Voyage travels to Zurich to get an insight into what's going on at Certina and meet the company's CEO, Dieter Pachner. Over the course of 24 hours, presentations, conversations and a meeting with the man who has been leading the Swiss watch brand for just over a year await.
PHOTO MATHIEU MEILE
THE EVENING BEFORE THE GATHERING watch writers and journalists from Certina's most important European markets, alongside the domestic Swiss market which is the largest, are found here: Germany, Poland and the Nordic countries. Somewhat reluctantly, we note that Poland has now overtaken us Nordics.
At dinner I sit between two enthusiasts who both wear Certina watches. DS of models. The generations are different, but both have chosen yellow dials. This says more than a market analysis.
Dieter Pachner has been leading the company for just over a year. After many years within the Swatch Group, most recently at Glashütte Original, he has been tasked with more clearly shaping what Certina should be in the future.
– They have been loyal to me since I was young and given me opportunities to grow. That's why I've never had a reason to work for anyone else. We have fun, we have energy and we work long-term, he says.
Today, the initiatives are grouped under the concept of Sustainable Sports, with a focus on diving, cross-country skiing and padel. This trip is about the first.
Early afternoon we board a boat and leave The beaches of Zurich behind us. Lake Zurich lies still in the heat. The champagne is cooling. The air is still. Speculation about what will be presented and how is going on in waves.
The boat slides out onto the lake and slows down. The mobile cameras go up. An orange buoy bobs nearby. Dieter Pachner watches the scene without commenting. One of the participants is given a hook in his hand and is asked to try to catch it. It is Roger, my table neighbor from the night before, who finally succeeds. A jerk. A box breaks the surface of the water. In the box: today's main issue: DS SUPER PH2000M.
It takes a while before I get the watch in my hand. The first thing that strikes me is not the size, but the absence of weight. A diver's watch built for 2,000 meters that feels unexpectedly light on the wrist. Technically, the watch builds on two of Certina's cornerstones, the DS and PH. DS stands for Double Security, Certina's system for reinforced construction and shock resistance.
THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES ME IS NOT THE SIZE, BUT THE ABSENCE OF WEIGHT. A DIVER'S WATCH BUILT FOR 2,000 METERS THAT FEELS UNEXPECTEDLY LIGHT ON THE WRIST
PH refers to hydrostatic pressure, the force that increases with every meter of depth. Two principles that are here pushed to their extreme limits. 2,000 meters deep is an abstraction rather than a destination. The deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea reaches just over 5,200 meters. This is not about use, but about demarcation.
Three more versions await out on the lake. The hunt between the buoys continues. Sometimes it works immediately, sometimes it takes several tries before the hook finds the right one. The mood on board gradually changes. The movements become less mechanical, more playful.
It's Matti from Finland, my other table neighbor from the night before, who finally gets the last box. This version stands out: turquoise dial and rubber strap, with orange details that break off. A limited edition developed together with the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Only 1,959 copies, the same year the DS concept was introduced.
It's getting late and we're adding to the Restaurant Wöschi on the shores of Lake Zurich. The name means laundry, a testament to the place's former life. It's still warm and the lake is tempting, but a glass of water will do.
The restaurant has a star in the Michelin Guide, but it's not just the food that catches the eye. The menu is based on heights above and depths below the sea surface. A theme that continues without needing to be explained.
The new models are lined up in a row at the table. In a message in a bottle awaits a final gesture: a certificate for an adopted sea turtle. Her name is Marina.
CERTINA DS SUPER PH2000M
Professional diving watch Water resistance: 2,000 meters
CASE: Titanium – lightweight and extremely durable
Equipment: Helium valve and ceramic swivel ring
Clockwork: Automatic Powermatic 80, approximately 80 hours of power reserve
Available in four versions, one of which is a limited edition, price 16,700 SEK
