faq

A self-winding mechanical Certina movement depends on the wrist motions of the wearer for its operation. When fully wound, the watch has a power reserve of 38-42 hours. Since the watch's self-winding mechanism is directly linked to the wearer's activity, 10 to 12 hours' wear should be sufficient to generate a power reserve of 20 hours or more, which ensures that the watch will continue to run throughout the night. However, if a watch has not been worn for several days and its power reserve has thus run low, we recommend you wind the watch manually for around 15 rotations of the crown (clockwise) to ensure the best possible rate from the outset.

COSC stands for “Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres”. This official control is used to test the rate precision of watch movements. Only those movements that pass the various tests are awarded a COSC certificate and then dispatched.

In addition to being highly accurate, the innovative Powermatic 80 automatic calibre has a power reserve up to 80 hours – almost twice as long as standard models. This means that a fully wound watch left unworn for three days, for example over the weekend, will still not need resetting, as the Powermatic 80 mechanism continues to run.

\DS\" stands for “Double Security”. The concept can be identified by the toughened case, a sapphire crystal, special seals in the crown, the stem and case back. This process confers on the watch an exceptional resistance, even under extremely demanding conditions."

You can find tips on the right way to handle your watch under “Instructions for use”. Furthermore, we recommend that you take your watch to be serviced at an official Certina service centre every three to four years.

The accuracy of the watch depends on the movement and on the individual habits of the wearer and can therefore vary. A qualified Certina watchmaker can adjust the rate precision of a watch to be within Certina tolerances. The majority of watches that do not have a chronometer certificate have average precision tolerances of between -5 / +30 seconds per day. To qualify for the “chronometer” label, a mechanical movement’s average variation in rate must be between -4 / +6 seconds per day.

Certina sport watches set the standard in water resistance. For water sports, a timepiece with a minimum water resistance of 10 bar (100 m) is recommended. All Certina sports watches are equipped with the \DS\" concept and tested to a minimum pressure of 10 bar in accordance with the relevant ISO standards.It should also be understood that water resistance cannot be guaranteed for an indefinite length of time. It may become compromised by ageing of the seals or impacts to the crown or push-buttons. Certina therefore recommends that you have the timepiece regularly checked for water resistance by an authorised Certina Service agent, and have any faulty components replaced. Do not attempt to open the timepiece yourself under any circumstances."

Precidrive™ is the name of an innovative technology that makes Certina watches extremely accurate. Watches with Precidrive™ quartz calibres achieve true chronometer precision. With a variation in timekeeping of just +/-10 seconds per year, a Precidrive™ watch is 8 to 10 times more accurate than a conventional quartz watch.

Certina quartz movements are produced in accordance with Certina’s highly renowned quality standards and manufacturing methods. Ambient temperature (20°-25°) can affect the precision of quartz movements and lead to variations of between +/- 80 to 85 seconds per year.

The user manual can be found under the “Customer Service” tab or under “Collections”, on the page displaying your watch model. Alternatively, you can contact our official representative in your country.

You can be sure you are buying a genuine Certina watch if you follow these steps:- buy a Certina watch only from authorised Certina retailers- ask the retailer for the credit-card size guarantee, duly completed and including the watch reference and its serial number, purchase date and their full company name and address.

PVD are the initials for Physical Vapour Deposition. It is a sophisticated process, performed under vacuum, which deposits microscopic particles on the products by ion bombing or sputtering, to form a protective coating on a substrate. Very thin layers (1 to 3 µm) of impurity-free components can be made which possess high levels of hardness (nitride, carbides, etc.) and which are hypoallergenic.

Titanium is a metallic element found in the earth’s crust. The element occurs as a bright, lustrous metal or a silver-grey or dark-grey powder. Its compounds are found in practically all igneous rocks and their sand deposits. Hardened titanium is 30 percent stronger than steel and nearly 40 percent lighter, but more expensive. Titanium resists corrosion; when exposed to the atmosphere, titanium forms a tenacious oxide film that resists salt water corrosion. Titanium is hypoallergenic.: it is nickel-free.

The materials Certina uses are subject to very strict tests in order to prevent an allergic reaction. The stainless steel (316L) used in Certina watches contains a small amount of nickel, but this is not released and so there is no danger for persons with a nickel allergy. However, Certina recommends that persons who have a sensitive reaction to stainless steel should buy a titanium or gold watch or one with a PVD coating.

A battery normally lasts between two and five years, depending on the type of watch, its size and the amount of energy it requires to operate the various functions. For example, a chronograph uses more energy than a watch that only displays the hours and minutes. Many Certina watches (all the Precidrive™ watches) have an end-of-life (EOL) display (three-hand models): when the second hand begins to jump every four seconds, the battery needs changing by a qualified Certina watchmaker.

A 24-month guarantee is provided for all watches from the date of purchase, in accordance with the general warranty terms and conditions. Even for general repairs there is a 24-month guarantee for any work carried out.GuaranteeThe international Certina guarantee covers material and manufacturing defects existing at the time of delivery of the purchased Certina watch (\defects\"). The guarantee only comes into force if the guarantee certificate is fully and correctly completed with the purchase date, the watch reference and its serial number, and stamped by an official Certina dealer** (valid guarantee certificate).During the guarantee period and by presenting the valid guarantee certificate, customers have the right to have any defect repaired free of charge. In the event that repairs are improper to restore the normal conditions of use of your Certina watch, Certina SA guarantees its replacement by a Certina watch of identical or similar characteristics. The guarantee for the replacement watch ends twenty-four (24) months after the date of purchase of the replaced watch.This manufacturer's guarantee does not cover:- the life of the battery- normal wear and tear and ageing (e.g. scratched crystal; alteration of the colour and/or material of non-metallic straps and chains, such as leather, textile, rubber; peeling of the plating)- any damage on any part of the watch resulting from abnormal/abusive use, lack of care, negligence, accidents (knocks, dents, crushing, broken crystal, etc.), incorrect use of the watch and failure to observe the directions for use provided by Certina SA- indirect or consequential damages of any kind resulting from e.g. the use, the non-functioning, the defects or the inaccuracy of the Certina watch- damage caused to the Certina watch as a result of it being handled by unauthorised persons (e.g. for battery replacement, services or repairs) or which has been altered in its original condition beyond Certina SA's control. Any further claim against Certina SA for damages additional to the above described guarantee is expressly excluded, except mandatory statutory rights the purchaser may have against the manufacturer.The above manufacturer's guarantee is:- independent of any guarantee that may be provided by the seller, for which he carries sole responsibility.- does not affect the purchaser's rights against the seller or any other mandatory statutory rights the purchaser may have against the seller.Certina SA's customer service ensures the perfect maintenance of your Certina watch. If your watch needs service, contact an official Certina dealer or an authorised Certina Service Centre as set forth in the enclosed list. They can carry out a guarantee service according to Certina SA standards.Certina SA CH - 2400 Le Locle, Switzerland**Special Certina dealers in EU countriesCertina® is a registered trademark"

Certina watches should always only be serviced by an official Certina service centre. If the watch is repaired by a watchmaker who does not have official Certina certification, the guarantee does not apply. You can find a complete list of our service centres under the “Find a service centre” tab.

For technical and quality reasons, we do not deliver individual replacement parts directly to our customers. The Certina World Customer Service Centre is available to all customers and offers a professional service which meets Certina's high quality standards.

Certina guarantees repairs and the delivery of replacement parts for at least 10 years for standard watches and up to 20 years for gold watches from the date production is discontinued. Certina will do its utmost to ensure that repair of collector's pieces and jubilee watches can be carried out.

You will find a list of prices under the “Service costs” tab. This will give you an idea of how much a service costs. A wide range of international regulations prevent us from setting exact prices. As a result, the different Certina service centres set their own service prices. However, the non-binding price recommendations on this page apply in all countries with an official Swatch Group AG service centre.