Hands-on + video: The new Certina DS Action Diver 38mm in titanium

Text/picture: Aleksandar Mladenovic

Certina recently released a new diver in the DS Action family, for the first time there is now a titanium diver in the very wearable size 38mm. We at Eqotime have taken a closer look at the new release.

A compact titanium diver in a pleasant colour scheme

Neither the DS Action Diver nor divers' watches in titanium are anything new from Certina. Last year they launched a vintage-inspired DS Action Diver in titanium in a size of 43mm. The case size 38mm has of course also been in the family previously and that is a size we at Eqotime have a fondness for. Neither too big nor too small and well-balanced proportions.

What we like especially much about this new release is partly the material, titanium, but also the colour combination. This is a watch that stands out in a good way and the first time we took part of the press material on the watch we knew that this was a new release we wanted to get better acquainted with.

What we have in front of us today is thus a very competent diver's watch in a package of titanium that measures 38mm x 12,2mm. The size is well balanced and the watch is light and comfortable on the wrist, exactly how it should feel with a titanium diver.

Case and bracelet have a consistently brushed finish and the grip-friendly crown which is screwed is embraced by sturdy crown guards. The case back is screwed too and the watch is water resistant down to 300m and ISO 6425-certified.

The bezel feels distinct and has an insert in grey aluminium with lighter grey markings. The dial is matte in its finish and grey and has indexes and hands filled with light blue SuperLuminova. The dial is clear and easy to read, even in the dark where the lume shines strongly. At 3 o'clock on the dial we find the date window where the date can be quick-set via the crown.

The colour combination between dial and hands as well as indexes was something we really liked about this watch. It feels fresh and a little colourful despite its monochrome appearance with the dark titanium in case and bracelet. In our eyes it is a watch that works just as well on a male as on a female wrist and the wearable size of the watch reinforces this impression.

There is one area where there is room for improvement and that is the clasp itself, it is unfortunately not on the same level purely in terms of quality and finish as the rest of the watch. A minor detail that is absolutely not any deal breaker but where there is potential for improvement.

The pleasant aesthetics together with the robust Powermatic 80 movement and a price tag just under 11,000 kronor make this a very strong candidate for the person looking for a lightweight diver that looks really good. Certina has started the year strongly and we look forward to taking part of more of their new releases during the course of the year.

Technical specifications

Brand: Certina
Model: DS Action Diver
Reference number: C032.807.44.081.00

Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 12,2mm
Case material: Titanium

Dial: Grey with light blue indexes and hands
Bracelet: Titanium bracelet with a diver's extension or a synthetic strap in NATO style

Movement: Powermatic 80 (ETA 2824-2)
Complications: Date
Power reserve: 80h
Winding: Automatic
Water resistance: 300m

Price: 10,900 kronor on the bracelet or 10,200 kronor on the strap

Read more about the watch at Certina