Why This Watch Matters Big and bold, this Certina DS-2 diver is as legit of a dive watch as you'll ever come across, with 1,000 meters of water resistance. The attention-grabbing yellow dial means all eyes will be on you, whether at a backyard barbecue or the beach. The Full Story Certina is no slouch when it comes to dive-watch history. Take this DS-2 SuperPH 1000M, for instance. It has some extra-cool details that help it stand out among other vintage dive watches. It features a large C-shaped 44.5mm stainless-steel case with a whopping depth rating of up to 1,000 meters, or approximately 3,280 feet. (Ed. note: We do not recommend diving with any vintage watch.) This watch is beefy, legible, functional, and looks the part, with a distinctive yellow dial with orange accents, sword-shaped hands, and a unidirectional rotating bezel. It's got everything a professional diver would need for use deep under the sea. One nice detail about the design of the watch is that the screw-down crown is slightly recessed, giving the watch a nice symmetrical look. We understand this watch was previously owned by a member of the Swedish Navy. Certina was originally founded by the Kurth brothers in 1888, and the manufacturer first produced movements, 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. DS stands for "double security," which is a reference to the watch having both substantial shock and water resistance. Certina clearly took pride in testing the DS series for enhanced resistance to the elements. The brand would come out with different DS models over the years. In 1968, the DS-2 line was released, and in 1970, Certina debuted the DS-2 SuperPH 1000M. This model was similar in appearance to the earlier DS-2 SuperPH 500M, but Certina doubled the depth rating up to 1,000 meters. The DS-2 Super 500M is known for being the watch of choice for the Tektite I underwater habitat in 1969. These funky dive watches have a cult following today, and they aren't often in as good of shape as you see with this example. We decided to go with one of our Black Calfskin straps for this Certina. We did not want to take any attention away from the bright yellow dial with orange accents, and the black strap goes well with the watch. The Fine Print Maker: Certina Model: DS-2 SuperPH 1000MReference: 5801302Year: 1970sCase No: 7778555Material: Stainless steel Dimensions: 44.5mm diameter; 17mm thickness Crystal: Mineral glass Lume: Yes, tritium Caliber: Automatic caliber 25-651Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE Black Calf Lug Width: 20mm Box/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know This Certina is in overall great condition. The case is strong with scratches and a few nicks; the case is likely unpolished. The caseback has some scratches that are most likely from someone attempting to open the case. The numbers on the edge of the caseback are visible. The dial and hands are in great condition with a little patina. The dial has a couple light, black marks above the "D2" text and below the "c" in automatic toward the top of the dial. The lume on the hands and dial are matching in color. The bezel is in overall great condition with some wear and the bezel is functioning; it is unidirectional and clicks. The dial, case, movement, and crown are all signed by the maker. The crystal has some scratches.
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