Info Captain Cook MKII vintage

[Endriu1981]

Dear All,

I recently started to get passionate about Rado history and models, and after a great excursion with the Golden Horses I started looking for the Captain Cook.

Recently I've bought n.2 MKII, apparently equals each other, but once in my hands I realized some differences.

The first concerns the workmanship of the case, different between the two examples, one with radial satin finishing and lateral beveling, the other with circular satin finishing and without beveling.

The second thing they have in common is that they both have the small crowns not logged, but one appears aligned with the case while the other appears slightly protruding.

Can you give me some information about them? are they as they should be? In some cases I have seen both crowns branded and cases without bevels, some polished and other satin finished...

Is it possible that the case with "the radial satin finishing and lateral beveling" was "worked" in a later time?

Thanks to all
Andrea
Below some pics of them:

[Tim.]

Hi and welcome, I'm not personally familiar with the subtle variations in CC MkII's however, someone here will be, I know that Henry owns one and will have some knowledge on the subject.

[Endriu1981]

Hi and welcome, I'm not personally familiar with the subtle variations in CC MkII's however, someone here will be, I know that Henry owns one and will have some knowledge on the subject.

I Tim and thank you for your reply!
I hope henry sees this post and helps us understand this strange case!
Best

[watch carefully]

Hello!
Thanks for posting this query and providing the photos. I had not previously noticed there were two styles of case beveling, as you described. It has been more than a decade since I owned any CC Mk IIs, and will have to see whether I have any photos of them to compare.

In my research for an article on RADO ~22 years ago, I received some details from their HQ, including info on two references of Mk II:

Ref. 11773 (new Ref. 589.3004.4)
Start of production: 1965
End of production: 1972
Quantity: ca 50,000 pieces
Ref. 11868 (new Ref. 999.3004.4)
Start of production: 1967
End of production: 1972
Quantity: ca 5,000 pieces

This data suggests to me that the 11773 and 11868 could have differences in case design (or other elements). Also, the first thing I noticed from your photos is that the case without the beveled edge seems to exhibit signs of polishing on the sides--they are smoother than I expect, Is this accurate, or a trick of the light? Do you believe the case has been modified?

I'll be glad for any input from the others here. I cannot recall this arising as a topic in our old forum at EOT. So thanks for raising a new matter for discussion!
Brad

Link to my article (apologies for the missing photos):
https://www.watchcarefully.com/index...e-rado-watches

[Henry Krinkle]

Hello Andrea and welcome.

The one on the milanese bracelet looks correct. The case of the CC Mk II is essentially the case from a Miami with an extra hole drilled for the internal bezel crown. The brushed satin case and vertical brushing on the case sides is correct and the case looks correct. Even the crystal looks correct. That's a nice example even without the desirable bracelet.

In porofile the whole case looks wrong, as do the lugs when seen from the back. I've never seen a Captain Cook with a bezel like that. The crystal also doesn't seem to have the correct shoulder profile. If I were to hazard a guess it would be that someowne with some skill and some decent equipment took a damaged case and milled it.


I will try to have a look for my pictures of a Miami I used to have so I can show you the comparison, but I am n0ot quite sure where they are.

[Tim.]

As I previously stated, I'm not an expert in this field however, a quick search of examples for sale, along with print media of that period, tends to suggest that the cases were fully polished without bevelling. I can find no examples of any brushed bevelled cases but I agree with Henry that it would be difficult to rework a case to that degree of perfection. Apart from the area around the lugs it's virtually identical to a MkI Voyager case, which would fit in with some of Rado's design cues around that time, i.e. mid to late 60's early 70's.

[Tim.]

News Flash. I have now found one other watch with the same bevelled case as yours. Is it possible that your watch came from Watch art Exchange?

[Henry Krinkle]

News Flash. I have now found one other watch with the same bevelled case as yours. Is it possible that your watch came from Watch art Exchange?

I just looked at that one...Eep!

[Tim.]

I just looked at that one...Eep!

Indeed.

[Endriu1981]

Hi everyone and thanks for the contributions!
From the analysis of the advertising material and looking the pictures of the models for sale I also believe that the "correct" or let's say "most common" configuration is the one with polished shoulders and no bevel.
However I don't even believe that the case was worked by someone because it has high quality finishing, furthermore, the part of the case back and the crown hole at four o'clock have different measurements.
It seems to be two different cases even if they have the same measurements when viewed from the front.
Could it be a prototype?
The Voyager case looks similar but is still different.
There is another Rado model that seems have a similar case, it is tha Marco Polo but it has only one crown and it is very different on the case back part.

It seems to be quite a mystery!!