Once you're hooked into the wonderful world of watches, you'll quickly start looking to branch out your collection. There are all manner of brilliant devices on offer, making it easy to lose yourself in niche areas of the market.
Sooner or later, most people find themselves lost in the wonderful world of chronographs. These racing-inspired designs are hot property right now, with a particular buzz surrounding affordable automatic chronographs.
Enter the new Certina DS-7 Chrono Auto. Designed to celebrate the wonderful world of Padel – a kind of tennis-squash hybrid which has taken Europe by storm – this stylish model offers a fully automatic chronograph movement behind a stunning dial. Let's dive in and take a closer look.
Kicking off with some specs, the Certina DS-7 Chrono Auto sits inside a 42mm stainless steel case. On the top, you'll find a steel tachymetre scale, while the bracelet attaches in a very en vogue integrated fashion.
Talking of the bracelet, it will be familiar to fans of the Swatch Group catalogue. While certainly not a like-for-like replacement, it's certainly indicative of the bracelet found on the Tissot PRX. That's a massively popular model, so it's not hard to see why Certina might have taken a little inspiration there.
The model I'm using is sporting a gorgeous blue dial. That's complete with an embossed grid structure pattern, which gives it a distinct air of Audemars Piguet. It's a really classy look, which should be right at home in the modern market. If blue isn't for you, there are also green and black dial options.
Inside, you'll find an ETA A05.231 movement. That's a fairly common chronograph calibre across the Swatch Group catalogue, and comes complete with 68 hour power reserve to boot.
Elsewhere, users will enjoy an impressive-by-chronograph-standards 100m of water resistance, a domed, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a sapphire case back. There's even a date window at 6 o'clock for good measure.
What's the Certina DS-7 Chrono Auto like to wear?
I'll admit to having some concerns over the size of this piece. Prior to strapping it on, the 42mm case looked slightly chunky – always problematic on my slightly smaller wrists.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you this wears like a ladies Datejust, either. It's certainly on the bulkier end of the market, but it's not as bad as you might think.
After a few days of wear, the larger size felt very natural. It fills the wrist, but not in a gaudy way. Instead, you'll enjoy a stylish piece, which is full, but not too big for most. It's also a good time to remind you, dear reader, that my wrists are on the slimmer side, so anyone with even a slightly heavy-set frame should have a more traditional experience here.
Now, let's talk bracelet. As a more traditional butterfly clasp, there's no micro-adjustment on offer here. That's something to be aware of, as it requires accuracy to within a link for a comfortable fit.
I found this to be slightly tricky, always having it either slightly loose or tight. It's not an uncommon problem, but it's something worth bearing in mind.
Once you're happy, though, get set to stay that way. The dial is simply gorgeous to look at, with a sleek, minimal design which never feels cluttered, even with a pair of sub-dials on board.
Is the Certina DS-7 Chrono Auto worth the money?
Priced at CHF 1,685 (approx. £1,490 / $1,990 / AU$2,899), the Certina DS-7 Chrono Auto actually represents pretty good value for money. Automatic chronographs at this price point are few and far between, so having any skin in the game is a big deal.
It's certainly not perfect. There's no getting around the size of the case, which is much larger than many poster child chronographs, as well as other non-chrono watches in this price point.
With that being said, it feels harsh to mark this down on that basis. Ultimately, if you're looking for an affordable chronograph for less than £2,000, this is a killer choice with a great story behind it.