Why This Watch Matters It's all about that caramel colored dial, makes me want to pop a Werther's Original and check the time. The Full Story Founded by the Kurth brothers in 1888, Certina first produced movements to start, and later watches, under the name Grana. The name was changed to Certina in 1939, and they quickly started producing automatic watches in the 1940s, eventually introducing the DS series in 1959. The DS divers, a few of which we have been happy to offer in the past, have taken hold in the larger vintage collecting universe over the past few years. On the back of the DS, Certina in general is growing in popularity as collectors continue to be impressed by the reliability and solid build quality. Modern Certina is having a bit of a moment as well here at the HODINKEE as the brand recently returned to the U.S. market exclusively through the Shop. The DS we have here today dates back to the 1960s and represents the core of the Certina diver lineup. While the brand made a few more serious diving watches, the DS as a product family was built on the backs of watches just like this one here. It is simple, it is robust, it is wearable, and it is reliable. Certina went to one of the most respected case makers in Switzerland for the DS, Huguenin Frères. Collectors can find the HF maker's mark inside cases from numerous watch brands during the middle of the 20th century, maybe most famously the Omega Speedmaster. The outer caseback on this watch is also worth mentioning, as there is the "Certina DS" branding in the center with a turtle. In addition, the whole caseback has an almost scalloped texture, similar to that of a turtle shell. The part that's most noticeable on the watch is the beautifully aged caramel-brown dial. With an interesting gradient, starburst aging, it is hard to tell what the original color of this dial would have been. Today, it is really not all that important because how the watch presents in the metal is simply stunning. At some angles and in some lights, the dial almost has this molasses feel to it. To call it "tropical" is somewhat of an understatement but, hey, it's the best we can do. We paired this Certina DS with our Sedona strap in sandstone to offer a lighter tone playing off the browns of the dial. We think the color works extremely well to pull out the patina on the lume, a detail that gets a bit lost in that dial aging. The Fine Print Maker: CertinaModel: DSReference: 346.825Year: 1960sCase No: N/A Material: Stainless steelDimensions: 36mm diameter; 11.5mm thickness Crystal: PlexiglassLume: Yes, tritiumCaliber: Certina, self-winding, caliber 25-651Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE The Sedona Watch Strap In SandstoneLug Width: 18mmBox/Papers: No What We Love And What You Should Know Things We Love: - Caramel "tropical" dial- Huguenin Frères case- Classic vintage Certina look- Turtle shell motif caseback Things To Know: - Scratches on case- Date wheel shows wear This Certina DS is in nice, honest condition. The case has some light scratches and has been polished but the lugs show their original lines. There is some scratching on the back of the lugs from strap changing. The caseback engraving is crisp and deep. The caseback has scratches and shows some wear. The dial is in good condition with a patina throughout presenting as a tropical dial. There is a starburst pattern to the dial and patina. Some areas show more browning or patina than others such as around the date window. The dial shows some wear around the edges and has a fews spots of wear throughput. The applied hour markers, applied Certina logo, and hands have developed patina. The lume in the hands and on the dial has aged to a similar cream color. The date wheel has wear on some of the dates throughout the wheel and some of the numbers are partially worn away. The dial, crown, case, and movement are signed by Certina. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
