Certina’s next chapter is taking shape around a familiar idea, but with a sharper edge.
Under CEO Dieter Pachner, the Grenchen watchmaker is leaning harder into the qualities that have long defined it, namely rugged construction, accessible Swiss watchmaking and a clear sport-watch identity.
The new DS Super PH2000M arrives as the most direct expression of that plan, pairing a 2,000-metre dive-watch brief with titanium, ceramic and the latest generation of Certina’s Double Security protection system.
At a glance
- Certina has introduced the DS Super PH2000M as a modern professional-style dive watch under CEO Dieter Pachner’s renewed sport-watch direction.
- The watch uses a matte titanium case, ceramic bezel, 2,000-metre water resistance and the latest DS extreme protection system rated to 10,000G.
- Pricing is set at CHF 1,235, with standard colours and a turquoise Sea Turtle Conservancy limited edition of 1,959 pieces.
A CEO with four decades in watchmaking
Pachner’s route to Certina began at a watchmaking school in Austria, where he trained with the original ambition of becoming a watchmaker and goldsmith.
His career changed direction in the early 1990s when he joined the Swatch Group, moving into distribution and sales as the modern Swatch era was gathering momentum.
Over the following decades, he worked across national markets and international management roles, including a move to Glashütte Original in 2002 and a later appointment as that brand’s Vice President in 2008.
Taking the helm at Certina in 2025 brought him back to sports watches, a category he sees as especially natural for a brand with this history.
What stood out to him after joining was not simply the archive, but the current product quality, finishing and technical execution available at Certina’s price level.
Certina’s sharper sport-watch direction
Pachner’s strategy for Certina is built around focus rather than expansion for its own sake.
The brand’s core message is being tightened around sport, adventure and reliability, with marketing centred on paddle, diving and Nordic skiing.
That also means a more disciplined product collection, with fewer distractions and more emphasis on watches that communicate Certina’s identity immediately.
The point isn’t to turn every watch into specialist equipment, but to give each piece a clearer purpose.
For enthusiasts, that means more technically credible sports watches.
For everyday buyers, it means dependable Swiss watches that don’t ask them to choose between robustness, comfort and price.
The DS Super PH2000M returns Certina to deep water
The DS Super PH2000M is a deliberately functional dive watch, but it avoids looking like a nostalgic costume piece.
Its titanium case keeps weight down, while the fully matte finish gives it the sober, instrument-like character that suits a 2,000-metre diver.
The ceramic unidirectional bezel adds modern scratch resistance, and Certina has given it a safety-minded operating system that requires the bezel to be pushed against the case before it can rotate.
The watch also features a screw-down crown, screw-down case back with the turtle emblem and a helium relief valve.
At the centre of the package is the latest DS extreme protection system, rated to 10,000G, which gives contemporary meaning to the Double Security concept Certina introduced in 1959.
That DS idea has always been more than a logo for the brand.
It’s the engineering thread that connects Certina’s vintage sports watches with the modern collection, and Pachner clearly sees it as one of the most underused strengths in the company’s story.
A conservation edition tied to 1959
The DS Super PH2000M will be offered in black, white and yellow, with a turquoise version created for the Sea Turtle Conservancy limited edition.
That edition is limited to 1,959 pieces, a number that nods to both the launch year of Certina’s DS concept and the founding year of the Sea Turtle Conservancy.
The link is a logical one for a dive watch, especially from a brand whose turtle emblem has become shorthand for protection and durability.
Each watch is delivered with both a titanium bracelet and a rubber strap, giving owners a more practical setup from the start.
At CHF 1,235, the DS Super PH2000M also reinforces one of Certina’s strongest arguments in the crowded affordable luxury segment.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Certina |
|---|---|
| Model | DS Super PH2000M |
| Case material | Titanium |
| Case finish | Fully matte |
| Bezel | Ceramic unidirectional bezel with push-down rotation system |
| Water resistance | 2,000 metres |
| Protection system | Latest-generation DS extreme protection system rated to 10,000G |
| Crown and case back | Screw-down crown and screw-down case back with turtle emblem |
| Additional diving feature | Helium relief valve |
| Straps | Titanium bracelet and rubber strap included |
| Colours | Black, white and yellow, plus turquoise for the STC limited edition |
| Limited edition | Sea Turtle Conservancy edition limited to 1,959 pieces |
| Price | CHF 1,235 |
The DS Super PH2000M shows where Certina is likely to be most convincing in the years ahead.
It’s technical without drifting out of reach, historically aware without feeling trapped by the past and practical enough to make sense beyond the display case.
For collectors and everyday wearers who want a serious Swiss dive watch with real depth behind the badge, Certina’s renewed focus looks well judged.
