ertina’s rich history remains somewhat underestimated — as the Europa Star archives themselves illustrate, not least through these remarkable women’s models from the 1950s shown below. On taking the helm of the brand, Dieter Pachner immediately recognised the opportunity: he devoted part of his first weeks — and even several weekends — to exploring the company archives.

What he found there was, naturally, the foundation on which Certina has long built its identity: robust, resilient watchmaking backed by a genuine culture of technical innovation. The famous “DS Concept”, introduced in 1959 to improve shock resistance and water resistance, remains the clearest expression of this philosophy. The PH diving watches that appeared in the 1960s extended the same approach beneath the surface and went on to play a lasting role in shaping Certina’s identity.

Nearly seven decades later, that heritage finds spectacular expression in the DS Super PH2000M. Water-resistant to 2,000 metres — twice the rating achieved by the DS-2 Super PH1000M of 1970 — this imposing titanium diver introduces the latest generation of the brand’s proprietary system, called “DS Concept Extreme Shock Resistance”. A Powermatic 80 movement, Nivachron™ hairspring, helium escape valve, ceramic bezel and a construction engineered for extreme conditions bring together the attributes on which Certina intends to continue building its legitimacy.

But Dieter Pachner’s task goes far beyond the launch of a single model. The new CEO also wants to make the range easier to understand, rationalise the collections and identify which elements of Certina’s rich heritage could be reinterpreted. Without abandoning the accessible positioning that remains one of the brand’s strengths — supported largely by quartz movements — he also sees scope to further develop its mechanical and technical expression.

Above all, the ambition is international. Historically very strong in certain European markets, particularly Scandinavia, Certina now needs to turn that solid base into a more global presence. It is an evolution that, he acknowledges, will take time — and will depend as much on the products themselves as on building a brand identity that is more immediately recognisable. Our interview.

Europa Star: Before joining Certina, could you look back on your career and explain what led you to the head of the brand?

Dieter Pachner: I have spent my entire career in the watch industry. I first had the opportunity to join Swatch, where I spent several years. I then moved on to other positions within the industry, which allowed me to discover different brands, markets and countries, including Germany with Glashütte Original [where he served as Vice President Sales from 2008 to 2025, ed.].

Over the years, I was therefore able to approach watchmaking from several different angles, from product and brand management to international markets. Then the opportunity arose to join Certina and take on this new challenge.

When you arrived, how much did you already know about the brand? Did anything surprise you when you delved into its history?

There were definitely a few surprises. Of course, I already knew the brand and certain aspects of its history before joining. But once you really start digging into the archives, you realise just how rich they are.

During my first few weeks, and even over some of my first weekends, I spent a great deal of time going through the archives and examining historic products. I discovered an enormous amount. Certina has a fantastic heritage, particularly when it comes to technical innovation.

The DS concept, for example, and more broadly the emphasis on robustness, are extremely important parts of the brand’s history. The deeper you look, the more you realise how many interesting products and technical solutions Certina has developed over the decades.

Certina once occupied a somewhat different position in the watchmaking pyramid. How do you see its positioning today? Do you think the brand should move slightly upmarket, as much of the industry has done?

Positioning is obviously a major topic. At the same time, however, we need to make sure Certina remains strong in a segment where customers appreciate the brand and understand the value it offers.

We will certainly continue working with the existing collections and movements, but there may also be opportunities to introduce other products at different price points. The overall positioning will remain coherent, even if the way we structure and present the offer may evolve.

Lines such as DS Action currently play a very important role in Certina’s identity. Do you want to maintain that prominence or give more space to other collections?

I think we need to streamline the collection. Today, our offer is fairly broad, and we cannot communicate with the same intensity around every product. So we need to look carefully at the collection as a whole and decide where we want to focus our efforts.

That takes time. We need to understand the existing products, study the archives, but also think about the future needs of different markets. The aim is to arrive at a clearer, more focused collection.

Could that also mean more mechanical watches or complications in the future?

Absolutely. Personally, I am very interested in technical features and complications. They can help make a product more engaging, more technical and more distinctive.

But it has to make sense for the brand and for the collection. One of our great advantages is precisely Certina’s archive. It contains wonderful historical elements and technical solutions that could potentially be reinterpreted in a contemporary way. That is certainly an avenue worth exploring.

Historically, Certina has been particularly strong in certain markets, notably Scandinavia and Europe more broadly. Is one of your challenges now to turn it into a truly global brand?

Yes, I think that is important. Certina has a long history and enjoys strong recognition in certain markets. But if you want to build a truly global brand, you have to look beyond the territories where it is already well established.

Certina has what it takes to become a truly global brand. We have an excellent team, and I believe there is a real opportunity to strengthen both the communication and the international presence of Certina.

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Certina: a history of reliability and adventure

Certina’s story began in 1888 in Grenchen, Switzerland, when brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth founded their watchmaking workshop. In its early years, the company was a small family business employing just three people.

Before becoming Certina, the company notably sold watches under the Grana name. In 1939, it adopted the name Certina, inspired by the Latin word “certus”, meaning sure, certain or reliable. It was a fitting name for the philosophy the brand would develop over the following decades. That pursuit of reliability took on a new dimension in 1959 with the introduction of the DS — Double Security — concept.

The principle was as ingenious as it was effective: the movement was not protected solely by the watch case. An elastic O-ring also allowed it to absorb shocks. The system can be compared to a car suspension: instead of transmitting the impact directly to the mechanism, part of the energy is absorbed. This double layer of protection quickly became a Certina signature. During the 1960s, the DS and later DS-2 models embodied this reputation for toughness.

In 1960, Certina watches accompanied an expedition to the Himalayas, where they were exposed to cold, altitude and particularly demanding conditions. In 1965, the technology was put to the test underwater during an experiment conducted with US Navy divers. Such expeditions helped shape Certina’s identity: a truly reliable watch should be able to accompany its owner anywhere, from high mountains to the depths of the sea.

In 2022, Certina once again evolved the concept with a modern generation of the DS system, designed to withstand shocks of up to 10,000 G.

This culture of performance is also reflected today in Certina’s sporting commitments. As part of the Swatch Group’s partnership with the FIS, the brand is notably associated with cross-country skiing, a discipline in which endurance, precision and timing are essential, in connection with Swiss Timing’s expertise.

Certina has also moved into newer sports, becoming one of the first watch brands to invest in padel, a discipline experiencing rapid growth.

Finally, Certina’s commitments extend beyond sport. The brand has a longstanding connection with the marine world, continued today through its partnership with the Sea Turtle Conservancy, an organisation dedicated to protecting sea turtles and their habitats.