Opinions on Certina DS purchase

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Eve

·Jul 23, 2021

Hallo dear OF members and Certina lovers,

i am thinking about pulling a trigger on this nice vintage Certina DS. And wanted to ask for your opinions, if there any red flags i missed.
I think the condition is fair, the dial shows some ageing, which i think is typical to this model. But the overall look is nice, and the price is also fair i think (125,-EUR incl shipping).

It would be my first Certina, so i dont know if i should pull the trigger, or rather wait for a cleaner example.
I like the coffin markers though, and they are not that common.
Somehow it feels that the Automatics are for some reason more popular than these manual wind ones, maybe there is a reason for this.

Kind regards and thank you!

 

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Fallout Boy

·Jul 23, 2021

Nice model, indeed!!! My opinion: the dial is not aged evenly.
125 would be OK to wait for a dial to change it, if the movement is top.

 

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Eve

·Jul 23, 2021

Fallout Boy

Nice model, indeed!!! My opinion: the dial is not aged evenly.
125 would be OK to wait for a dial to change it, if the movement is top.

Thanks! i will get a movement photo in the evenning.

 

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Tony C.

·Jul 23, 2021·Ωf Jury member

Spectacular value, and I'm not prone to hyperbole. The quality of the case and movement, coupled with the low price, is virtually unbeatable. If you like the dial aesthetics, then you can't go wrong.

The reason that automatic vintage DS seem more popular than manual-wind versions is because there are vastly more of them! The production numbers were far, far higher.

 

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Eve

·Jul 23, 2021

Tony C.

Spectacular value, and I'm not prone to hyperbole. The quality of the case and movement, coupled with the low price, is virtually unbeatable. If you like the dial aesthetics, then you can't go wrong.

The reason that automatic vintage DS seem more popular than manual-wind versions is because there are vastly more of them! The production numbers were far, far higher.

thank you for your opinion @Tony C. 👍

i really do like this dial layout, and with my quick search i could not really find any examples with exact this long coffin hour markers. so i was a bit cautious.

its hard to judge the dial condition from few photos, it can go either way in real life. but i think its worth the risk.
i just wrote the seller that i would like to purchase. so lets see what arrives. i will update the thread then.

 

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Tony C.

·Jul 23, 2021·Ωf Jury member

You're welcome. The dial appears to have some lacquer degradation, but the DS was such a successful model line, that even with the less common manual-winds, there will be opportunities to find an inexpensive replacement dial, if you like.

And yes - those markers are uncommon as well.

 

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Spruce

·Jul 23, 2021·Sunburst dial fan

Looks great.
These mid 60s DSs are very good watches and the case, dial, crown and hands all look correct.
The absence of a date feature make it a far easier watch to rotate.
These 60 year old Certinas (certainly those in nice condition) all seem to have what @ConElPueblo describes as “patinated silver dials”.
Depending on the movement, you could well have to pay twice the price for one that looks as nice.

 

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Bill Sohne

·Jul 23, 2021·Bill @ ΩF

Hi

I would buy it .

be safe
Bill

 

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Dan S

·Jul 23, 2021

For me, it's simply a matter of whether the dial appeals to you personally. If so, then you should buy it. It's an excellent watch for the price.

 

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STANDY

·Jul 23, 2021·schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector

$125 Euro I’m in on it like a fat kid at a candy shop.

 

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gatorcpa

·Jul 23, 2021·ΩF InvestiGator

Almost every first generation DS I’ve seen have some patina on the dial. Here’s my example:

Certina might be the best bargain in the vintage watch world. I remember not too long ago where this statement was used for Omega and later for Longines. Look at prices for those brands today.

Get them cheap while you can!
gatorcpa

 

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Spruce

·Jul 23, 2021·Sunburst dial fan

My two

 

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Fallout Boy

·Jul 23, 2021

STANDY

$125 Euro I’m in on it like a fat kid at a candy shop.

says the PIZZA orderer 😁

 

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Eve

·Jul 23, 2021

@Spruce and @gatorcpa, those are lovely examples 👍
I must admit i was following the ad for few weeks now 🤨 now that i hear the opinions i am actually surprised nobody bought it earlier. But probably gatorcpa is right and majority is focused on other brands at the moment.

@STANDY i had a good lough 😁

Thank you everyone for the opinions 👍
I just did the transaction, so now impatiently waiting for the watch 🙄 ☕

 

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Fallout Boy

·Jul 23, 2021

great! The case is IMO unpolished so: "congrats" to the first step in your CERTINA-collection! 😀

 

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gatorcpa

·Jul 23, 2021·ΩF InvestiGator

Eve

But probably gatorcpa is right and majority is focused on other brands at the moment.

Another factor is the Certina is (and was) not heavily marketed in the USA

If you are American, your parents or grandparents probably never heard of the brand. But pretty much everyone who was around in the 1950's knew that Rolex, Omega and Longines were good watches back then.
gatorcpa

 

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ConElPueblo

·Jul 23, 2021

I really like these a lot and the 5601 112 manual with the slightly beefier case like the one above is a fantastic watch. It has a very nice heft and feels just right on the wrist. Add to that some neat features and a design that is svelte and elegant and it's a winner.

I've said it before - to my mind these 60s G-Shocks are some of the best allround vintage watches available and technologically very interesting. If only Certina had made a series of steel cased chronometer-rated DS, it would have been the ultimate vintage wrist watch - extremely shock proof, great designs, well-made cases, 200M WR... Firmly puts Omega and loads of others in their place.

Dial patina is extremely common on DS' so I wouldn't worry too much.

gatorcpa

Certina might be the best bargain in the vintage watch world. I remember not too long ago where this statement was used for Omega and later for Longines. Look at prices for those brands today.

Get them cheap while you can!
gatorcpa

They have gained traction the last couple of years, especially specimens with GF bracelets in good condition. Three years ago @mr_yossarian helped me bag this 1959 "Patent Pending" beauty (don't let the scratched crystal put you off) with an GF bracelet in very good condition for <€300 and the same will only buy you a very tired specimen now.



Welcome in the club, @Eve 😁

 

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Eve

·Jul 23, 2021

I will try to hold my judgement untill i have handled at least one in person, but in photos these look just amazeing. 🙄

They have probably gained traction due to all the threads here on the forum 😁

I am looking forward 👍

 

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Eve

·Jul 25, 2021

Just received the movement shot from the seller. The movement looks clean and the screw-heads look untouched.

 

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Fallout Boy

·Jul 25, 2021

voilà:

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?00&ranfft&&2uswk&Certina_25_36

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-db.cgi?00&ranfft&&2uswk&Certina_25_36

great find!