Certina DS C036.407.18.040.00
As close as you can get to Blancpain look without the cost.
I’m having to sell because I’m approaching retirement and my wife wants me to cutback on the number of watches that I own, and selling this particular watch model has been a difficult decision.
A contemporary re-edition, its slightly domed ceramic bezel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal make the DS PH200M aesthetically pleasing. The automatic Powermatic 80 calibre guarantees reliable precision thanks to its 80-hour power reserve and magnetic field-resistant NivachronTM balance spring.
The DS PH200M’s similarities to its predecessor not only apply to its design but also continue into its interior. As in the original construction, the movement is borne atop a thick rubber ring that cushions it against shocks. Just like the version from the ’60s, Certina leaves a narrow gap between the case and the dial, which is connected to the movement, to provide space for the slight motions permitted by the elastic rubber ring. Since 1959, along with an Incabloc shock-protection system, the elastically suspended movement has been part of Certina’s DS (Double Safety) concept, hence the two letters that serve as the name for the brand’s extensive DS collection. An extra-thick acrylic crystal and a reinforced, fully threaded, screw-in back are two elements in the design that enhanced the security of the original model and reappear in the contemporary DS PH200M.
Movement manufacturer ETA, which belongs to the Swatch Group, supplies the Powermatic 80.111 caliber, which continues to run for 80 hours after having been fully wound. This assures that this self-winding watch will keep ticking even if it languishes motionless and unworn throughout an entire weekend.
A few years ago, ETA achieved this increase in performance compared to its basic caliber, the well-known ETA 2824 with a 38-hour power reserve, by reducing the balance’s frequency by 25 percent to 21,600 vibrations per hour and by making the barrel’s shaft slimmer, thus freeing space inside the barrel to accommodate a longer mainspring. As a further improvement, ETA eliminated the regulator with adjusting screw and installed a freely oscillating balance with two variable weights. This solution is more elegant and shows greater technical sophistication.
