MATERIAL DIFFERENCE

Rado demonstrates its mastery of ceramic by presenting a new Captain Cook timepiece constructed entirely in the material

- JAMIE TAN

Less a single substance and more a class of materials with varying properties, ceramic has come a long way since its introduction to watchmaking in the early 1960s (see our extensive feature on this subject in issue #64). Today, watchmakers rely on various formulations – as well as production and finishing techniques – to create ceramic components with vastly different visual and physical attributes.

Rado, in particular, has differentiated itself with its focus on ceramics. The brand’s work in this area has seen it develop variants ranging from Ceramos, a proprietary metal/ceramic hybrid “alloy”, to Hardmetal, an even more resilient version of tungsten carbide. In the new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Limited Edition, Rado has opted to render the classic Captain Cook watch almost entirely in high-tech ceramic, which can be produced in various colours and finishes. The result? The familiar Captain Cook timepiece in its most contemporary form yet.