Innovators Collide: Rado’s Limited Edition Captain Cook x Tennis Celebrates the Surfaces of the Courts
Game recognizes game, and Rado is here to commemorate 40 years in the sport of tennis with a new collection honoring the materials of the sport.
By Cait Bazemore
Contributor
Cliché as it may sound, watches and the sport of tennis are quite literally a match made in heaven.
Collaboration between the two worlds dates back to the 1970s, with Rolex spearheading a partnership with Wimbledon. However, while The Crown continues to be the most widely recognized name in the sport (now serving as the Official Timekeeper of all four Grand Slams as well as sponsoring many of the world’s top tennis players), Rolex is not the only name in the game.
In fact, Rado is only shortly behind, with its work in the realm of tennis tracing back to 1985 at the Swiss Open in Gstaad. Since then, the Maison has expanded its work to include players such as Australian tennis pro Ashleigh Barty and, more recently, 2024 Wimbledon Champion Barbora Krejčiková.
Additionally, Rado has worked with numerous major tournaments worldwide, including the French Open, Australian Open, and various ATP and WTA events, serving as either an Official Timekeeper or sponsor.
This past weekend, we were courtside with Rado, which hosted us at the Mubadala Citi DC Open during the semi-finals and finals, for the official celebration of the brand’s latest timekeeper commemorating its monumental 40th year of work with the sport of tennis. Let us paint a picture for you and (most importantly) get into the details of this handsome new timekeeper.
A Tournament Fit for a 40-Year Celebration
The Mubadala Citi DC Open is the world’s first and only combined ATP and WTA 500-level professional tennis tournament held annually in the heart of Washington, D.C. at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.
Initially called the Washington Star International at the inaugural competition in 1969, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments in the United States, co-founded by none other than tennis legend Arthur Ashe. The Mubadala Citi DC Open is also significant because it is a crucial hard court event leading up to the final Grand Slam of the season: the U.S. Open.
While this year marks four decades of Rado’s dedication to the sport, this is only its second year as a sponsor of the Mubadala Citi DC Open. In short order, the two have become the perfect pair, with the tournament serving as the ideal backdrop to celebrate the launch of Rado’s newest addition to its catalog commemorating 40 years of work in the realm of tennis.
Material Innovation as a Source of Inspiration
By now, you probably know that Rado is the “master of materials,” as it is responsible for pioneering the use of components such as sapphire crystal, high-tech ceramic, and virtually scratch-resistant hardmetal in the world of watchmaking. However, material innovation is just one area where Rado and the sport of tennis find common ground.
Over the past four decades, tennis has evolved by leaps and bounds, with advancements in racket design, ball composition, and surface technology. Ingeniously, Rado decided to tap into these strides as a source of inspiration for the Rado Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition.
The foundation of the design is arguably one of the brand’s most iconic models: the Captain Cook. Rado first introduced the collection in 1962, drawing inspiration from the dive watches of the era with a distinct rotating bezel and a sealed, watertight caseback embossed with a seahorse.
Other notable features of the watch include a date window at the 3 o’clock position with a red date display (a feature that has since become a signature of the collection) as well as a beads-of-rice-style bracelet.
Since its initial release, the Captain Cook has taken many forms. Some versions have leaned more utilitarian, with high depth ratings and bold use of new materials, while others have straddled the line between dive watch and sports watch, with aesthetics and design at the forefront over performance. The new Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition leans toward the latter, boasting an athletic build that’s stylish enough for the stands or the winner’s podium.
The piece offers a perfectly proportioned 39mm stainless steel case and all the trademark features of the Captain Cook line you know and love, from the polished stainless steel rotating bezel to the red date wheel at 3 o’clock, plus a beads-of-rice bracelet option. However, the dial of this new piece is decorated with bright, neon tennis ball-yellow accents.
However, the real fun comes in with the alternate NATO straps because, in addition to the beads-of-rice bracelet, the Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition is shipped with three NATO straps, each representing a different tennis surface: hard court, clay court, and grass court in blue, orange, and green, respectively.
Pricing & Availability
The Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition is available today, with production fittingly capped at 1985 pieces, and is priced at $2,800. For more information, please visit the Rado website.