Ask a watchmaker what’s his favorite watch and the likely answer will be Certina. I had also heard watch aficionados say that Certinas are underrated.
There’s no doubt that the quality of Certinas from the 50’s to the 70’s were up with Omega and Longines but I think that the reason that watchmakers liked them was that the movements were quite conventional in design and the finish on all parts, not just plates and screw heads, was first class. This made them quite pleasant to repair.
I include here a picture of the mainplate with the dial removed to show how far Certina took their finish. Not many, if any manufacturers went to this extent. This is purely for the watchmaker because he is the only one who would get to see this and then only when completely dismanteling the watch for an overhaul.
This is a typical Certina of the 60’s, very simple design, made from quality materials, superior finish, tough and practical in every way.
A great watch.
