Certina celebrates its 125 anniversary with various special editions. I particular like this one. Would you e.g. like to blind-side your beloved one? Yes? Click here…
Isn´t there is always a good reason to surprise someone you love and/or like. In this case you could do it with a brand new Certina watch set. The Certina DS-1 Automatic 125th Anniversary Limited Edition only comes as a set of two watches, so you could wear it together with your partner or offer it to friends you really like … the set could also be a wedding present … and much more … it´s up to you to define why/whom/when/ … I could also imagine that you let your retailer engrave the two watches with your personal short message and so give them your personal touch … 🙂
These DS-1 look good, the quality is good and the price is hot … many good reasons to think about it 🙂
In 1960 the Certina DS model was presented to the public the first time and the 2013 limited edition now reflects the design of those days. The design of the dial with an elegant silver-shaded sunray-finished surface is reinforced by a contrasting anthracite-coloured ring to mark individual seconds, indicated by a black central second hand, and guarded behind a gently-rounded sapphire crystal with anti-reflection coating.
The new DS-1 is produced in a very small edition of only 1888 pieces, sold exclusively as a duo package with one each gents/ladies units. Both the gents 39mm and the smaller 30mm versions are equipped with similar and beautifully finished brushed/polished five-row stainless-steel bracelets ― the larger model fastened by a folding safety buckle and the ladies with a twin push-button butterfly buckle.
The technical Data
Movement: Swiss-Made Automatic
Gents model: ETA 2824, Ladies model: ETA 2671 H, M, central seconds, date
Case: Diameter: Gents: 39 mm, Ladies: 30 mm, brushed/polished 316L stainless-steel case, see-through case back
Dial: Silver-shaded with sunray surface finish Superluminova on hands and indices
Water resistance: Water-resistant up to a pressure of 10 bar (100m)
Crystal: Sapphire crystal, rounded, with anti-reflection coating
Crown: Classic former “double-C” Certina logo on crown tip
Watch bracelet: Gents model: Five-row stainless-steel (brushed/polished) with folding safety buckle
Ladies model: Five-row stainless-steel (brushed/polished) with butterfly buckle and twin push-buttons
Specificity: DS (Double Security)
Certina Special Anniversary Edition, limited to 1888 pieces. Only sold as a pair (gents/ladies duo package in special box)
References: C006.407.11.031.99
Retail price: Switzerland = 1680 CHF including 8 % VAT / Austria = 1390 Euro including 20 % VAT
Who is Certina? What was/is Certina doing?
Here are in brief some useful answers…
Reliability, precision and innovation have underlined the Certina philosophy since 1888, year of the foundation of the company by the Kurth Brothers. In 1959, Certina developed its famous Double Security DS Concept, to bring to its watches exceptional sturdiness and outstanding water resistance. Certina has a long-standing commitment to sport, and motor racing in particular. It has stood next to an ever-growing list of great sport stars such as Mike Doohan, Alex Crivillé, Petter Solberg, Sete Gibernau, Thomas Lüthi, Robert Kubica and also boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Since 2005, Certina has been Official Partner of the Sauber F1 Team and since 2013 Official Timekeeper of the FIA WRC World Rally Championship. A subsidiary of the world’s largest international watchmaking organisation Swatch Group, Certina is currently world leader in the sport watch segment priced between CHF 300. – and CHF 2,000. -, and is represented in more than 60 countries.
The 125th anniversary… What else can we expect? This is what I have been told:
… “Certina is using its anniversary year as an opportunity to relaunch its entire corporate identity. Moreover, innovative movements and new products will be presented with the further developed design. The anniversary will be properly celebrated across the world with special models, limited-edition special series and various promotions, events and activities. Throughout the company’s history, there have been numerous exciting moments and significant events. With its focus on the future, Certina’s new corporate identity represents a further significant milestone in the company’s history.” …
Thanks for the interesting post. Certina is really a perfect choice and still offers good value for money. Unfortunately you get in todays models just an 2824. My original DS-1 and DS-2 from the 60th`s have their own and very exclusive Certina movements.
ETA/Nivarox is the movement manufactory for the Swatch Group and so today the Swatch Group brands do in the end all have ETA movements …
You are right about the role of ETA. However Swatch Group today owns a number of other movement manufacturers which were operating independantly in former days, e.g. Lemania or Frederique Piguet. But these high end movement makers do not supply the medium class brands like Certina. Indeed, these brands get their movements from ETA only.
There is one thing to mention: All the Swatch Group brand get more and more “own” calibers from ETA. Whilst the ETAs that Swatch Group sells to third parties are no longer developed the own brands get step by step their own modified calibers. It’s just a question of a bit more time and also Certina will have its own ETA calibers. If you want to know about the strategy I recommend you to listen to the interview with Nick Hayek