Tissot‘s history and range of products speak of an eclectic brand, capable of covering all areas of watchmaking with its collections, from sports chronographs to dress watches and divers’ watches. The latter category flourishes again in summer, as demonstrated by the new Seastar 38 mm chronograph recently presented. Tissot has a long-standing tradition in the field of diver’s watches: certainly, this collection, which today inaugurates a new case size, is a perfect example of the brand’s current success in this area.
Since the 1930s
The Tissot Seastar 38 mm chronograph is the heir to a rich history dating back to the 1950s. However, its roots can be traced back to the 1930s, when the Manufacture collaborated with the Swiss Watch Research Laboratory in Neuchâtel to conduct a large number of experiments. These experiments aimed to create waterproof watches.
The first water-resistant models to emerge from this work were the Camping (1938) and the Aquasport (1939). As well as being waterproof and antimagnetic, they were also shockproof and dustproof, and had a stainless steel case and shatterproof glass.
In the 1940s, Tissot launched the new Five Star collection in Canada, which also benefited from these innovations. A decade later, an improved model of the hermetically sealed, waterproof watch was created and was named the Seastar. The name was registered in 1952, and the watch has since become an iconic model for the brand.
From the Seastar T12 to the Seastar 38 mm
The Seastar collection of diver’s watches has enjoyed great success, offering models for both men and women. The most recent example is the Seastar 38 mm. From the outset, the Seastar was the go-to watch for sports and diving enthusiasts, and the collection has grown over the years. First, the 1956 Seastar T12, which was guaranteed to a depth of 12 atmospheres and was released to coincide with the premiere of Jacques-Yves Cousteau‘s film The Silent World. Moreover, it was also worn by Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering Institute instructor Nawang Gombu during his ascent of Everest in 1963.
Before and after that ascent, other Seastar T12s were worn by mountaineers climbing the peaks of the Andes and the Himalayas, who used them to test their resistance to extreme conditions. Over the years, the collection has grown to include models such as the Seastar Seven, which has a slimmer case thanks to a new monocoque system for which a patent was filed in 1963. Another notable addition was the Seastar Quartz of 1978, featuring a quartz movement that was undoubtedly ahead of its time.
High-performance quartz
Year after year, we have finally arrived at the Seastar 38 mm, which completes the chronograph case size range of the collection. Previously, lovers of this type of watch within the Tissot catalogue could only choose from chronographs with 45.5 mm cases, which as a matter of fact ruled out men with small wrists and women.
The new Seastar 38 mm is aimed at these two groups of enthusiasts in particular. It does so not only with the new diameter, but also by offering a choice of six different models. All of the new watches in the collection are powered by a Swiss-made quartz calibre. It is an ETA Fashionline G10.212 AB PowerDrive: a two-pusher chronograph movement featuring hours, minutes and a small seconds display at 6 o’clock, as well as a date display.
The movement is equipped with 1/10th of a second and 30-minute counters, as well as the so-called EOL (end of life) function. This means that when the battery is about to run out, the seconds hand moves in slower jerks to signal that the battery needs replacing.
Seastar 38 mm: colour and performance
Of the six Seastar 38 mm references, four have dark dials, one has a light dial and the sixth has a new, summery shade. Tissot refers to this colour as ‘petrol green’. With its rose gold PVD steel case, bezel and matching silicone strap, it creates a very pleasing and decidedly summery combination.
This is similar to the version with a silver dial, white bezel and strap, and a steel case. The references with dark dials have a more serious and ‘professional’ look: two have a black Pvd-treated case and two have a steel case and bracelet. Of these, one has yellow gold Pvd details that add a touch of luxury to the sporty design. Of the two watches with black Pvd cases, one has a matching bracelet and the other has a matching silicone strap.
The price tag is in line with what we would expect for a quartz chronograph in Tissot’s Seastar collection. Prices range from 645 euro for the steel/gold and black Pvd bracelet versions, to 545 euro for the white reference. In between, one finds 595 euro for the petrol green and 575 euro for the black Pvd chronograph with a strap or an all-steel bracelet.
As Tissot says, the new Seastar 38 mm is ‘designed for those who move like water, calmly on the surface and powerfully beneath it’. It is also ideal for those looking for a reliable and reasonably priced alternative to the many improvised divers that appear around summertime. After all, 73 years of Seastar is more than a guarantee.
