CERTINA 1888 DS-3 LIMITED AND NUMBERED EDITION

History of Certina Watches

The history of Certina is a testament to consistency, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to Swiss sports watchmaking. From its humble beginnings as a family workshop in Grenchen to becoming a pillar of the Swatch Group, the brand has built a legacy based on durability, reliability, and the innovative DS double security concept, which has taken it to the highest peaks of the Himalayas and the depths of the ocean, solidifying its position as the smart choice for those seeking top quality at a fair price.

Origins and Foundation

The history of Certina begins in 1888, when brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth opened their first watch movement and components factory in the Swiss city of Grenchen. In a modest workshop attached to the family home, three employees laid the foundation for what would later gain worldwide fame. Initially, the company focused on producing mechanisms and supplies for other manufacturers, a common practice in the watch industry of the time.

In 1906, the company took its first step towards creating its own brand. The Kurth brothers introduced the name “Grana”, an abbreviation of “Granacus,” the Latin name for the city of Grenchen. That same year, the firm introduced its first pocket watch under this new name, which was immediately recognized for its quality in international competitions, earning a gold medal at the Milan Fair in 1910 and distinctions in Brussels and Berne.

The Birth of Certina

In the twenties, the second generation of the family, Erwin and Hans Kurth, sons of Alfred, joined the company and successfully led it through the difficult years of the Great Depression. It was then that the decision was made to change the brand’s name. An easy-to-pronounce word was sought in most languages to drive international expansion. The choice fell on “Certina”, derived from the Latin “certus”, meaning “safe” or “reliable.” The name aligned perfectly with the company’s philosophy of manufacturing precise and robust watches.

The brand was officially registered in February 1926 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. However, it was in 1938, on the fiftieth anniversary of the company’s foundation, that Certina became the only brand under which all the house’s watches were produced. At that time, the factory already employed 250 workers.

The Era of Expansion

Certina’s growth accelerated in the second half of the twentieth century. The brand combined the manufacture of movements for other companies with the production of its own complete watches, earning a well-deserved reputation for quality and value. This expansion translated into numbers: by 1955, the company already had 500 employees in its factory and offices, producing 1,000 watches per day. Seventeen years later, in 1972, the workforce had increased to 900 people, and production reached an impressive 600,000 watches annually.

The DS Concept: The Double Security Revolution

The most groundbreaking milestone in Certina’s history came in 1959 with the launch of the DS concept (Double Security). This innovative engineering philosophy, which included a “suspended” movement inside a highly reinforced case, revolutionized shock resistance and water-tightness standards. The first watch with the DS seal was an automatic with an extraordinary water resistance of up to 20 bars (200 meters), setting new benchmarks for an entire generation of watches.

The new system, a result of the research by Certina owners Hans and Erwin Kurth, was an instant success, with over 300,000 units sold, and was integrated into all the brand’s models. Commitment to robustness became so apparent that, from the sixties onwards, Certina adopted the turtle as its symbol, representing the impenetrable shell that protects the movement. This silhouette has persisted in its logo to this day, symbolizing its exceptional robustness.

Extreme Adventures and the Himalayan Test

The reliability of the new concept was demonstrated in real conditions of maximum demand. In 1960, a Swiss expedition led by Max Eiselin achieved the first ascent of Dhaulagiri, at 8,167 meters, the world’s seventh highest mountain. All members of the expedition wore a Certina on their wrists, which easily withstood the extreme pressure and altitude differences in the death zone.

Certina continued to prove its mettle in the following years. In 1965, their watches were part of the famous U.S. Navy Sealab II underwater research project, demonstrating their reliability in the ocean’s depths. In 1969, their watches equipped the divers of the Tektite project in the Caribbean, a series of geological and biological research expeditions conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Navy and NASA.

The Classic Era: DS-2, DS-3, and the Sporting Legacy

The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the consolidation of Certina‘s sports identity. The DS-2, launched in 1968, set new benchmarks in resistance and marked the beginning of a prolific family of models. In 1970, the brand’s chronographs, derived from the DS-2 Super PH 500M, equipped a Japanese expedition to the world’s highest summit, once again proving their value in the harshest environments. Models like the Chronolympic became favorites among sports enthusiasts. Simultaneously, the brand entered the world of motorsports with the DS Podium, a collection that still embodies the combination of tradition and precision with a sporty character.

One of the most iconic models of Certina‘s golden era was the DS PH200M, a diver’s watch launched in 1967 that became a vintage underwater timepiece icon. Its aesthetics and robustness made it a cult object, one of the most sought-after pieces by collectors worldwide.

Integration into the Swatch Group

The quartz crisis of the seventies deeply affected the entire Swiss watch industry. In 1971, Certina was absorbed by the ASUAG Holding. In 1983, the company joined the newly formed Société de Microélectronique et d’Horlogerie (SMH), the precursor to the current Swatch Group. Under the umbrella of the world’s largest watch conglomerate, Certina gained access to spectacular expertise, know-how, and innovative power.

In 2014, the brand embarked on a profound repositioning process. Its red logo was replaced by a new one that incorporated a turtle symbol to emphasize its values of protection and durability. The goal was clear: to reposition the brand in a higher quality and price segment, above Tissot —another brand within the group— and at least on par with Hamilton. This strategic change resulted in the integration of superior movements, such as the PreciDrive series, in its new releases.

Certina Today

Today, Certina enjoys a well-deserved reputation among watch enthusiasts for the extraordinary balance between quality and price of its watches, as well as for its exceptional reliability. Its catalog remains true to the DS concept philosophy, guaranteeing maximum resilience in all its models. Its spirit is summarized in several key lines:

• DS Action: The ultimate professional diving collection. It includes the legendary DS PH200M, reintroduced in 2018 with overwhelming success. It retains the vintage aesthetic of the sixties, with hesalite crystal and an automatic Powermatic 80 movement with a power reserve of up to 80 hours.

• DS Podium: The sports collection, a bridge between tradition and modernity. It stands out for its high-precision quartz and automatic movements.

• DS-1: An elegant and versatile line, perfect for daily wear, embodying the brand’s philosophy of robustness in a more classic format.

• DS-2: A collection that revives the spirit of its 1968 predecessor, combining a retro design with Certina‘s most advanced technology.

Conclusion

The history of Certina watches is a testament to a clear vision and an uncommon coherence in the industry: offering top-quality Swiss watches at fair prices without ever compromising on reliability and resilience. From its foundation in 1888 to its reinvention under the Swatch Group, through the creation of the revolutionary DS concept in 1959 and the expeditions to Dhaulagiri and Sealab II, Certina has earned a place in the hearts of watch lovers. For today’s audience, a Certina is not just a watch: it is a fragment of the history of exploration and adventure, a companion forged to defy the most extreme conditions, proving that true Swiss quality can be accessible and that robustness is never out of style.

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