BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
Certina’s caused quite a stir when it launched the DS PH200M during Baselworld 2018. A modern re-issue of a dive watch from the 1960s, this new watch offered a heady mix of vintage looks and modern technology, offered at an enticing price point. For 2020, Certina is expanding its Heritage collection with yet another retro-inspired dive watch, the DS Super PH500M. Featuring a bold orange dial, 500 meters of water resistance and powered by a modern mechanical movement, this new watch has been developed in association with VDST (German diving association) to capture the essence of the Certina DS-2 Super PH500 from 1968.
Right off the bat what grabs the attention on the Certina DS Super PH500M is its bright orange colorway that is a refreshing departure from the sea of black and blue dive watches out there. On the layout front, Certina has chosen to stick to the same formulae that made the PH200M a success. There are white printed luminous rectangles for hours, a printed minute track, a well-sized sword-shaped handset, a date window at 3 and a crosshair pattern to give a sporty and balanced look to the dial. In a nice attention to detail, to provide a great contrast against the orange background and enhance legibility, almost everything has been presented or outlined in black.
The case on this watch has been crafted from stainless steel and measure 43mm in diameter. Sitting on top of the case is a uni-directional dive time bezel with an aluminum insert along with a sapphire crystal. At 3 is a screw-down crown that would help keep the watch after resistant to 500 meters. Flipping the watch over you have a closed case back that has been embellished with a logo of the German diving association.
Powering the DS Super PH500M is an updated version of the Powermatic 80 movement. Offering a power reserve of 80 and beating at a low frequency of 3Hz, in its latest avatar the Powermatic 80 features an entirely new balance spring made of Nivachron that would help provide enhanced protection from magnetic fields.
Certina seems to have hit another home run with the new Certina DS Super PH500M. The watch would come attached to a black rubber strap and would retail for CHF 895.
Visit Certina here.
