Rewinding our horlogerie time machines takes us back to 1985, Switzerland — where tennis history met Swiss innovation.
On the clay courts of the Swiss Open in Gstaad, in front of 50,000 spectators, Swedish star Joakim Nyström claimed his second consecutive singles title — an iconic moment that RADO proudly witnessed from courtside.
A Historic First Serve
Uniting fine watchmaking with the dynamic world of tennis, the 1985 Swiss Open marked the first internationally recognized tournament sponsored by RADO. What began on Gstaad’s clay quickly expanded worldwide — from Germany and Japan to Australia, South Africa, and North America.
By the late 1990s, RADO was sponsoring more than 40 major tournaments, becoming the number one watch brand associated with international tennis — its signature courtside clocks becoming an unmistakable symbol of precision.
Honoring this legacy of aces and timeless collaboration, RADO unveils the Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition — a tribute to shared values of technical mastery, split-second accuracy, and innovation. This commemorative release arrives with distinct tennis-inspired details and three textile straps representing the sport’s iconic court surfaces.
First Look at the 2025 Glory Sports Summit
WatchDNA’s team had the honour of trying on the new Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition during the 2025 Glory Sports Summit — co-sponsored by RADO. Celebrating the fusion of sports and culture within Canada’s evolving landscape, RADO’s tennis-themed installation showcased the special edition alongside other signature collections.
The Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition
Combining RADO’s vintage diver DNA with modern performance and tennis-infused details, this Limited Edition is housed in a sturdy 39mm stainless steel case offering 300m of water resistance. Its bezel features a brushed plasma ceramic finish with white lacquered engravings and a Super-LumiNova triangle at twelve.
The dial showcases a striking ruthenium-to-white gradient. Four dark yellow Super-LumiNova dots — at 3, 6, 8, and 12 o’clock — subtly reference tennis scoring (15, 30, 40, game). Rhodium-toned hands and indexes, all treated with Super-LumiNova, ensure perfect visibility, while the seconds hand features a tennis-ball-inspired tip.
The caseback reveals a “Limited Edition — One Out of 1,985” engraving, surrounding a textured representation of tennis’s three court types. Inside, RADO’s Calibre R763 delivers an impressive 80-hour power reserve at 21,600 vph and includes a date complication.
Each Captain Cook x Tennis Limited Edition comes equipped with a polished and brushed beads-of-rice stainless steel bracelet. Additionally, collectors receive three extra NATO-style textile straps — blue for hard courts, orange for clay, and green for grass. Production is limited to 1,985 pieces, honoring the year of RADO’s first major tournament sponsorship.
