The name Certina comes from the Latin word certus, meaning reliable. In Finland, Certina is known for its reasonably priced watches that withstand heavy use. The best example of this is Certina's DS collection, which was once popular among manual laborers in Finland, and it shows. Certina watches encountered today often bear the marks of a lived life, from sparks caused by welding to dents in the cases and scratched crystals. For the watches to endure such harsh use, they needed to contain something revolutionary.
| Frequency 19800 |
| Power reserve 44 hours |
| Diameter 26 mm |
| Thickness 5.4 mm |
| Lift angle 50 degrees |
| 28 jewels |
| Central hours, minutes, and seconds, date |
(https://www.emmywatch.com/wp-content/plugins/watchsearch/inc/documents/certina--25-65-25-651-25-652--movement_parts.pdf)
The Certina 25-651 movement became famous in Certina's sports watches, especially the DS-2 models, but also in models such as Blue Ribbon, Revelation, and Bristol. In DS-2 watches, the already durable 25-651 movement was further protected from shocks by placing a rubber ring between it and the case, allowing the movement to essentially float within the case and thus be spared from the worst impacts.
The movement was manufactured between 1960 and 1975 and is 1mm thinner than its predecessor, the 28-45. It features a hand-wind function and a date display, which is set by moving the hands between 11 PM and 12 AM. The balance wheel is, of course, shock-protected. The most common problems with the 25-651 movement are wear on the automatic side's reverse wheels and issues with the date change. Both problems can be prevented with regular servicing, and a well-maintained 25-651 movement can easily last from one generation to the next.
Even today, many vintage Certina models offer excellent value for money. They could even be called somewhat overlooked, even though in terms of quality and especially durability, they do not pale in comparison to contemporary models from, for example, Omega and Zenith. Fortunately, this does not bother us Certina enthusiasts at all.
