What does an 18th-century explorer have to do with a retro timepiece from the 1960s? In a departure from its typically formal offerings, Swiss watchmaker Rado channeled the trailblazing spirit of a South Pacific adventurer in the sporty steel Hyperchrome Captain Cook, an update of the brand’s 1962 icon that’s water-resistant to 100 meters and mimics the original down to its modest 37-millimeter case size. Though not billed exclusively as a dive watch, nautical details abound in a trio of seahorses engraved on the caseback and a swiveling anchor symbol placed at 12 o’clock; a fiery red date wheel gleams against the sun-brushed patina of the volcanic-hued dial. A nod to the year of its original release, the limited edition of 1,962 pieces also features a rotating ceramic bezel and Super-LumiNova indexes paired with a vintage-looking leather strap. Unlike its eponym, whose ill-fated return to the Hawaiian islands resulted in his death, the Rado Hyperchrome Captain Cook goes back to its roots with a far more positive outcome.
Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook, $1,900; rado.com
