Rado named their ?60s-era Captain Cook diver after the 18th century British explorer, Captain James Cook, who is best known for his exploits in the South Pacific. That original timepiece is a rare bird indeed, and perhaps that rarity helps explain why before Rado brought the watch back in the form of the 2017 reissue, few (but for a small group of dive watch enthusiasts) had heard of the reference, let alone seen one in the metal. Nevertheless, that reissue was a big win for Rado?the watch was a huge hit with both watch enthusiasts and journalists alike, and it remains a core part of Rado?s catalog.
Last year, Rado came out with Captain Cook MKIII, which we covered here. Curiously, the MKIII made its debut before the MKII, which was just officially unveiled by Rado and is the focus of today?s article. 
The vintage inspiration.

The MKII is based on yet another historical reference from Rado?s back catalog. That watch was the followup to the first Captain Cook, but as you can see here, aesthetically speaking, it?s quite a departure from that first watch. Very much of its time, the second generation Captain Cook features a hooded case with dual crowns, a colorful internal rotating bezel, and a proud acrylic crystal. The current reissue is faithful in capturing the essence of this watch.
To get the details just right, Rado scanned the case of a vintage second generation Captain Cook, so what we have here is a damn good homage to the historical piece. It measures j...