Review: Certina DS Super PH1000M in "Sea" Color

Watches for the Depths and the Heights

But how do you choose the best of the best in a given category? And is that even possible? One contender could be the Certina DS Super PH1000M. You’ll find out at the end of the article whether it lived up to expectations in my eyes and in practice. Don’t skip ahead, even if you’re not a fan of so-called “armchair reviews,” because I decided to put this watch through its paces!

It was the middle of summer, and I wanted to treat myself to some diving shoes for my collection. I was looking for a pair that would let me really enjoy the rest of the sunny days. These weren’t just any diving shoes, but a model I knew quite well. I’d had my eye on the “Thousand” series ever since the black and orange reissue came out. I knew the story and history behind them, and I was looking for a replacement for my “royal turtles” and “Willards,” which are now bringing joy elsewhere, because I realized there was an empty spot in my collection where the egg cases used to be.

Well, but which ones?

I ran into a problem when choosing a model. The black dial, perfectly complemented by orange accents, is a classic, and I was almost sold on it. Next in line is the orange dial—and it’s even a limited edition with ties to German divers. What a temptation for me. But, there’s always a “but”: I have plenty of black ones, I don’t have an orange watch, but orange is just Doxa. I have that one on my list too, and it’s simply iconic (though yellow will win out for me anyway 😁). The shade Certina has come up with just isn’t as appealing to me as the one on the other watch.

And here we come back to my favorite saying: “You have to let it sit.” That’s actually what I advise my customers, too (yes, notice that at Helveti, we simply don’t push sales!). So I waited, and once again, it paid off.

Not all colors are the same

When I saw that the DS Super PH1000M was coming out in a beautiful petrol blue (my favorite color), I was hooked and just waited for it to become available. At that moment, I knew the choice was clear. The STC designation signifies a partnership with a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting sea turtles, and my heart was already leaping for joy. My summer (and year-round) watch was all set. So the “turtle spot” was replaced by an actual turtle watch.

The official Certina website lists the color as “Blue” in the description. This doesn’t quite do the product justice, because it’s definitely not a boring shade of blue. It’s a combination of green and blue—in other words, petrol blue (some might call it turquoise). And since women are the experts when it comes to colors, I asked one of our female customers to tell me what color she saw. Her answer was, “I don’t care” 🙂—just for anyone who might want to delve deeper into colors.

Even though the color is simple, it works wonders in direct sunlight—just look at the photos. From light to dark shades, the same effect can be seen on the aluminum bezel insert. I love aluminum inserts and their metallic sheen, which plays with the colors. No other watch has such a beautiful shade that changes in the sun as this one does.

And believe me, the aluminum didn’t end up in Humpolec—it ended up in my watch collection—so I know what I’m talking about. This puts a lot of people off, but I know from personal experience that this material is very durable and, unfortunately, doesn’t fade as quickly as I’d like, so modern watch enthusiasts have nothing to worry about.

The orange outlines of the hour markers and minute hand give the watch a summery feel, and together with the blue-green color, they make a combo just as great as *Dumb and Dumber*. I’m already looking forward to the day, twenty years from now, when I’ll look at the faded minute hand and the ghosted bezel and be reminded of all the moments I’ll experience with this watch.

The Addictive Powermatic: A Topic That’s Still as Timeless as Ever

I never worried about deviations in mechanical watches as long as I could see the correct time. A few seconds really didn’t matter to me. And when I did measure the values out of curiosity, my watch always showed better results than those specified by the manufacturer.

So if you’re counting every extra second and have 30,000 in your pocket, buy a watch with a Powermatic movement. There’s a really wide selection, from Tissot, Certina, and Hamilton all the way to Mido. Rado also uses Powermatic movements, and that’s a whole different ballgame. I always run away from discussion forums where owners complain that Seiko 5 watches have a deviation 2 seconds greater than the manufacturer specifies 🙄.

Don’t expect any better accuracy even from a 6R movement in the 30,000 price range, where we’re once again in a category that’s not for nitpickers. And I have to say that until I put the tortoise-shell straps on, I was completely satisfied with the performance of my beloved SPB213J1 (± 5 seconds).

The DS Super features the Powermatic 80.611 caliber. This is the most commonly used version of this movement. My colleague Samuel, who conducted detailed research on the Powermatic, has written more about it here. After a few days, I realized that its accuracy is truly addictive, and my Certiniks consistently deviated by no more than two seconds! This makes it the most accurate watch in my collection, and I now use it to set the time on the other watches I want to wear that day.

Modern Tool Reissue

I love tonneau cases, and I’ve duly filled the gap in my collection. The DS Super PH1000M is a historic model—a truly robust watch. Certina has retained the original “tool watch” charm of the legendary “thousands” series, but has reimagined them with a modern design that fits right in with today’s times.

Brushed elements alternate with polished ones, which add a subtle touch to both the entire case and the bezel. The bezel retains its original functionality, and there’s truly no risk of it shifting unintentionally. You have to press the bezel before you can set the desired mark. It works very well for me underwater and gives me confidence that it will stay in place.

On the back, the STC turtle logo and four prominent holes are cheerfully on display. I haven’t read anywhere what their function is, other than that they’ll collect dirt. First of all, that’s nonsense, because dirt and a waterproof watch are a contradiction in terms; and second, aside from reducing the case’s weight, their main function is to allow excess dirt and sand—which might otherwise settle under the bezel—to simply fall through these holes 👍🏻.

That really put the icing on the cake…

I thought the low-set crown (which is symmetrical with the helium valve on the other side) would bother me, but the opposite is true. Once screwed down, it’s barely visible, and if you suddenly bend your wrist, it won’t press into your hand. However, I ran into a problem when handling it. I’m used to—and prefer—the heavy-duty crown threads found on watches like Seiko. That means I can easily turn the crown slightly in the opposite direction, find the thread, and screw it down.

That’s not the case here, and I had quite a bit of trouble. Since the DS Concept offers a slightly different system and guarantees water resistance even with the crown unscrewed, there were no visible threads here; I couldn’t find any reverse threads, and when I screwed the crown back on the usual way, it didn’t seat all the way against the case. To be on the safe side, I took the watch to the service center the next day, where they lubricated the crown, and now it’s working reliably. This can happen even with newly purchased watches, and for me, it was my first experience of this kind (and I’ve owned quite a few watches over the years).

It’s a slightly different feel, though, than what I get from other watches, and I’m not surprised that the crowns on Certinas get snapped off so often—because not everyone has as much patience as I do 🤫. That’s where my complaints end, and I want to emphasize to everyone: be prepared for the fact that it can sometimes be a struggle—which I consider a necessary evil of the DS concept. I have the same “problem” with Mido, which offers a similar screw-down system.

The glass is, of course, sapphire with an anti-reflective coating and a flat surface. Although I prefer domed glass, practicality won out with this model. The anti-reflective coating does a great job here, and the dial’s color rendering gives me a blissful feeling every time I bring my wrist up to my face. The watch weighs 120 g in total and is perfectly wearable for everyday use.

A Strap with the Mysterious FKM Formula

Reference C024.907.17.041.10 comes with an FKM rubber strap. This means that small particles of dirt will not accumulate on the rubber, it will not degrade due to temperature, and it will not absorb odors. It is equipped with quick-release pins; the first pin has locking grooves to keep it in place, and the second pin can be inserted into the extra hole on the other end of the strap.

Even though it takes a few extra seconds to put on, it’s the perfect solution—the straps stay in place all day, and you don’t have to worry about a thing. At first, I put on the yellow Tropic strap, which, for some inexplicable reason, blended in color-wise with the whole look and made it more comfortable to wear; however, after a few outdoor activities, I switched back to the original strap to see how durable it is and what its characteristics are.

The included rubber strap has proven to be top-notch in terms of design, durability, and comfort, and I currently have no reason to replace it. I read somewhere that this strap detracts from the watch’s overall design, but to me, it’s an original and perfectly fitting choice. And there are always those quick-release pins, so you can always upgrade the design with a bracelet that works better for you.

I spotted this watch on a shark mesh strap in a photo, and I’m definitely considering this upgrade. At the same time, though, I don’t want to add to the watch’s weight, so we’ll see how it all turns out. In any case, a shark mesh or Milanese mesh strap looks great on the 1000 series.

In her element 🫧

Since watches are both my job and my hobby 24/7, even on vacation I find myself thinking about how to use them and which ones to bring along for my adventures. After my last vacation, I realized that three watches were too many, and after my most recent one, I found that two watches are the ideal choice. And since I had this article in mind, Certina was the obvious choice, which I complemented with my latest acquisition, the Wolbrook Skindiver Decompression MN90.

By a happy coincidence, instead of the planned submarine dive, we ended up opting for a scuba dive. After testing our gear, we headed to one of the beautiful beaches Costa Adeje has to offer. Squeezing into a wetsuit in 30-degree heat isn’t exactly pleasant, but you’ll appreciate it once you’re underwater in the cold Atlantic.

And I was glad I’d chosen the Certina with a rubber strap for this expedition instead of the Wolbrook with a pull-out crown—even though it has micro-adjustment, I really didn’t have a paperclip handy. After our first dive, where we put theory into practice and I found out what it’s probably like to be a beetle flipped onto its back 😁, we took a short break and then set out to explore the wonders of the sea to the fullest.

10 meters below the surface

By descending gradually along the seafloor to greater depths, the pressure on your ears isn’t as intense as in a pit, and it’s easier to manage—just like adjusting your BCD—so that you can eventually reach a state of “weightlessness” and enjoy the underwater world you’re visiting.

You could even forget you were wearing a watch, but I have to say that both Certina and I were in our element. Rays, fish of all kinds, colors, and sizes—and the watch’s colorful dial fit right in and was perfectly easy to read. When I checked the time and realized the dive was nearing 50 minutes, I couldn’t believe how differently time passes underwater. The incredible silence, broken only by the sound of bubbles and your own breath.

What kind of watch enthusiast would I be if I didn’t test how well this fantastic bezel works at a depth of about 10 meters? I had the dive time set from the start, so this was just a test to see how the bezel operates underwater without gloves. The bezel’s notches are easy to grip, and thanks to the push-to-lock mechanism, there’s no backlash. Once again, it’s clear that Certina knows what it’s doing—operating the bezel underwater is easily the best and most reliable of any watch I own.

Were they damaged underwater?

While diving, I scraped the buckle and strap against the rocks there, and after surfacing, I expected to see the first “souvenir” scratch on the buckle. To my surprise, the watch stayed on my wrist, and my confidence in the quick-release straps was strengthened. There’s now just a tiny micro-scratch on the clasp—once again, I applaud the build quality, and from now on, no cave diver needs to worry about noticeable scratches on the clasp 😉.

After less than an hour underwater and the subsequent surfacing, you feel a sense of triumph—until you climb onto the beach and the force of gravity, along with your weights, gear, and tank, tries to pin you down into the sand. Suddenly, you feel like you weigh 200 kg and can’t wait to take it all off. Except for your watch, of course.

Thank you once again for the extraordinary experience and the great care, Davide! To anyone planning to visit this destination, I can wholeheartedly recommend Ocean Dreams Tenerife Dive Center, the dive center we dived with! They are truly professionals through and through.

All the way to the top 🌋

I had to see for myself on the last day before my flight that the DS Super PH1000M could hold its own even during outdoor activities. We decided to visit Mount Teide, which, at 3,715 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the Canary Islands and Spain 🇪🇸—and it’s also a dormant volcano. Its last eruption was in 1909, and since the interval between eruptions is roughly a century, further activity and eruptions can be expected in the near future.

The area around Teide will then transport you to another world. As I gazed out at the view and my mind wandered to all sorts of sci-fi movies, we were told that films like *Planet of the Apes* and *Rambo: Last Blood* were actually shot on this vast plain, and that NASA even tests its rovers here.

Covering an area of 18,900 hectares, Teide National Park offers plenty to do for both film producers and hikers from all corners of the world. It is rightly ranked among the most visited parks in Europe and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How did they fare on dry land?

The watches didn’t let me down underwater, but how do you evaluate something as common as a watch on a “walk“? Since these are pure-bred diving watches, I focused on their comfort and readability. After a full day of hiking all over Tenerife, I didn’t feel the need to take the watch off my wrist.

They never got in my way; I had no reason to loosen the strap, and despite their size, I never had to adjust them to avoid any tight spots. I’m thinking, for example, of the door frames at the information center, crowds of tourists, and the ubiquitous rocky outcrops and lava rocks. The only thing I had to adjust was the backpack strap every time I took the watch off my back. But given the watch case’s height of 14.15 mm, I expected that, and it happens with almost all of my watches, so my own clumsiness might be playing a bigger role here 😅.

As you can see from the photos, there wasn’t the slightest problem with the watch’s readability, and I was able to enjoy the way the sun played with the colors and the metallic reflections on the bezel. Both the Certina and our lungs handled the thin air with flying colors 👍.

Do they have any competition?

In a short time, the “Thousands” have been through more adventures with me than most of my watches, and they’ve somehow quietly climbed onto the pedestal of the ultimate watches. Overall, the DS Super PH1000M quietly maintains its position. Many people know about them, yet they’re unfairly overlooked in favor of their younger counterparts from the DS series.

If you’re a fan of round cushion-case watches, you’ll opt for the cheaper models in the Seiko Turtle line and constantly look for flaws in them. For me, Seiko’s Turtles are great watches, but if you’re looking for a flawless watch, try the Certina DS Super PH1000M—you won’t regret it. For twice the price, you’ll get specifications that are several times better.

So what about the competition? Paradoxically, Certina may be its own competition. If we stick to the specifications, you really won’t find anything quite like this in the same price range anywhere else. Actually, I’m surprised this model is so affordable, but with this Swiss manufacturer, we’ve come to expect proven quality, excellent specs, and an attractive design for a more-than-reasonable price. Personally, I’m glad that I don’t see such a perfect watch on every other wrist, as is the case with other brands—even within the Swatch Group, to which Certina belongs.

Who would I recommend this watch to?

This model isn’t and won’t be mass-marketed, which I appreciate. So if you’re like me and don’t like overhyped models that you’ll see everywhere on all kinds of people, you’re on the right track. As you’ve surely noticed from the photos 😅, you don’t have to be a professional diver, and it doesn’t matter at all whether you jump into the sea straight from the beach in a wetsuit, a swimsuit, or in the nude— Certina won’t let you down, and thanks to them, you’ll always be on time for a snack or dinner.

The readability is exemplary, and thanks to the color used, you’ll feel like you’re wearing a different watch on your wrist under any lighting conditions. If you’re sipping your favorite cocktail at dusk, the hour markers will reward you with a bluish glow that, despite its subtle hue, is striking and will continue to shine until the early morning hours.

For the first time, someone other than the staff at our store complimented my watch—specifically, a waiter who brought me lunch at a tavern. It was nice; he showed off photos of his collection, and the watch naturally sparked a conversation. So the well-known saying that “the more languages you know, the more of a person you are” now applies to watches as well. Watches are a universal language 🤗.

In my diving watch collection, the DS Super PH1000M holds a truly unique place; it has charisma and a vintage look without seeming too vintage, and it carries with it indelible memories of adventure that no one can ever take away from it (or me). I love coming back to them, and once I put them on my wrist, I have a hard time taking them off. Even though I have my eye on watches with a much higher price tag and, let’s say, “exclusivity,” Certina has confirmed to me that none of that is necessary—the watch finds you, not the other way around!

So if you, too, are looking for your story, give the thousands a chance—and they’ll take care of the rest for you 🙌.

Specifications for the Certina DS Super PH1000M

• Dimensions: 43.5 mm x 47.3 mm x 14.15 mm
• Drive: Powermatic 80.611 automatic
• power reserve: 80 hours
• Water resistance: 1,000 m, helium valve
• glass: sapphire with an anti-reflective coating
• Price: 26,590 CZK