The All-Black Certina DS Action Diver 43mm (Live Pics & Price)

With the advent of Certina‘s Double Security concept in the late 1950s, robust dive watches at prices that won’t sink your bank account have been the mainstay of this Swiss brand. The DS Action Diver is Certina’s classic, fully equipped diver, a worthy heir to the brand’s DS (Double Security) concept first incorporated inside an automatic shock-resistant and 200m water-resistant watch in 1959. A perfect all-terrain adventure watch, Certina revisits its 43mm DS Action Diver in an all-black wetsuit.

Certina’s Double Security technology of 1959, which relied on a series of O-ring seals on the setting stem and crown and a reinforced caseback, marked a big step forward in strengthening the armour of its watches to protect the mechanism from external aggressions. Sixty-four years later, the DS Concept is still going strong and ensures the DS Action Diver meets the official ISO 6425 dive watch standards.

While the Certina DS Action Diver inherits a slight whiff of the brand’s 1950s instrument watches, its retro spirit is kept in check, compared to the more pronounced vintage vibes of the Super PH500M or the DS Chronograph Automatic 1968. Available in 38mm and 43mm, the 43mm version of the DS Action Diver was updated in 2022.

Although the new diver is 43mm in diameter and 13.10mm in height, the black PVD-coated stainless steel case, screw-down crown, and crown guards make it look much more compact. Like the 2022 edition, a more durable ceramic insert replaces the aluminium of former editions on the unidirectional rotating bezel. Consolidating the all-black mood of the watch, the ceramic insert on the knurled bezel is matte black with engraved markings and a luminous pearl in the inverted triangle at noon.

One of the most legible combinations underwater, the black lacquered background of the dial provides a sharp contrast to the white elements. The applied indices, with a mix of triangular and circular markers, are treated with white Super-LumiNova that emits a blue glow in the dark. The hours are indicated by a short arrow-tipped hand; the longer minutes hand has a triangular tip, and the central seconds hand is lollipop style; all three hands are treated with SLN. A small aperture at 3 o’clock truncates the triangular marker to make room for the date function with its white background and black numerals. All the inscriptions on the dial are white.

The reverse side of the case reveals the screwed-down caseback with a turtle – the brand’s logo –  engraved in relief and polished. You can also see the spring bars used to attach the black NATO strap. Made from  #tide ocean material, which uses recycled plastics recovered from the sea, the NATO strap matches the case with a black PVD-coated steel pin buckle.

The new DS Action Diver is equipped with the Powermatic 80 movement developed by Swatch Group and used by other mid-price brands like Tissot, Mido and Hamilton. With an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring and substantial shock resistance, the 80-hour power reserve of the Powermatic is a real plus. To understand the development and attributes of the Powermatic, don’t miss our in-depth coverage.

Availability & Price

The Certina DS Action Diver 43mm Powermatic 80 All-Black PVD will be available in June 2023 as part of the permanent collection and retails for CHF 895. For more information, please consult certina.com.