Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy (Live Pics & Price)
A formidable 500m diver with vintage credentials dresses up in blue to support the work of the STC.
Certina’s turtle logo is a symbol of resilience and was inspired by the brand’s Double Security or DS Concept, first incorporated inside a shock-resistant automatic 200m water-resistant watch of 1959. The turtle logo also provided a natural bridge to Certina’s involvement with the Florida-based Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC), the world’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation group founded in the same year as Certina’s DS Concept. For 2022, the annual STC edition has been picked from the Certina DS Super PH500M family, combining vintage flair with a bright royal blue shell and a matching strap made from recycled ocean plastic.
The DS Super PH500M takes inspiration from a 1960s model that was used in the Tektite I programme (1969-1970), in which aquanauts lived in an underwater habitat for prolonged periods of time to conduct saturation diving missions and study the effect of closed environments on human biology and psychology. Certina’s 1968 DS-2 Super PH500 watch was worn by four scientists involved in the Tektite 1 experiments and monitored for two months by NASA.
The DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy has a 43mm stainless steel case with a height of 14.95mm and is a professional diver’s watch that complies with ISO6425 standards. The unidirectional rotating bezel, a direct nod to the 14-sided bezel of the 1960s diver, has a blue aluminium insert used in conjunction with an orange minute hand to time immersions. The screw-down crown and caseback ensure a high water-resistance of 500m. The tetradecagonal bezel also features the original locking push-to-turn device to avoid accidentally turning the bezel. The case is further reinforced with the brand’s double-security (DS) technology, an O-ring between the case and movement for increased shock-resistance.
The bright blue domed dial of the Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy has a sunray finish and features sword-shaped hands, large rectangular hour markers and a date window at 3 o’clock like the 1968 model. As a professional dive watch, the indices and hands are luminous and coated with Super-LumiNova.
Powermatic engine
Below deck is the Powermatic 80, Swatch Group’s standard automatic movement with an extended power reserve of 80 hours, a reduced frequency of 3Hz and, in this case, an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring. All the elements provide a competitive advantage to this new DS Super PH500M.
Price
The blue textile #tide ocean material strap is made from recovered plastics from the sea and comes with a pin buckle. The watch box is also made from fully recyclable materials. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the watch will go to the STC. The Certina DS Super PH500M Sea Turtle Conservancy will be available from authorised dealers worldwide from May 2022. The recommended retail price is CHF 860.
For more information, please visit Certina.com.
1 response
Bellissimo orologio peccato però che in Italia non ci sono concessionari altrimenti andrei a vedere sicuramente il modello DS 200 PH e il DS Super 500 PH che richiamano la mia attenzione già da un paio di anni!