FOUNDATION

In Grenchen, brothers Adolf and Alfred Kurth open their first movement and supplies factory for the watchmaking industry, with three employees in a workshop annexed to the family home. The creation of complete timepieces begins a few years later, in parallel to the production of discrete high-quality watch movements.

FIRST WRIST WATCHES

For the first time, a brand name is used. Adolf and Alfred choose to call their watches "Grana", short form of "Granacus", the Latin name for Grenchen. The first wrist-watches appear on the market, for the larger part ladies' models as men still categorically reject the idea of wearing time on one's wrist.

For their exceptional performance, the two founders receive the Milan Fair's prestigious gold medal. Later, in 1910 in Brussels and four years later in Bern, the Grana brand name takes two further awards.

KURTH FRÈRES FACTORY

The factory is transformed into a full manufacturing facility able to produce every component of a watch, including Grana's own complete movements.

PIONEER SPIRIT

Creative pioneers in their field, the Kurth Brothers create a mechanical first : the digital watch. Driven by a standard spring movement, rotating disks bearing inscribed numbers are used to display time.

NEW BRAND NAME CERTINA

Grana and its 250 employees celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. A search by the directors for a new brand name finds "Certina", taken from the Latin "certus", meaning "assured, certain". This neologism, easily pronounced in most languages, enhances the company's image and helps to open new market frontiers beyond its native Switzerland.

CERTINA OPENS IT'S FIRST SUBSIDIARY

The Kurth Brothers' manufacturing facility in Grenchen celebrates its 60th anniversary. It now has a staff of 350 workers and its production and exports toward world markets ride a strong upward curve. Certina's first subsidiary is opened in Germany.

CERTINA BECOMES THE UNIQUE BRAND OF THE COMPANY

An even larger number of Certina watches are produced by the Kurth Brothers factory. The Grana name fades slowly, a trace of times past, which only complicates the marketing and production of two brand names at once. In time it will disappear completely, with all efforts concentrated on Certina.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND MODERN MANUFACTURE OF THE WORLD

By this time, 500 employees work in the factory and its offices, with a daily output of 1000 watches. Certina greatly expands its operations and facilities to become one of the most modern and best equipped watchmakers of its time.

DS CONCEPT

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Hans and Erwin Kurth and their engineering and technical teams set their objectives on creating a unique market niche based on a concept defined by quality. From that effort springs the idea of a specially suspended movement inside a highly reinforced case, appropriately named DS or "Double Security".






DS CONCEPT

Self-winding (automatic) watches of that era withstood shocks of only 1.8-2.2 meters. The innovative Certina DS raises that figure to 6 meters and the level of water resistance to 20 atmospheres (ATM), placing the company at the forefront of its trade.

CERTINA ON THE HIMALAYA

The Certina DS claims new heights on the Himalaya. A successful first climb of the Dhaulagiri (8,222 m) is made by a Swiss team exclusively equipped with Certina DS watches, which withstand all changes in pressure and altitude.

BLUE RIBBON

Thanks to its having produced the most resistant watch in the world, Certina is now also amongst the world's greatest names in watchmaking.Introduced to the public and other professionals at the MUBA, the Blue Ribbon watch and its extraordinarily flat automatic movement are big hits. Named after the coveted title for the record-setting transatlantic steamship crossings of the Queen Mary, the Normandie and the United States, the Blue Ribbon rides a wave of success.

SEALAB-II EXPERIMENT

In its Sealab-II experiment, the US Navy does a scientific study on the life of dolphins, with the participation of important researchers such as the Norvegian Sem-Jacobsen and the astronaut Carpenter. The Certina DS is a trustworthy partner, which once again proves its outstanding resistance under difficult conditions.

TEKTITE EXPERIMENT

The US Navy and NASA lead a series of geological and biological studies in the Caribbean Sea. In the Tektite I experiment (1), motions and sounds are monitored by cameras and microphones. Participating divers are equipped with Certina DS Super ph 1000m watches (2), which at the conclusion of the project are rated as excellent.




TEKTITE EXPERIMENT

A Japanese expedition to Mount Everest is equipped with Certina watches. During this expedition, the great Japanese skier Miura (3) and his Certina DS-Chronolympic (4) complete one of the most daring downhills in the history of skiing, from 8000 m. to 7000 m. Certina's rugged equipment resists perfectly to all changes in temperature and records the key moments of the expedition.



TEKTITE EXPERIMENT

Certina garners two prestigious awards for its diamond-adorned jewellery watches. The "International Diamonds Award" (6), the top USA distinction for creators of jewellery timepieces and watches (7), for one with 167 diamonds of 9.5 carats, and the "Golden Rose of Baden-Baden" (5) for another with 138 diamonds, approx. 16.10 carats.





TEKTITE EXPERIMENT

Certina participates in the Canaris Project crossing of the Atlantic (8). An enormous two-by-three-meter polyester egg weighing 350 kg is equipped with a camera to film the voyage, as well as two Certina DS calendar watches to record time. The egg is considered to be the first artistic creation ever to have made the unmanned trip across the Atlantic. The two Certina watches kept perfect time throughout their journey.

BIOSTAR

The Certina Biostar (1) is the world's first watch to display human daily biorhythms. At a glance, one can follow one's physical, mental and emotional rhythms.






BIOSTAR

Certina expands its line of chronographs and launches the regatta chronograph Chronolympic (2). Its tremendous precision allows the timing of different and highly demanding sporting events.








BIOSTAR

The company sponsors the Swedish National Hockey Team and every player is given a Certina DS watch. Before 7,000 spectators, the Swedish hockey star Rolle Stoltz propels a puck and its specially-mounted internal Certina DS watch at a speed of 120 km/hour into a goal (3).

WINNER OF DIAMONDS AWARD AND GOLDEN ROSE

Certina now employs 900 persons and annually produces 600,000 precision watches.







WINNER OF DIAMONDS AWARD AND GOLDEN ROSE

At international jewellery watch fairs, Certina is ranked first for a watch of great innovation, a white-gold timepiece covered in diamonds, which claims both the "International Diamonds Award" and the "Golden Rose".

By this time, Certina produces 375,000 watch components per day and makes use of 53,000 rubies.

ROGER DE COSTER

The Belgian Roger de Coster is 500 cc World Motocross Champion for the third time, wearing a Certina DS 288.

MUHAMMED ALI

The unscratchable DS-DiaMaster in tungsten carbide is one of the year's attractions. The wrist of American Heavyweight Champion Muhammed Ali, alias Cassius Clay, is chosen to display this new Certina show piece.

ROGER DE COSTER

The Belgian Roger de Coster is 500 cc World Motocross Champion for the third time, wearing a Certina DS 288.