Certina presented a retro gem ala "Monaco" – Certina Argonaut DS Chronograph Automatic 1968

Tags: Presentation | Certina | Men's | Classic | Retro

3.8.2022 | 3 MIN

No, of course it's not a Monaco copycat, we only gave them this nickname for work purposes. Because... Look at those sexy edges, that playful sixties design, that workmanship... A true beauty, isn't it? Let's briefly introduce the new Certina DS Chronograph Automatic 1968 reissue.

A pair of boxy watches from the Heritage line have been rumored for some time now. However, only now we got our hands on one of the two models, and I just couldn't stop staring. The watch looks even better in person than in the photos. However, I came across a few small things that need to be pointed out. But from the beginning.

Two colour variants

The first of the models received an all-black surface treatment, a leather strap and a black dial with white hands and indexes (great readability is guaranteed here!).

With the second model, I had the pleasure of seeing it live so I could get a proper feel of them. The steel case has remained silver and the dial is enlivened by orange accents.

The choice of NATO strap is indeed authentic, faithful to the original model (however, the modern strap is made from recycled material #TideOcean). But looking at it, it's clear that this "wild stuff" (even if it seems more attractive to me personally) probably won't be so fit for everyone. That's why we decided to give a free black leather strap gratis with it.

The reissue was a success

Just a single glance on Google and it is immediately clear to you how faithful the resemblance is to the original Certina Argonauts from the late 60s. Actually, you might be wondering for a bit if you are looking at the original model or this year's novelty. However, the dial of the original model bore the name Argonaut Chrono 200 M, while the current model is only Automatic. And as we know, these chronographs could only dream of an automatic movement in 1968 - the first prototypes did not arrive until a year later.

In terms of size, they are said to be larger than their predecessors, but still well balanced. The dimensions of the case are now 43.5 × 43.5 mm and a thickness of 15 mm... Which is not exactly small, but a mechanical chronograph will never be something puny.

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The convex sapphire crystal (with anti-reflection!) increases this value even more, as so does the NATO strap. The rotating diving bezel, on the other hand, is far too thin to handle comfortably, and I can imagine that someone with larger fingers than me would have a little trouble turning it (I could be wrong, so if you've tried it, let me know). But that's probably all I could complain about when it comes to these beauties.

The dial is framed by a sapphire bezel with a black insert, and its shine looks very luxurious.

Do you remember the movie classic Iason and the Argonauts, about mythical seafarers? It entered cinemas in 1963 and its success was indisputable. Therefore, in the 1960s, the name Argonaut was already well-prepared for success, and everyone knew that it would be a perfect match for a diving watch with 200M water resistance.

And the superior 200M water resistance remains to this day. It is secured by a screw-down crown, the case back and, of course, the famous DS concept from Certina.

The case back is also covered by sapphire glass, and behind it we can see the ETA A05.H31 automatic movement, which is based on the ETA/Valjoux 7753 movement. At Certina, they have equipped it with a silicon hair, which ensures magnetic and temperature resistance, as well as supposedly higher impact resistance. The movement has 27 jewels and beats at 4Hz with a 60-hour power reserve.

Photo with a permission of monochrome-watches.com.

Certina now falls under the Swatch Group, allowing the brand to draw on the resources of a large conglomerate. And the two new Argonauts demonstrate this fact, as few Swiss automatic chronographs (with an anti-magnetic silicon hair) sell for a price tag of around €2,000.

In a nutshell, I'm really excited about this new release (and that's why I'm writing about it in the first place). They convince me of their qualities live and I hope they will convince you too.