However, the lightweight metal is an improvement over the bezel on the original model, which had a calibrated insert made of relatively brittle Bakelite plastic. In return for this low price, the owner must accept the fact that the scale of the unidirectional rotatable divers’ bezel is made of aluminum rather than scratch-resistant ceramic. This cost saving, along with other factors such as synergies within the Swatch Group, enable Certina to offer the DS PH200M at a price of just $780. Furthermore, an acrylic crystal costs less than a sapphire one.

But design considerations and the desire for authenticity prompted Certina to use an acrylic crystal in its stylish new divers’ watch, where the crystal’s high curvature and large material thickness are two inarguable bonuses. Modern sapphire crystals, for example, are so shatter-resistant that they can easily outperform acrylic crystals, while requiring much less material thickness. Watch movements today are so sturdy and cases are of such high quality that they make the historical DS principles unnecessary.

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

Certina ds first