Certina is a watch brand renowned for manufacturing robust sports watches. From diving watches to chronographs to the more classic three handed dials, Certina watches cover a huge plethora of watch styles including those equipped with complications like moon phase displays and second time zones, yet its reputation for being a sports watch specialist supersedes all else. The company was founded in 1888 in the Swiss town of Grenchen. Brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth set up their own watch production facility, creating timepieces in the foot of the Jura Mountains. The company first went by the name Kurth Frères S.A but this later changed to Grana. It was not until the 1930s’, however, that the more memorable Certina name was decided upon, becoming officially registered in 1939. Around the same time, Certina had created the Labora watch with a shock absorbing, anti magnetic and water resistant wristwatch.
In 1959 a watch with a ground breaking technology was developed by Certina that would further propel its reputation for quality and reliability within the industry. The concept involved placing a rubber ring between the case and movement to create a particularly shock resistant wristwatch. It was known as the DS concept. To enhance water resistance, Certina watches also featured a seal on the crown to ensure a dry internal environment. The Certina DS watch was tested in 1960 with an ascent of the 8,167-metre-high Dhaulagiri in western Nepal, overcoming all challenges. A few years later the DS watch took part in a US Navy's Sealab II underwater project and surpassed expectations. In addition to these tests, Certina watches descended 1,000 metres from an altitude of 8,000 metres and achieved the best scores in the 1969 Tektite underwater experiment.
Certina was the first company to develop a timepiece capable of displaying a person’s biorhythms with the Biostar in 1971, followed by the DS DiaMaster, an ultra robust and durable, scratch resistant watch worn by famous American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. When Certina joined the SMH Group in 1983 (later renamed The Swatch Group) it honed into a section of the market appealing to collectors of the middle priced segment. The Certina Cascadeur, with a design inspired by the chain of a motorbike, was a sports watch developed with two metal rods set over its sapphire crystal for additional protection. Certina continued to draw from its heritage in sport watch design with a wristwatch sported by rallying world champion Colin McRae in 2002, followed by the brand’s DS-3 1000m diver’s watch. Its staggering 1000 meter water resistant design combined legibility with precision perfectly.
In 2013 Certina celebrated its 125th anniversary with a new Powermatic 80 automatic calibre, equipped with an 80 hour power reserve and recently released new creations such as the DS Podium Chronograph and the DS PH200M, inspired by a 1967 model. Today Certina equips its new high-precision Precidrive calibre to virtually all of its quartz timepieces, which are now chronometer-certified to guarantee uncompromised reliability.
