Certina DS - dial condition

This looks pretty consistent with other vintage DS watches I’ve seen, including my own.



It could be that Certina used natural lacquer, which tends to yellow and crack with age. The marks on the dial come from moisture getting into those cracks and reacting with the paint and metal underneath.
gatorcpa

First, the DS were among the very best high-production watches made during the late '50s and '60s. They certainly are comparable in quality, if not better, both in terms of the case and movement, to Seamasters, and other similar models from good manufacturers. I know a watchmaker in Schauffhausen who worked for IWC for many years, and he holds the Certina automatic movements from that period in very high regard.

With regard to the dial, I wouldn't say that the patina is typical, and I have owned more than a few DS. If finishing lacquer were the cause, I would expect to have seen such issues on a higher percentage of vintage DS. Perhaps the fact that I tend to buy those that were well-preserved has distorted my view, but I have seen and handled many lesser examples as well.

To parse it out a bit more finely, the OP's example is likely relatively early (based on the dial style), and it is possible that there were lacquer issues that were subsequently resolved during the (long) course of the (vintage) DS production.

Great watches and, generally, under appreciated and affordable.

All the DS dials seem to have started out as silver and turned, in the words of @ConElPueblo, ‘patinated silver'.

I wear my automatic regularly and it has always run like a dream (touch wood). My manual wind is my back-up and hasn’t seen a lot of wear.

Interestingly, the automatics’ back have the 'full' turtle scallop whilst manual winders', just a central turtle.

I’m not generally a patina fan but I’m happy with mine and yours, @Regan888, looks to be a nice example and well worth the cost of a new service and seal.

As an owner of both, I think the Certina is superior in at least a couple of areas:

1. The DS was one of the only watches that has the movement cushioned on all sides to protect from shocks. Contemporary Omega Seamasters did not have this type of system.

2. The DS crystal was thicker and more armored that similar Omega crystals.

Source: https://www.vintagecertinas.ch/en/certina-ds/

The DS-2 models raised the bar on both of the above to the point where only specialty watches from Omega (Seamaster 300 and ProPlof come to mind, although I’m sure there are others) were equivalent in these areas.

To be fair, the main reasons that Certina is considered a “sleeper” brand in the US is that the brand historically was not marketed well here. Even today under Swatch Group, you rarely hear about it in the US.
gatorcpa

I agree with this - they were highly robust, and certainly more so than any typical dress watch of the period. I have a friend who grew up in Angola, and he recalls a promotion that Certina organized which entailed dropping DS watches from a helicopter, and showing the onlookers that they continued to function! Try that with a Seamaster!

The first generation actually had neither: