Jewellery & Watch News
Founded in 1959, the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) has spent its life building research, educational and conservation programmes to improve the existence of endangered turtles. Also with a love for these sea creatures, showcasing an image of the animal of the case back of many of their divers watches, is Swiss watch brand Certina who became a partner of STC in 2017. Ever since, we have been awarded an annual special edition watch which donates a portion of the proceeds from sales to the charity. For the year 2022, Certina launches the new Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy watch, the first STC model to take a vintage form hailing from the late 1960’s.
The new Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy Special Edition watch takes inspiration from a model created by the Swiss watch manufacturer in 1968. Known as the DS-2 Super PH500 watch, it was engineered for use in the Tektite I and Tektite II experiments which occurred during 1969 and 1970. The experiment was overseen by the US Navy and NASA who took to studying four scientists housed within a purpose-built underwater habitat for 60 days. The researchers and the scientists were also supplied with several timepieces for the experiment, as expected ones that could tolerate high levels of water pressure. As experts in the dive watch industry, Certina became one of a few watch brands on the list, suppling the participants with the Certina DS-2 Super PH500M.
One of the characteristic features of the original 1968 watch was its 14-sided, or tetradecagonal, bezel. The new Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy watch features the very same with the familiar locking push-to-turn feature which ensures you don't inadvertently manipulate the bezel and as such, lose track of your dive times. The unidirectional rotating bezel features a handsome navy blue aluminium insert which comes decorated with a white 60 minute scale and a luminous triangle marker at 12 o'clock. The bezel sits above a 43mm stainless steel case with polished finishing and a height of 14.95mm. As its name suggests, the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy Special Edition delivers the brand’s DS technology which equips the case and movement with an O-ring for improved shock resistance while the screw in crown and case back complies with ISO6425 standards of a water resistant rating of 500 metres.
Matching with the aluminium bezel, the dial of the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy watch is dressed in a nautical deep blue shade with bold, contrasting accents of orange on the minutes hand and “DS” lettering at 6 o’clock. The dial also ensures effortless legibility with large sword-shaped hands, an arrow-tipped seconds hand and baton indexes all engineered with glow in the dark Superluminova inserts. The domed dial includes a boxed date window at 3 o’clock and comes protected by sapphire crystal glass applied with a layer of anti-reflective treatment. Powering the set of functions on the dial is the Powermatic 80 automatic winding movement famed for its anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring and extended power reserve of 80 hours.
Another novelty of the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy watch is its strap which has been created in collaboration with #tide. This Basel-based firm specialises in the upcycling of plastics which have been fished out of the ocean. As such, the blue textile strap on the 2022 special edition is engineered from ocean plastics cementing Certina’s commitment to ocean conservation once again. The strap is closed by a classic stainless steel pin buckle. Moreover, the packaging in which the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy watch is delivered in is also made from environmentally friendly materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester.
If you’d like to more about the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy 2022 Special Edition and order it for yourself, head over to the C W Sellors website here. Alternatively, get in touch with the team by calling 01335 453453 or send us a message at sales@cwsellors.com.
Specifications:
- Case Size: 43mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Bezel: Unidirectional rotating with blue aluminium insert and 60 minute scale
- Glass: Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Crown: Screw in
- Case Back: Screw down
- Water Resistance: 500 metres
- Movement: Powermatic 80 automatic winding
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Jewels: 23
- Frequency: 21,600vph
- Dial: Blue sunray with Superluminova hands and markers, orange minutes hand
- Strap: #tide recycled plastic fabric
- Buckle: Pin
- RRP: £770
- Reference: C037.407.18.040.10
