Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Certina DS Action Diver 38mm “Sea Turtle Conservancy” (Live Pics & Price)
A special-edition of Certina's 38mm dive watch in partnership with the Sea Turtle Conservancy
A few months ago, we took a closer look at a rather cool watch, a compact, well-equipped and fairly priced diver’s instrument made by Certina, the DS Action Diver 38mm. Clearly, a watch that impressed us by its overall quality and its mechanical content, specifically considering its price. This year, Certina is bringing a special edition model based on this compact diver’s watch, with once again environmental friendliness and sea conservation in mind, just like the 43mm STC edition we reviewed here. But today, it’s all about the new Certina DS Action Diver 38mm Sea Turtle Conservancy.
This new watch follows the Certina DS Action Diver Powermatic 80 “Sea Turtle Conservancy” Special Edition that was presented in 2018, in the frame of the brand partnership with the eponymous organization, as a portion of proceeds from the sale of the watch goes to support the conservancy and its efforts to protect the turtles. A good cause, and after all, a turtle shell has been a Certina emblem for decades… If this model stood out thanks to a few coloured details on the dial, inspired by the Conservancy logo, the watch we’ll look at today is even more exclusive and based on the recently-introduced and smaller version of the DS Action Diver.
For 2021, Certina continues its partnership with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) and presents its new watch in the frame of this collaboration (which started in 2017). Like the previous edition, the recipe is simple; take a watch from the existing collection and add some elements of design to make it unique. But this year, the brand pushes a bit further, as for the first time at Certina the box is made entirely of sustainable materials.
The base for this new STC edition is the DS Action Diver 38mm we’ve reviewed (and appreciated) recently. This watch is a compact, well-proportioned, slightly retro take on the brand’s dive watch. But don’t think that its smaller case means downgraded specifications. The brushed stainless steel case is indeed equipped with a screw-down crown, crown-guards and a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. Furthermore, this watch is 300m water-resistant and meets all the requirements specified by ISO standard 6425 – being as such a certified diver’s watch. The steel bracelet is fitted with a foldover clasp with an integrated diver’s extension.
New to this STC edition, the case and steel bracelet are treated in two-tone, with gold PVD-coated accents on the bezel, the crown and the centre links. Also, the aluminium insert of the unidirectional bezel is executed in dark blue with a gold-coloured dive time scale. The same tones are found on the dial, with a sunray brushed dark blue base on which are applied gold-coloured markers with white Super-LumiNova. The hands are also yellow gold-coloured and largely filled with luminescent material.
Another distinctive element of the Certina DS Action Diver 38mm STC edition is its screw-down caseback, which is decorated with the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s embossed turtle logo. Underneath is a well-known movement from the Swatch Group, the modern and powerful Powermatic 80. Beating at 3Hz, it features an upgraded kinetic chain for 80 hours of power reserve and comes equipped with a Nivachron balance spring – a high-performance material that is unaffected by magnetic fields and that delivers reliable precision. Quite impressive at this price point.
The watch packaging is also in line with the cause behind this watch. Certina is using completely recyclable material for the box itself, as well as bio-cotton and recycled polyester for the cushion.
The Certina DS Action Diver Sea Turtle Conservancy is a special, non-limited edition. It will be priced at CHF 795 – the same price as other two-tone PVD models in the collection. For more details, please visit www.certina.com.
