Need some help...which is the better watch between the Longines Hydroconquest and Rado Captain Cook?
A little context, my friend is getting married and he has been looking for a watch to wear for his wedding. He ended up choosing these two finally and knowing I'm the only watch person in the group he asked me which would be the better watch. I told him to try it on in person so I took him yesterday to see if he find one of the models suitable. He liked both and asked me to choose the best one so back to square one.
I do not have any experience with Rado but I just found out yesterday that the Rado is $550 more than the Longines Hydroconquest. Was a little surprised when I came to know the cost, especially considering the Rado just has a Powermatic 80.611 and wondered why it cost more plus the useless salesperson at the AD kept saying it is 4hz but found out it was not after I did a quick search on the internet. But the Rado does come with a 30% discount which somewhat puts the Rado closer to the Longines's price but the Hydroconquest also gets a 10% discount plus a free rubber strap from the AD.
From handling both watches, the Rado felt well-finished with a good bracelet (minus the weird butterfly clasp). The Longines watch head was really well finished but the bracelet is not good as the Rado but still offered much more adjustability and the extra rubber strap offered was super good. My friend's wrists are on the larger side so he didn't have any issues with the size of both watches.
If you had to choose one, which would you go? The main difference at this point is the price and movement frequency. Especially if you own either of these watches, your experience would be valuable.
Longines Hydroconquest-$1650+free rubber strap
Rado Captain Cook- $1750
Update: Thanks for all the input, seems like Rado is the better choice. I did tell him earlier a dive watch would be not the ideal watch for the wedding but he just wanted some watch that he would like to keep for the rest of life and also just wants a watch that is suitable for day to day activities. He currently wears a apple watch. We did see the new Longines Conquest while we are at AD and I suggested him model would be more suited for daily wear, so he wants to take a final look between the two and choose.
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I'd go for the Rado. The Cap'n Cook has more classic diver looks and looks more special. I reckon your friend will keep this watch for a long time, and the Cap'n Cook will age better.
Rado for me as well. I like the Hydroconquest but 3/6/9/(12) designs where a date window removes the 3 turn me off. Also I don't think I could get on with polished centre links, except where they are polished beads of rice like you can get on the Rado.
Yeah, Rado. Just classier imho. Longines date window just destroys it for me, & big numbers just ain't as posh.
I have the longines it’s a great but is more of a true tool watch watch but the rado is far more a dressy diver and would look better in a suit
The longines feel less risky. It seems better for a non watch people. Longines is more associed with luxury in my mind so I will go for it. It feels also more solid so better for an everyday watch. The rado feels more dressy.
Rado ✨
Rado
Rado by a nose, the nose being the lack of crown guard, somewhat superfluous in wedding attire.
I’m going to go against the grain, apparently…I’d go with the Longines. It’s simply a better piece for the money. Ceramic bezel, higher beat movement (25200 vph to Rado’s 21600) and I prefer the looks. The Rado’s bezel slopes towards the crystal, not away from it as in most watches, which makes it look kind of odd to me.
For wedding & a keeper, I’d go with the Rado.
Rado because it looks much more refined for a wedding compared to the Longines.
Gotta be the Longines for me!
The Cap’n!
I don’t personally believe either are a perfect wedding day watch, the Rado is a bit more refined but I think in the long run your friend would develop more love and satisfaction with the Longines which is a bit more respected in watch circles( my own limited experience). I wonder if the ad would swap the rubber for a calf strap to make the HC less tool on his big day. Nobody is going to notice his watch on that day, neither will he.
Tough choice, both are great watches. Specially the 37mm Captain. Both brands are great manufacturers, both watches are really good in terms of quality, both watches have some spice in looks. Tough one.
I like Rado more. But also I would not go for a tool watch at a wedding.
Call me old-fashioned, but I dont think that this kind of sprezzatura is going to work well at such important day. I mean, there's literally NOTHING nonchalant about the wedding lol.
I would go for a nice dress watch. Or a dress diver, like a vintage 36mm Zodiac.
I’m going to go against the grain, apparently…I’d go with the Longines. It’s simply a better piece for the money. Ceramic bezel, higher beat movement (25200 vph to Rado’s 21600) and I prefer the looks. The Rado’s bezel slopes towards the crystal, not away from it as in most watches, which makes it look kind of odd to me.
But that slope down toward the crystal helps protect the crystal against bumps and scratches.
Longines
Rado
Just based on pure looks, I would go for the Rado. Not a big fan of the dial of the HC, the numbers are too big for me, and the lack of the 3, kind of gives me the apperance it has fallen off.
I'm sorry I gotta say, the Longines L888 (ETA 2892) for LESS money than the Rado only giving you a Powermatic 80 (ETA 2824) is just a non-starter. Longines wins this all day.
Rado
Neither is "better", both are very good. Just a matter of taste.
Longines
Longine all the way!
Great post NF. Not sure which watch is better in a technical stand point. But the Longines is slightly better in a design point of view which is completely my opinion anyways.
I actually own both of these (although the smaller original release 37mm CC) and they're both outstanding watches. To me they serve completely different roles in my collection. While not a dress watch, the Rado looks far more refined both on leather and on the classic beads of rice bracelet, and can dress up and dress down with ease. The Longines is much more of a tool watch, although the ridiculous polished center links on the bracelet would lead you to believe otherwise. I almost immediately threw it on a bond NATO and it's been a rock solid companion for all sorts of outdoor activities both in the mountains and the sea. The 888 movement isn't chronograph certified, but after a year of hard use I'm still getting +2s a day.
For the wedding alone, the Rado is a clear winner, it just looks so much more refined. But for a rugged daily wearer, it's hard to go wrong with the Longines
Rado for me between the 2.
Is the wedding soon ? Is he in a rush to buy ?
Since this is something that he will be a memory from his wedding and he seems to like dive watches then maybe his future wife should be part of the discussion of "if a dive watch is suitable for the wedding ? " The main purpose of the watch I believe is to be a memento that he will use on daily basis and he appears to like dive watch.
He may also want to browse the manufacturer's website instead of the local AD which may not have all the models on display unless you live in a large city.
In regards to Rado, I have looked at the Captain Cook model and I found them to be expensive and the bracelet was narrow for the watch size. I did not find a good balance between the bracelet and the watch case.
In my opinion Rado.
But I would rather go for the two tones or the ceramic ones (unfortunately more expensive)
I'd say #rado