Read this review before buying Certina DS PH200M Dive Watch

 Read this review before buying Certina DS PH200M Dive Watch 

 

 

With the DS PH200M, Certina raises one among its early divers’ watches up to the surface. Not only is the design authentic, but the development is also, too. We provide it an in-depth look in this review from the Watch Time archives. 
 
A black dial with a red crosshair and therefore the double-C logo, luminous white displays and a broad black bezel with continuous minutes subdivisions: this is often what Certina’s DS PH200M divers’ watch looked like in 1967 and what the new version looks like nowadays. The curved crystal remains made of acrylic, which further accentuates the watch’s retro styling. Only the red seconds hand doesn’t match the one on the vintage model, but it creates an appealing and contrasting-colored accent that harmonizes with the intersecting red crosshair on the dial. 
 
 
 
Historical Technology 

 

 
The DS PH200M’s similarities to its predecessor not only apply to its design but also goes into its interior. As within the original construction, the movement is borne atop a thick rubber ring that cushions it against shocks. a bit like the version from the ’60s, Certina leaves a narrow gap between the case and therefore the dial, which is connected to the movement, to supply space for the slight motions allowed by the elastic rubber ring. Since 1959, together with an Incabloc shock-protection system, the elastically suspended movement has been a part of Certina’s DS (Double Safety) concept, hence the 2 letters that serve as the name for the brand’s extensive DS collection. An extra-thick acrylic crystal and a reinforced, fully threaded, screw-in back are two elements within the design that enhanced the security of the original model and reappear in the contemporary DS PH200M, our test watch. 
 

GET THIS WATCH

Watch movements today are so sturdy and cases are of such top quality that they make the historical DS principles unnecessary. Modern sapphire crystals, for instance, are so shatter-resistant that they will easily outperform acrylic crystals while requiring much less material thickness. But design considerations and therefore the desire for authenticity prompted Certina to use an acrylic crystal in its stylish new divers’ watch, where the crystal’s high curvature and enormous material thickness are two inarguable bonuses. Furthermore, an acrylic crystal costs but a sapphire one. This cost-saving, together with other factors such as synergies within the Swatch Group, enable Certina to supply the DS PH200M at a price of just $780. reciprocally for this low price, the owner must accept the very fact that the scale of the unidirectional rotatable divers’ bezel is made of aluminum rather than scratch-resistant ceramic. However, the lightweight metal is an improvement over the bezel on the first model, which had a calibrated insert made from relatively brittle Bakelite plastic. 
 

 
 
Mechanical Added Value 

 

 
Despite its low price, the new watch’s long-lasting power reserve is one characteristic that surpasses the performance of other watches during this price class. Movement manufacturer ETA, which belongs to the Swatch Group, supplies the Powermatic 80.111 caliber, which continues to run 80 hours after having been fully wound. This assures that this self-winding watch will keep ticking whether or not it languishes motionless and unworn throughout an entire weekend. 
 
A couple of years prior, ETA accomplished this expansion in execution contrasted with its essential type, the notable ETA 2824 with a 38-hour power save, by reducing the balance’s frequency by 25 percent to 21,600 vibrations per hour and by making the barrel’s shaft slimmer, thus freeing space inside the barrel to accommodate an extended mainspring. As an extra improvement, ETA eliminated the regulator with an adjusting screw and installed a freely oscillating balance with two variable weights. This arrangement is richer and shows more prominent specialized complexity. 

 

 
The outside completing of the DS PH200M is similarly just about as persuading as its mechanical inward life. The case is perfectly cleaned and glossy silk wrapped up. The engraved turtle insignia, which is regular in DS models, looks three-layered working on its monstrous, strong back. The smooth calfskin tie closes during a flawlessly cleaned clasp with a tang that is processed as opposed to just bowed into shape. 

 
 
Individuals who need to wear this wristwatch while playing sports or jumping can briefly trade the calfskin wristband for a material lash with beat-up stripes that accompany the watch. on account of spring bars with coordinated sliders, no devices are expected to differ the lashes. The material lash has cowhide-edged openings and an intricately styled enormous organization clasp with a processed tang. 
 
 

GET THIS WATCH

 
While we’re on the topic of diving, the letters “PH” during this model’s name stands for precision hydrostatic (French for “water pressure”). The case’s pressure resistance to a depth of 200 meters easily meets the requirements of recreational divers, while leaving many additional meters of pressure resistance as a safety reserve. Glow-in-the-dark Super-LumiNova shines brightly and is long-lasting, with its characteristic green hue on the hands, the indexes , and therefore the dot on the bezel. The legibility is additionally good during the day unless sunlight shines directly through the highly curved acrylic crystal and reflects glaringly off the glossy lacquered dial and polished hands. 

 
 
Light and Shadow 

 

 
The bezel of the DS PH200M are often rotated quite easily with your bare hands, but it is often difficult to turn while wearing diving gloves. The crown is straightforward to grasp per se, but your fingers tend to urge stuck on the protruding extra-wide bezel. Fortunately, these relatively minor operating deficiencies are the sole details to complain about. the speed performance likewise offers no cause for complaint: the average daily gain is small (+4.2 seconds) and therefore the difference among the several positions is an acceptable 9 seconds. Our test watch ran even more accurately on the wrist, where we measured daily deviations between 0 and a couple of seconds. Our candidate ably confirmed its manufacturer’s claim of getting an 80-hour power reserve. And permanently measure, it continued to run a full 91.5 hours before its hands finally stopped moving. 
 
Together with its high degree of wearing comfort, which is even better when the watch is worn on its supple leather strap, this leads to a successful retro watch with good features for daily wear. And because of its low price, fans of sports and divers’ watches would be advised to rise to the bait and snap up what Certina has brought to light from the depths of the horological past. 

GET THIS WATCH

 

SPECS: 

 
Manufacturer: Certina SA, Mattenstrasse 149, 2503 Bienne, Switzerland 
Reference number: C036.407.16.050.00 
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date 
Movement: Self-winding ETA Powermatic 80.111, 21,600 vph, 23 jewels, stop-seconds function, a rapid-reset mechanism for the date display, fine adjustment via two weights on the balance, Kif shock absorption, 80-hour power reserve, diameter = 25.6 mm, height = 4.6 mm 
Case: Stainless steel, the bezel can be rotated in only one direction and is inset with a calibrated aluminum scale, curved acrylic crystal with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, fully threaded screw-in back made of stainless steel, water resistant to 200 meters 
Strap and cla­­sp: Calfskin strap with a tang buckle made of stainless steel, additional textile strap 
Rate results (deviation in seconds per 24 hours): 
Dial up +4 
Dial down +2 
Crown up +8 
Crown down +4 
Crown left +8 
Crown right -1 
Greatest deviation 9 
Average deviation +4.2 
Average amplitude: 
Flat positions 328° 
Hanging positions 265° 
Dimensions: Diameter = 42.8 mm, height = 13.2 mm, weight = 89 grams 
Price: $780 

 

SCORES: 

 

 
Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): The calfskin and textile straps are well made, as are their clasps with milled tangs. Sturdy spring bars with sliders allow the owner to vary straps without needing to use a tool. 8 
­­­Operation (5): The bezel offers only a moderately good grip and it gets within the way when opening and closing the screw-in crown, which is otherwise easy to use. 3 
Case (10): the chrome steel case is neatly polished and satin-finished and is waterproof to 200 meters. The acrylic crystal and therefore the aluminum bezel is not ideal, but they assist keep this watch affordably priced. 7 
Design (15): Certina has revived a stimulating divers’ watch from 1967, but the remake has a slightly wider bezel, which not everyone will like. 12 
Legibility (5): The dial is usually easy to read day and night, but the highly curved crystal and therefore the shiny displays can glaringly reflect light if it falls at an unfavorable angle. 4 
Wearing comfort (10): The leather strap is even easier than the textile one, but some extra holes to accommodate slimmer wrists would have been a welcome addition. 9 
Movement (20): The ETA Powermatic 80.111 automatic caliber offers twice the autonomy of well-known, standard ETA movements and also boasts a more elegant fine-adjustment system. 13 
Rate results (10): the typical gain was small (4.2 seconds) and therefore the maximum difference among the several positions remained within acceptable limits (9 seconds). 7 
Value (15): Notwithstanding the acrylic crystal and therefore the aluminum bezel, $780 remains a very low price. 14 
Total: 77 POINTS 

 

So, that was a thorough overview of this luxury watch for men, now if you want to buy this, and obviously you should be, then click here.