Certina DS-2 Automatic Black

About this model

Certina patented the Double Security case in 1958 and put it on sale in 1959. Instead of bolting the movement to the case, DS floats it: an elastic ring takes the shock from the sides and a pocket of air sits under the dial, so a knock travels around the mechanism rather than into it. The crystal is deliberately thick and the caseback reinforced. Certina sold the idea with a stunt, strapping watches to a 27 kg weight and dropping it six metres onto concrete, and the first DS went up Dhaulagiri with the Swiss team that made the first ascent in 1960. The DS-2 is the second generation of the same construction.

What you're looking at

Black dial with a white outer minute ring, near perfect with no marks or fading. The case and crystal have been lapped rather than polished, so the grain lines remain and the edges stay sharp. Serviced by me, and it runs very well. Supplied on a new black leather rally strap, 18 mm.

What I know is wrong with it

The balance wheel and the keyless works spring come from a donor movement. Both are genuine Certina parts. The case shows a few small marks after the lapping. The strap is not original.

No watch here has been pressure-tested. A period WATERPROOF or WATER RESISTANT stamp says nothing about the seals today, so treat every watch on this site as not water resistant.