Daring To Dive Deeper: The Certina DS Super PH2000M STC
I can’t believe how quickly time passes. It feels like just yesterday that I had a chance to check out the impressive Certina DS Super PH1000M STC. A quick peek tells me it was almost two years to the day that Certina unveiled the watch, celebrating the brand’s ongoing collaborative efforts with the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC). The watch featured a beautiful blue dial and bezel that made the retro-style extreme diver stand out immediately. For 2026, Certina decided to take it to new extremes. The brand introduced the limited-edition DS Super PH2000M STC. This lightweight titanium diver is even more impressive and offers a new take on the same colors. The result is another standout limited-edition diver from Certina that benefits a great cause. On top of that, it looks even better than its predecessor.
Admittedly, I have a huge soft spot for over-the-top dive watches with spec sheets that sound bonkers. Fratello’s own Gerard fittingly described this category as pointless, hors catégorie dive watches. It still makes me smile, and it doesn’t make us love these watches any less. There is something crazy yet attractive about these extreme divers, especially when they look as handsome as the brand-new Certina DS Super PH2000M STC. The watch is a member of the DS PH series, which is all about vintage maritime style. The watches in this collection, including last year’s DS Super PH1000M STC, are inspired by Certina’s classic dive watches from the 1960s and ’70s. Through modern technical updates and contemporary colors, the series strikes a perfect balance for fans of retro divers.
The story of the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC
This watch marks the launch of the brand-new DS Super PH2000M line, which currently consists of four models. The first is the limited STC version in this review, while the other three are regular additions to Certina’s catalog. With this new series, the brand builds on its rich diving history and creates the most extreme watch it has ever made. The regular models share the same materials and specs but feature different dials. The first has a classic black dial with orange accents, while the second features a yellow dial and a black bezel. Rounding out the offerings is a white-dial variant with a blue bezel.
For this review, we will focus on the STC limited edition, as that is the model Certina kindly sent us. This watch marks the ninth year of Certina’s support for this non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy. In 2017, Certina became a proud partner of this Florida-based organization, whose primary aim is to ensure the survival of sea turtles and conserve their habitats in the Caribbean.
Coincidentally, the STC model is not just for a good cause but also the one I prefer most from the lineup. The black-and-turquoise color combination of this 1,959-piece limited edition looks seriously cool. Before we get into the special dial and bezel, let’s first talk specs. The retro-styled dive watch has a 43mm Grade 2 titanium case with a 16mm total thickness, a 50mm lug-to-lug, and a whopping 2,000m depth rating. To help make this happen, the case features a helium escape valve on the left flank.
The remarkable push-to-turn bezel
The angular case features a predominantly brushed finish with polished chamfers. As a result, the watch gets a nice visual touch. Especially when paired with the titanium five-row bracelet, which features polished connecting links, the watch adds significant visual brilliance. The tonneau-shaped case feels nice and retro, though it is not based directly on one of the brand’s vintage models. The case is topping the case is a Grade 2 titanium unidirectional bezel housing a black ceramic insert with a blue diving scale. An orange triangular marker with a lume pip adds a nice, colorful touch.
The knurled 12-sided bezel is nicely designed and gives the watch a ton of character. A clever feature I love is that the bezel’s inner rim, which connects to the sapphire, also features a 12-sided design, giving the whole assembly a visually interesting combination of shapes. What is remarkable is that the bezel features a push-to-turn system to ensure it locks into place safely. We have seen Certina use this before on the DS Super PH500M, and though it takes a bit of getting used to, it works really well once you get the hang of it. I think it even adds a bit of a retro feel to the watch that fits the overall style well.
The turquoise dial is the best out of the four options
A domed sapphire crystal protects a turquoise gradient dial, the star of the show. The way it changes color depending on how the light hits it is rather impressive. It also combines really well with the black bezel and its blue markers. The dial features applied indexes filled with white Super-LumiNova and a date window at 3 o’clock.
The date wheel is white with black numerals. As a result of this stylistic choice, the date window feels like an hour marker. There’s also a small luminous marker to the right of the aperture, ensuring a full set of luminous markers. This feature is especially important for deep-sea diving, an activity in which being able to read the remaining dive time is absolutely key.
Furthermore, the dial features central crosshairs and white and orange text. While the regular models feature two lines of text on the lower half of the dials, this special STC model adds the line “Limited Edition,” hinting at the watch’s special status. Hovering over the dial are a sword-style hour hand, a large orange arrow-shaped minute hand, and a thin arrow-shaped seconds hand. All the hands have a filling of Super-LumiNova that glows blue in the dark. Rounding out the watch is the aforementioned five-row titanium bracelet. Additionally, the watch will come with a blue silicone strap with white stitching.
Wearing the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC
Inside the case, Certina uses its Powermatic 80.611 caliber. The automatic movement operates at 21,600 vph, features 25 jewels, and offers an 80-hour power reserve. Furthermore, it features an antimagnetic Nivachron hairspring, hacking seconds, and manual winding. The caliber is based on the famous ETA 2824 and offers great reliability, making it a fitting engine for this deep-sea diver.
Surprisingly, the watch proved to be an absolute joy to wear. With its 43 × 16mm exterior, it might seem big — too big for some. But thanks to its lightweight titanium case and bracelet, the watch is a joy to wear. Also, the 50mm lug-to-lug is not too large, and the angular lines visually balance the watch nicely. As a result, the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC is an impressive watch to wear without the practical challenges that usually come with this category.
Final thoughts on the Certina DS Super PH2000M STC
Overall, wearing the watch was a fun experience. Despite its excessive spec sheet, the Super PH2000M STC is still very wearable for an extreme dive watch. Knowing that most people will wear their dive watches in a dry office environment makes the watch far more attractive than some of its competitors. Whereas most of them look and feel like over-the-top dive tools, you could wear this Certina in a normal situation, and no one would look at you funny.
On top of that, I was especially impressed by the combination of the design and the colors. The colorway works really well and makes the watch stand out not just from the regular DS Super PH2000M models but also from all its competitors. While I don’t usually prefer a sunburst dial for a hardcore dive tool like this, it gives the watch an edge over others. The dial is the absolute star of the show because the hue is distinct, and the sunburst pattern constantly changes the color, which I love. The push-to-turn system locks the bezel in place during dives, reducing the risk of accidental rotation, which could have serious consequences.
A great addition to the Certina lineup
Then again, most of the 1,959 pieces of this special Certina DS Super PH2000M STC will not see the great depths of our planet’s oceans. They will end up gracing the wrists of less adventurous divers, most likely the desk type. The great styling of this limited edition ensures it performs well in both situations. That also makes the watch a lot more versatile than many of its peers. Add to that the fact that it retails for CHF 1,235 / US$1,440, and it becomes even more impressive.
Indeed, the new Certina DS Super PH2000M STC left me feeling super impressed. It proves that extreme dive tools don’t have to be over-the-top creations. The dimensions are spot on, making it very wearable. It also looks a lot better than its peers. With stiff competition from plenty of big brands, that is quite the achievement.
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