High-grade manual movements shared by Rolex and other top brands were employed initially, including the Valjoux 232, 234 and 726, as well as the rare central chrono minutes hand Valjoux 728 serving as the engine for Certina’s Chronolympic Regatta. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) adopted this model as a dive watch, identified by the RAN National Stock Number (“NSN”) engraved on the case backĬertina also produced a successful and famously robust line of chronographs, with the Chronolympic being its best known model, introduced in the late 1960s. The DS3 Super PH 1000M was introduced in 1976, nearly identical to its predecessor but with the new Cal. This feat was repeated in the 1970 Tektite II project some sources report the PH 500 was again put to the test, while others claim the next generation DS2 PH 1000M was used for Tektite II. In 1969 the DS2 Super PH 500M dive watch received similar accolades, taking top scores in NASA’s Tektite underwater experiment. In 1965, for example, the DS proved reliable under all conditions in the US Navy Sealab II project.

Through the 1960s and early 1970s the DS and DS2 demonstrated their resilience through a series of real-world durability trials. Starting in 1975 the DS used Certina 25-651M and 25-652M movements. In-house movements employed in the DS2 included Cal. The movement suspension was strengthened for added robustness. Among other developments the crown was partially recessed, and used a twin-seal system. The DS2 was introduced in 1968, featuring additional technical innovations.

Certina watches vintage