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Certina Automatic DS-2 PH 200m (The Burton), Blue Dial, circa 1970 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Certina Automatic DS-2 PH 200m (The Burton), Blue Dial, circa 1970

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Certina (maker)
Date
c. 1970
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
vws3779
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3779)
Catalogue title (original)
Certina Automatic DS-2 PH 200m (The Burton) - Blue Dial - c.1970 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3779), this is a wristwatch by Certina, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1970. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist

A Well Preserved, Rare, and Very Collectable Certina DS-2 PH 200m, Nicknamed The Burton! This is the Certina Automatic DS-2 PH200M , a bold and beautifully preserved vintage diver’s watch that has earned cult status among collectors — and not just for its striking good looks. Nicknamed “The Burton” , this particular model became iconic after it was famously worn by the legendary Welsh actor Richard Burton , adding a layer of cinematic cool to an already distinctive piece. What's on Offer Hailing from the golden era of 1970s dive watches, the DS-2 PH200M embodies both rugged performance and era-defining style. Its stainless steel cushion-shaped case offers a strong, masculine silhouette that wears comfortably on the wrist, while the rich blue dial provides the perfect backdrop for bold, luminous indices and hands. The orange minute and second hands were designed for underwater visibility, but now offer a vibrant pop of colour that echoes the adventurous spirit of the time. Powered by the Certina Calibre 25-651, this automatic movement is a testament to Certina’s Swiss watchmaking pedigree — reliable, accurate, and built to endure. The watch features a rotating black bezel for dive timing, a domed acrylic crystal, and a date window neatly positioned at 3 o’clock. Finished with a bright orange NATO strap, it nods to its functional roots while making a statement of its own. Rated to 200 metres of water resistance when new, the DS-2 PH200M was never just for show — it was made for action, and has the specs to prove it. Today, it offers something more: vintage soul, impeccable design, and a touch of Hollywood legend. Whether you're a seasoned collector or a first-time buyer searching for a watch with both story and substance, The Burton is more than just a timepiece — it’s a slice of horological history. The watch is in fantastic condition with very few marks of previous wear and certainly nothing of any concern. It looks great on the wrist and is running well. A great piece - we love it!

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Dive and water-resistant watches

Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.

Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.

What to look for

  • Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
  • Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
  • Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
  • Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.

Dating clues

  • Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
  • Professional dive watches: from 1953.
  • Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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