Certina are a brand I don’t hear enough people talking about, especially when it comes to their great value tool watches like the DS Super PH1000M. They’re also adding new tool watches all the time such as the trio of watches that have just been launched, the DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 with bi-directional GMT bezel. Arguably one of the best value for money GMTs on the market.
It’s worth noting that Certina have explored the DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 concept previously, but those watches had fixed bezels meaning they can only display two time zone at the same time. The new editions with their 41mm diameter steel cases feature rotating GMT bezels with knurled grips and day/night indication. Which means they can be used to display any time zone on the planet at a moment’s notice without having to reset the hands.
As mentioned, there are three versions of the watch being produced. First there’s the ‘Sprite’ edition with a black dial, a black and green bezel and a green 24-hour hand. Next is the ‘Pepsi’, which has a blue dial, a very dark blue and red bezel and a red GMT hand. Last up there’s a ‘Root beer’ with a black dial, black and brown bezel and white GMT hand – uniquely this version of the watch has a bi-metal aesthetic thanks to gold coloured metal around the crown and bezel. A trio of tried and tested GMT colour schemes – I personally like the retro flair of the gold, brown and black model.
The majority of the DS Action GMT Powermatic 80’s value comes from the movement housed inside, the titular Powermatic 80. It’s a movement used across the Swatch Group, which is why you’ll see it used in watches like the Tissot PRX as well. It has a seriously impressive 80-hour power reserve, one of the only movements with a reserve that high for £1,000 or less.
In terms of price, the Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80 is £1,040 for the Sprite and Pepsi on steel bracelet and £995 for the Root beer, which is presented on a leather strap. It definitely deserves a place in our best accessible GMT watches article, and while it’s not the most accessible watch on there, it’s certainly one of the best in terms of value.
Price and Specs:
More details at Certina.
