Certina Kurth Frères

Certina S. A. is a Swiss watch manufacturer based in Le Locle. He is now part of the Swatch Group. The name Certina is derived from the Latin " certus ", which means something like " sure, sure " means.

The Company

Foundation

In 1888 the brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth founded in Grenchen Kurth Frères factory for the production of watch movements and watch parts. A few years later started with the production of complete watches.

Brand name

The first watches were sold under the name " Grana ". Grana was derived from " Granacus " which is the Latin name for Grenchen. Until 1938 watches were produced and sold with different brand names. Including the Certina brand. The decision was made, only the Certina brand continues to maintain.

SMH

Certina occurred in 1983 in the SMH (Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries, now Swatch Group ) and was in the group for sports watch brand.

DS - Double safety

1959 developed the engineers of the Certina DS- principle. DS stands for double security ( double security ). The idea was to build a highly resistant watch case, which certainly gives the movement even under extreme loads protection. The essence of it is that the crown is secured with a screw cap, the more difficult it is to penetrate moisture. One must first unscrew the crown like a screw before the movement date and time can be changed or grown. Besides increasing the water resistance this principle has the advantage that bumps on the crown are not directly transmitted to the movement, but from the housing to which the crown is screwed, be intercepted.

Sponsoring

Since the postwar period and with the development of the DS construction is Certina sponsor of athletes, sporting events and extreme expeditions.

Since 2005, Certina is a sponsor of the Swiss Formula 1 team Sauber.