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Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic 80, Blue Dial
Ref. C0329291104101
Sits in Certina’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Certina watches we list, which start at £400.
Price range £400 to £1,180 across 28 Certina watches in stock.The DS Action GMT traces its seriousness back to 1959 and the Double Security concept, and further still to the DS-2 and DS-3 watches worn by Australian Navy divers and used in the Tektite undersea habitat experiments of the 1970s. The 2024 generation earns its place in that line by doing something the previous model could not: the fixed internal bezel was replaced with a bidirectional sapphire-insert bezel carrying a 24-hour scale, which means the watch can now be set to a third time zone rather than merely displaying a second. The case also lost 2mm of diameter in the same revision, and 41mm sits more honestly on the wrist than its predecessor did. The "Pepsi" colouring — blue sunburst dial, black-and-red bezel — is the most visually direct of the three 2024 references, and the red GMT hand ties to the bezel without feeling laboured. The movement is the ETA Powermatic 80.661, built around a Nivachron balance spring that resists magnetism without needing a soft-iron cage, and the 80-hour reserve means a watch left on the nightstand Friday evening is still running Monday morning. The GMT implementation is a true independent hand rather than a 12-hour offset, so the local hour hand can be set without stopping the seconds — useful at a border in practice, not just on paper. The bracelet is more considered than it looks: quick-release spring bars, solid machined links, and three micro-adjustment positions in the clasp cover most wrist sizes through a day that changes in temperature. At 195g it is a substantial piece of steel, which the 13.8mm case height does little to disguise; anyone who finds that combination agreeable will find everything else here very well resolved.
- Reference
- C0329291104101
- Brand
- Certina
- Collection
- DS Action
- Case size
- 41mm
- Case thickness
- 13.8mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Blue
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- Powermatic 80
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 200m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Super-LumiNova
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Power reserve
- 80 hours
- Weight
- 195g
- Strap
- Interchangeable
Learn more about Certina
Adolf Kurth founded a watchmaking business in Grenchen in 1888 with his brother, and the family produced movements and complete watches under several names before settling on Certina — from the Latin certus, meaning sure — in 1938.
The house built its identity on shock protection at a time when a dropped watch usually meant a repair bill. The DS system, introduced in 1959, stood for Double Security: a reinforced case, a strengthened crystal, a screwed caseback with an O-ring seal, and a shock-absorbing mount for the movement. The turtle emblem that marks DS watches became the brand's signature.
The system was tested in public and in earnest. Certina DS watches accompanied the Swiss Dhaulagiri expedition to the Himalayas in 1960 and were worn on subsequent scientific and diving expeditions, including deep-sea work off the Mediterranean coast.
The company was among the founders of the General Watch Co consortium in 1971, which later folded into ASUAG and then the Swatch Group, where Certina sits today.
Its modern position is value-focused Swiss mechanical watchmaking: the DS Action and DS PH200M dive watches, the DS-1 and DS-2 dress and sport lines, and widespread use of the Powermatic 80 movement with its eighty-hour reserve. Certina has timed motorsport and cycling events, including a long association with the Dakar Rally.
- 1888
- The Kurth brothers found the company in Grenchen.
- 1938
- The Certina name is adopted.
- 1959
- The Double Security system and turtle emblem are introduced.
- 1960
- DS watches accompany the Swiss Dhaulagiri expedition.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Certina DS Action range (19), Stainless Steel Watches (2,833), Automatic Watches (1,417), Blue Dial Watches (780), Sports Watches (667), Dive Watches (486) and GMT Watches (208).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch built to be worn hard and got wet.
Strengths
- 200m water resistance, rated for actual diving
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- 80-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Certina DS Action GMT Powermatic alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | C0329291104101 | 799.10.351.21 | HBC007J1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,070 | £1,150 | £1,100 |
| Case size | 41mm | 42mm | 39.5mm |
| Water resistance | 200m | 200m | 200m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 80 hours | 38 hours | 72 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 200m it is rated for swimming, snorkelling and recreational diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedHow long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 80 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference, so there is nothing to compare it against today.
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