Vintage Certina wristwatch

Certina is a Swiss watch manufacturer with a rich history dating back over 135 years. The company was founded in 1888 by Adolf and Alfred Kurth in the town of Grenchen, Switzerland. Certina quickly gained a reputation for producing high-quality timepieces with precision and reliability.

In the early years, Certina focused on creating pocket watches, but in the 20th century, the company shifted its attention to wristwatches, which were gaining popularity. Certina was among the first Swiss watchmakers to produce wristwatches with automatic movements.

During the mid-20th century, Certina introduced several notable watch collections. In 1959, they unveiled the "DS" (Double Security) concept, which offered increased durability and water resistance. The DS concept became a hallmark of Certina watches, ensuring their timepieces could withstand harsh conditions and extreme environments.

Certina gained recognition for its sports watches, particularly in the field of diving. The Certina DS-2 Super PH more... 500M, introduced in 1968, was a groundbreaking timepiece capable of reaching depths of up to 500 meters. The DS-2 Super PH 500M paved the way for Certina's continued development of robust and reliable diving watches.

In 1983, Certina became a part of the Swatch Group, one of the world's largest watch conglomerates. This partnership allowed Certina to further enhance its technological advancements and expand its market reach. less...