steel model but proved that the brand made more than one reference. Since 2019, I’ve seen a couple of vintage gold-plated pieces, but they’re incredibly uncommon. In 2022, a stainless steel model celebrated the watch’s 60th anniversary, but we’ve had to wait until now for a gold edition.
Specification-wise, the watch is nearly identical to the 2022 release. This translates to a 39mm by 45mm case with a slender 10.9mm thickness. Rado equips this piece with a brown leather strap and PVD-treated pin buckle.
For those who desire something a bit shinier, the included leather pouch contains a PVD-coated beads-of-rice bracelet with a push-button folding clasp. Conveniently, the strap and bracelet utilize quick-release spring bars.
A silver sunray dial
Whereas the stainless version was paired with a smoky fumé dial, the gold PVD Over-Pole works with a silver sunray version. Per the old catalogs, this is a historically correct color, as are the applied gold-coated indexes. Other details include a printed black 24-hour scale, model name, and brand signature. Rado also chose vintage-looking off-white Super-LumiNova for the gold-plated hands and lume pips on the outside of each index. The classic red-on-white date wheel is a fitting vintage touch and looks the part with the similarly red background on the rotating anchor hallmark.
The bezel is the pièce de résistance
There’s no denying that a concave bezel is a thing of beauty. Sure, a feature that collects water instead of funneling it away from the crystal is a pretty bad idea, but the look is so different from the standard fare. Brands like Breitling, Croton, Gruen, and, of course, Rado used them in the late ’50s and early ’60s, but the look disappeared. With the Captain Cook Over-Pole, it’s nice that buyers can try an arena bezel in a modern application.
The Over-Pole has a knurled, gold PVD-treated bidirectional bezel with a glossy black ceramic insert. Gold lacquer is used within the inscribed city names. Because this is ceramic, the names are perfectly engraved with precise edges and depth. It’s satisfying to run a finger over them and feel the consistency and lack of burrs. To use the bezel, simply line up the appropriate city with the current time in that locale. Then, the rest of the cities fall in line, and it’s easy to check the time globally. There’s nothing fancy about the process, but it’s effective.
The Over-Pole uses a manual-winding caliber
The original Over-Pole used the A. Schild AS1701 automatic movement. Schild was a longtime movement manufacturer that ultimately became part of ETA in 1979 during the Quartz Crisis. While it’s a stretch to relate today’s movement to the vintage model, this gold-plated Over-Pole limited edition also uses an ETA-based caliber. Instead of an automatic one, though, the manual-winding R862 is inside. It’s based on the ETA 2804, a 17-jewel hand-winding version of the 2824. The Rado modifications yield a lower frequency of 21,600vph but an upgraded power reserve of 80 hours. It has a Nivachrom hairspring and, importantly, is adjusted to five positions for accuracy. The movement contains Geneva stripes and is visible through a display window.
Fit and feel
The modern 39mm Captain Cook case is perfect on the wrist. Some may express concern about the smallish diameter and 45.5mm lug-to-lug, but the bezel overhangs the case and makes it appear larger. Then, thanks to a mere 10.9mm thickness, it’s fantastic under a shirt sleeve. For our photos, we show the watch on the brown strap. It lends the watch a more casual appearance. The gold-tone bracelet is certainly the showier option, but it’s nicely made and supple. Plus, the stamped clasp looks classically vintage.
Limited and lovely
Rado is making 1,962 numbered pieces of the Over-Pole in gold PVD. The retail price is €3,150, which isn’t inexpensive, but it feels in line as this is a premium product. In support of this, the adjusted movement and five-year warranty are all decisions Rado is making to differentiate the brand. Gold is hot right now, and while this isn’t solid gold, it does look great and is faithful to a lovely watch from the ’60s. For more information, visit the official Rado website.
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