Certina Returns to the United States

Certina is a brand that is often forgotten about by US watch enthusiasts. It’s no wonder – they haven’t been available through an authorized dealer network in the United States since the 1980s. But they’ve enjoyed a great deal of success in Europe as a value oriented brand for a number of years, and their ubiquity throughout the middle part of the last century means that vintage examples turn up just about everywhere. So while you probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about Certina, when one of these watches pops up in an eBay search or through the Instagram algorithm, they’re never too much of a mystery. Now, after a long absence, Certina is returning to the United States, and will be exclusively available through the Hodinkee Shop, beginning today. 

While Certina makes watches of all types, the timepieces that are part of the initial rollout in the US are of the sporty variety, and part of their DS line. The DS watches have their roots in the 1960s – the acronym stands for “Double Security” and refers to a system of O-rings used throughout the case to seal the movement from moisture and other debris. On these early watches, that included a large gasket between the movement and inside of the case. While this is relatively common in sports watches today, at the time it was less so, and contributed to the brand’s reputation for building hearty, rugged tool watches. 

Among the watches now available to American watch enthusiasts are the DS PH200M and PH500M, both inspired by the original DS PH200M from 1968. These watches slot neatly into the “vintage inspired” diver category and contrast nicely with the DS Action Diver and DS Action GMT, which have a more modern profile (and the latter includes a true local jumping hour GMT movement). Also available is the DS Chronograph Automatic, a vintage inspired two register chronograph. 

Certina shares some ground with other Swatch group brands like Hamilton, Mido, and Tissot, so it will be interesting to see how they are accepted by American consumers who have enjoyed value driven offerings from those brands for years. Certina certainly has their own aesthetic and unique story to tell, and having more choice as a consumer (particularly in this price range) is never a bad thing. 

Prices on the selection of Certina watches available at launch from the Hodinkee Shop range range from $780 to $1,990. You can find more information right here.