Certina: Philosophy and Passion
1888: Founding of the factory at Grenchen, Switzerland. Reliability, precision, innovation: the Kurth Brothers' fundamental principles to guide the Swiss company's early years. The watchmaking firm rapidly climbs to an important rank in the international watchmaking world.
Third Millennium: Certina reasserts its ambitious trajectory by strengthening its commitment to international motor-sports. The sportwatch brand displays brilliant creative impulse through inspired new collections that gain wide public success.
At Certina, the past and present share common denominators, of uncompromising excellence and clever audacity. Since its creation, the spirit of the brand has stood at the apex of technological evolution, through the use of the finest components and materials: titanium, 316L stainless steel, sapphire crystal and world-famous Swiss Made ETA movements. As leader in the sportwatch segment between CHF 300.00 and CHF 2,000.00, Certina has always championed the best quality at an affordable price.
From early on, the brand showed a keen interest in sports, boosted by the launch of its Double Security concept in 1959, raising water and shock resistance to new levels. Tested during a number of extreme international expeditions, Certina DS timepieces successfully withstood the most challenging conditions. Through the decades, Certina has shown great dynamism and linked its name to those of legendary champions such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Doohan, Alex Crivillé, Colin McRae, Petter Solberg, Sete Gibernau, Timo Glock, Robert Kubica and last but not least, Hollywood's famous Swiss-born stuntman, Oliver Keller.
In 2001, Certina became a sponsor to the Swiss 125cc GP motorcycle rider Thomas Lüthi, who went on to win the 2005 World Championship. The Swiss watchmaking brand then decided to take a bold step into prestigious Formula 1 and became Official Partner to the Sauber Petronas F1 team. The following year, Certina introduced its new ambassador, Polish-born Robert Kubica, team driver with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. The partnership was a big success. In 2008, Kubica and Heidfeld claimed the team's first F1 race win ever, a one-two finish at the Montreal Grand Prix.
Today, Certina's motorsport commitment remains faithful to fellow-Swiss Peter Sauber and the Sauber F1 Team. In 2010, Certina signed on Fabio Leimer, a talented Swiss driver in the GP2 series, and since 2011, the company is a partner of the affable Norwegian star and most successful biathlete in sporting history Ole Einar Bjørndalen.
Indeed, in watchmaking as in sport, passion and extreme demands live side by side, in a dynamic environment without compromise, and where talent, drive and technology are essential for achieving the best results.
True to its philosophy, Certina has always shown outstanding aesthetic innovation and continues to bring deep creative talent to its sporty timepieces. In design tendencies from extreme sport to classical or delightfully elegant themes, its collections continue to express a great mastery of time, keeping with today's most cutting-edge active lifestyles.