Certina Kurth Frères

Certina SA
Member of the Swatch group
Industry Watch manufacturing
Founded 1888 by Adolf & Alfred Kurth, in Grenchen, Switzerland
Headquarters Le Locle UNESCO World Heritage Site, Switzerland
Products Wristwatches, timing devices/systems
Parent The Swatch Group Ltd.
Website www.certina.com
Certina Cal. 25-36, 1960
Certina 1888 DS Podium Chronograph

Certina S.A. is a Swiss watchmaker founded in Grenchen, 1888, by Adolf and Alfred Kurth, and currently an affiliate company of the Swatch Group.

History

Certina was founded in 1888 when Adolf and Alfred Kurth opened in Grenchen their first movement and supplies factory for the watchmaking industry. At the start Certina's staff consisted of three employees working in a workshop that was connected to the family home. Certina did not begin producing complete watches and timepieces for a few years which they then did alongside their work producing movements for other companies. By 1938 the company had expanded and 250 employees celebrated the 50th anniversary of the company. At that time Certina were already known as pioneers.

Certina continued to expand and by 1955 the company had 500 employees working between the factory and offices, producing 1'000 timepieces every day. Certina worked up a new business plan that expanded its operations and was at the time considered the most modern and best equipped watchmakers in the world.

By 1972 Certina employed 900 people and produced 600,000 watches every year. The company was ranked first in most major jewellery watch fairs, and they obtained both the "International Diamonds Awards" and the "Golden Rose" award. By this time Certina was producing 375,000 watch components per day and used 53,000 rubies.

1983 Certina became a member of the SMH Group (Swatch). [1]

Affiliation to General Watch Co, Allgemeine Gesellschaft der schweizerischen Uhrenindustrie AG (ASUAG)

In 1971, the owning family opted to join General Watch Co, the newly created sub-holding of ASUAG, in order to consolidate their efforts with others. The introduction of cheap and reliable automatics and Quartz watches from the Japan (under the rules of their strategic management: see Strategic management ) stopped Certina's expansion. The restructuring involved the abandonment of their own manufacture of Certina calibres, and by the end of the 1970s, Certina operations were moved to Biel/Bienne and the entity Edox & Technos. Under the new management, Certina managed to hold onto some of their properties, especially in the Scandinavian countries. Upon the merger of SSIH and ASUAG companies, Certina became a member of a new managerial entity, together with Mido and Tissot, which became known as Le Locle, (the newly elected Unesco World Heritage Site in Switzerland ).

Wristwatches, World’s First & Lines of Collection

Brand ambassadors

Watch series

Sport Collection

Aqua Collection

Urban Collection

Heritage Collection

Advanced Systems and Materials

Certina Basic

Recent collection of Certina include Titanium, 316L high grade stainless steel, sapphire glass, its own DS feature (such as the current "DS Podium", "DS First" or "DS Action") and ETA Swiss made movements are standard features. It currently offers collections, classified under the names "Automatic", "SPORT Classic", "SPORT Elegant" and "SPORT Xtreme", including some models claimed to perform up to 200 m underwater.

Motoring Sponsoring & Partnerships

The 2000s (decade) saw many new partnerships with motoring companies including Colin McRae, Sete Gibernau, and finally the Sauber Petronas Formula One team, renamed Sauber Formula One team, of which Certina is currently engaged in a sponsorship.

Certina was timekeeper of the Motorcycling Grand Prix in the 1990s.

Certina sponsors the 2014 World Rally Championship.

The Certina brand

In 1906 the Certina brand name was used for the first time, with Adolf and Alfred choosing to call their watches "Grana", the short form of "Granatus", the Latin name for Grenchen.

In 1938 the company adopted the name "Certina", taken from the Latin "certus", meaning "assured", "certain", as their exclusive trademark for the export and marketing of their outstanding quality Swiss Made watches.

In 2014 Certina changed their red logo with a new more classic looking logo. The new logo uses a turtle symbol, to symbolize protection against water and shocks. The change in logo and brand colours was because Certina wanted to move to a more expensive and higher quality segment. Differentiating it from Tissot, another brand in the Swatch Group family. The impact of the changes in the brand has been the integration of better and more accurate movements like the PreciDrive in new releases.

References

  1. ↑ "History - Certina". Certina. Archived from the original on 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
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