WorldTempus was in Zurich this week for the launch of a new Certina concept that could be a real game changer for the brand. The big reveal took place in an old television studio in the trendy district of Hardbrücke in front of the international press. The press conference did not present a new watch per se, but a concept with numerous watches in one. Let me explain.
The Certina DS+ Concept is a little like a Lego or Meccano kit, where you have a watch head (containing the movement and the dial in a capsule), a bezel with lugs, and a strap, which you assemble yourself. You pop the watch head into the bezel and then attach the strap without the need for any tools. Why wouldn’t it come already assembled, I hear you ask?
Well, because playing is all part of the fun as there are different watch heads to choose from (with black, blue, and white dials), six different bezels (stainless steel, stainless steel with six screws, diver with uni-directional rotating bezel, gold, gold with six screws, and cushion-shaped), two metal bracelets (three-row and Milanese), two #Tide straps (blue and grey) and a brown leather strap, resulting in over 75 possible watch combinations.
The assembling concept is child’s play as you unscrew the crown on the watch head, and the second crown on the bezel, and just press the watch head and the bezel together until they click. This second crown has no horological function, it is just for extra security on the left side of the watch to fix the head and the bezel together. For the strap, it is the same easy-change system present in other Certina timepieces.
To help consumers choose which combination of components they like best, Certina has come up with three different kits. The first is the Aqua & Sport with a black watch head, a uni-directional diver bezel, a stainless steel bezel with six screws, a gray #Tide strap, and a stainless steel bracelet, offering the possibility for four totally different watches.
There is also a Sport & Urban kit with a white watch head, stainless steel bezel, gold bezel with rivets, Milanese bracelet and brown leather strap; and an Urban & Heritage kit with a blue watch head, gold bezel, cushion-shaped bezel, stainless steel bracelet, and navy blue #Tide strap. All the kits come in a handy box made of ecological materials in keeping with the brand’s mission to ensure a respectful and sustainable use of its resources.
Each kit of four possible watches is priced at CHF 940 (including VAT) and additional components can be purchased online or in-store if and when the client chooses. This customizable DS+ Concept system is the perfect gift for someone when you aren’t quite sure of their exact style. It also makes additional gift giving easier, as you can add to someone’s collection over the years.
The plan is for Certina to enhance the collection with even more options in the future, with the possibility for special edition pieces for certain regions, countries, or stores, making this just the beginning of a fabulous concept story.
