The top athlete

The Chronolympic models were Certina's best-known and most successful line of chronographs featuring a lot of interesting and beautiful pieces. The first Chronolympic models (Ref. 8501 503) came to the market at a time when chronographs became popular again at the end of the 60s. Manual winding movements like the Valjoux 232, 234 and 726 were integrated exclusively before an automatic version with the Valjoux 7750 (Ref. 674 3559 41) was launched in 1975. Of this reference similar models from Longines, Mido, Rado and Technos were available. Those brands were consolidated in the GWC (General Watch Co.) at that time. The models vary genarally in different dial designs.

In the same year the reference 749 3754 41 with the tuning fork movement ESA 9210 became available. This movement licensed from Bulova was also used in the Omega Speedsonic and the Longines Ultronic.

In 1970 Certina equiped a Japanese expedition team with five DS-2 Chronolympic watches (Ref. 8501 800) after a Swiss expedition had already been supported in 1960. Goal of the expedition was the Mount Everest. In the course of this tour, after having climbed to 7'986 meters within two months, Yuichiro Miura (see photo right below) strapped the skis to his feet and dashed down the slopes of the roof of the world reaching speeds up to 160 km/h, only slowed down by a brake parachute.
Miura, who became world renown for his daring ski-run, was stopped after 2 minutes and 20 seconds having covered a height of 2'000 meters. He had lost control on an icy patch, tumbeled and got seriously injured when sliding down a slope for several hundred meters.

The exceptional ski-run is documented in the movie "The Man who skied down Everest" that won the Oscar for best documentary film in 1976.
According to some reports the Certinas have well endured this expedition and met all the demands despite the adverse conditions. Yet it is not known if Miura's watch has survived the terrible downfall...

Yuichiro Miura set another record in 2003 when becoming the oldest man to climb the top of Mount Everest at the age of 70 years and 222 days.