Certina Brings Extreme Diving to the General Public

You can benefit from watchmaking technology without asking questions about its origins, simply to enjoy the present moment. But the knowledgeable enthusiast often likes to question a brand’s legitimacy, expertise and history. So, when Certina announces a new generation of diving watches, it is always worthwhile understanding where it comes from and what it can claim.

Two Words and Two Letters

Many brands produce long brochures accompanied by more or less extreme videos. Not Certina. The maison founded in 1888, with almost 140 years of experience, goes straight to the point. For its new diver, you will have to make do with four letters: DS and PH.

The first acronym, DS, stands for Double Security. It is a construction method that gives the watch absolute water resistance. It consists of securing the case and its casing. It includes a reinforced case, a sapphire crystal and special seals on the stem, crown and caseback. This process gives the watch exceptional resistance, including under heavy stresses. Certina developed it in the 1960s, when recreational diving was beginning to conquer the general public. It was also during these years that most of the iconic diving watches were born: Eberhard & Co.’s Scafograf dates from 1959, the Doxa SUB from 1967, as does the Rolex Sea-Dweller, among others.

The other acronym, PH, may seem more technical, but it is not really. PH stands for Hydrostatic Pressure. It simply refers to the pressure exerted by water on a surface due to its own weight. For obvious reasons, the deeper one descends beneath the sea, the greater the volume of water above, and therefore the greater the hydrostatic pressure. By explaining this factor, Certina guarantees amateur and professional divers that its watches are suited to the most demanding depths. And this is where the new DS SUPER PH2000M comes in, whose name becomes as clear as the waters of the Caribbean: Double Security, Super Hydrostatic Pressure, 2,000 metres.

New Wave

This is the first PH model capable of diving to a depth of 2,000 metres below the ocean surface. This is an achievement in itself, since the previous deep-diving model signed by Certina in the 1970s was certified for diving to “only” 1,000 metres. With this new model, the brand is therefore doubling its level of resistance and will reach 2,000 metres. To this end, a helium valve has been introduced at 9 o’clock to prevent overpressure inside the case during ascents to the surface.

Several technical options have been selected to guarantee the range’s robustness while also making it attractive and wearable on a daily basis. Certina therefore opted for a titanium case, a ceramic bezel and a wide choice of straps using titanium, rubber, silicone or even textile. Each watch is also systematically supplied with a second strap.

Powermatic 80, the Secret Weapon

As for the movement, Certina opted for the Powermatic 80. This is a base developed by the Swatch Group and used by several brands for many years, such as Tissot and Hamilton. Its name reflects its performance: 80 hours of power reserve. When it was launched, it was already a calibre offering one of the longest power reserves on the market, and this is still the case today. Produced in large volumes, it is an extremely robust movement. For its new diver, it guarantees Certina precision, endurance and reliability thanks to its anti-magnetic hairspring, made from Nivachron.

Alongside a limited Sea Turtle Conservancy edition of 1,959 pieces, four models are now entering the regular collection, with black, white, yellow or blue dials, all at the particularly affordable unit price of CHF 1,235. This probably makes it the most accessible extreme mechanical diving watch on the market.