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Tissot is one of those names that seasoned collectors come back to again and again, not because it shouts the loudest, but because it consistently delivers serious Swiss watchmaking at a level that punches well above its price class. Founded in 1853 in Le Locle by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile, the brand has been quietly innovating for over 170 years, producing the world’s first antimagnetic wristwatch in 1930 and the Navigator world-time watch in 1951. That same year, 1930, also saw Tissot merge with Omega to form the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère, or SSIH, a partnership that would define both brands for the next half century. While Omega occupied the top tier, Tissot delivered the same fundamental engineering, the same Swiss-made construction, and often the very same movements under its own name, all while maintaining its own distinct identity as a brand built for people who appreciate quality without pretension. The Seastar, introduced in the late 1950s, quickly became one of Tissot’s most recognizable and enduring model lines, a name that encompassed everything from dressy automatics to sporty chronographs, all united by a commitment to water resistance and everyday reliability.
Inside this Seastar sits the Tissot caliber 2511, the US-market designation for what is fundamentally the same movement Omega branded as the cal. 1481. This is one of the most tangible and fascinating fruits of the Tissot-Omega alliance within SSIH: two brands, two names on the rotor, one shared architecture. The cal. 2511 is a 17-jewel automatic with a date complication, beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour, a frequency that provides a smooth sweep to the seconds hand and reliable accuracy for daily wear. As visible in the movement photographs, the rotor is clearly engraved “2511,” and the Tissot stamp on the movement bridge reads serial number 15158719, “UNADJUSTED,” “SWISS,” and “SEVENTEEN 17 JEWELS.” The movement’s copper-toned bridges and plates show an honest, workmanlike finishing that is typical of this era’s Tissot production, and the visible jewels and balance wheel assembly confirm this is a properly constructed automatic caliber with years of reliable service ahead of it.
The case is a round, classically proportioned dress watch housing with a stainless steel caseback and a 20-micron gold-plated bezel and body, as confirmed by the interior caseback markings: “CHS TISSOT & FILS,” the Tissot shield logo, “FAB SUISSE SWISS MADE,” “FOND ACIER INOXYDABLE,” “LUNETTE PLAQUE OR G,” “20 MICRONS,” and the reference number 44-520-4. What is immediately striking about this case is just how well preserved the gold plating is. The side profile reveals sharp, clean edges and a beautifully polished surface with minimal signs of age, suggesting a watch that saw limited wrist time over its life. The Tissot-signed crown, bearing the iconic “T” logo, is also in excellent condition. The outer caseback carries a presentation engraving: “NSP / WM. E. HAAS / 25 YEARS,” identifying this as a 25-year service award given to one William E. Haas. In our experience, service award watches are among the most compelling provenance stories you can find on a vintage piece. They were typically purchased new, presented with ceremony, and then, more often than not, tucked into a drawer or a safe, worn sparingly if at all. The result is often a watch that has survived decades in near-original condition, and that is exactly what we see here.
The dial is a warm champagne gold sunburst, radiating from the center with a finish that shifts between golden honey and a softer, more neutral tone as it catches the light. The applied baton hour indices are gold-toned, with fine, crisp edges and a subtle black accent line that gives them a three-dimensional quality against the sunburst backdrop. A double baton marks 12 o’clock, anchoring the dial alongside the Tissot “T” logo set in its distinctive square frame, with “TISSOT” and “SWISS” printed directly below. At 6 o’clock, “SEASTAR” and “AUTOMATIC” are printed in clean black text, while the T SWISS MADE T tritium designation sits at the very bottom of the dial, flanking the lowest index. The date window at 3 o’clock is framed by a polished gold surround that integrates seamlessly with the overall golden aesthetic. The handset is a matching gold dauphine style, slim, elegant, and perfectly in keeping with the dressy character of the watch. Every element of this dial speaks to a cohesive, considered design, there is a monochromatic warmth here that is simply gorgeous on the wrist, especially when paired with the unexpected contrast of a bold strap color.
For collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate the Tissot-Omega connection, this Seastar represents a wonderful opportunity to own a piece of SSIH history with genuine provenance and outstanding preservation. The 25-year service award engraving is not a detraction; it is a story, a marker of a life’s work, and the likely reason this watch survived in such lovely condition. Paired here on an OTTUHR ostrich leather strap in blue, this golden Seastar feels equal parts refined and playful, a vintage dress watch with just enough personality to stand out from the crowd.
