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Tissot is one of those Swiss brands that, to us, represents the absolute best of what the mid-range Swiss watch industry was capable of in the mid-twentieth century. Founded in Le Locle in 1853 by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile, the company earned a reputation for producing robust, well-finished watches that punched far above their price point. By the 1960s, Tissot had become part of the SSIH group alongside Omega, and the two brands frequently shared resources, technologies, and even case designs. The Seastar line was Tissot’s bread-and-butter collection during this era, a range of water-resistant watches designed to handle the rigors of everyday life with a level of refinement that belied their accessible positioning. The name “Seastar” itself evoked adventure and reliability, and the collection spanned everything from simple time-only dress pieces to more elaborate automatics and chronographs. It’s the kind of line that armed a generation of professionals, tradesmen, and students with genuinely excellent Swiss-made timekeeping.
The movement inside this watch is the Caliber 781-1, a hand-wound workhorse with 17 jewels that traces its lineage back through Tissot’s long history of robust manual-wind calibers. Pop the caseback off this example and the movement is a treat to look at: beautifully finished with warm copper-toned plates, visible jewel settings in polished chatons, and the full “Chs Tissot & Fils” signature engraved across the bridge. It’s the kind of hand-wound movement that a watchmaker loves to service and an enthusiast loves to admire, simple, well-engineered, and built to last.
This particular example is, in our opinion, one of the most visually striking Seastar configurations we’ve come across. The matte black dial is absolutely gorgeous, deep and velvety with a fine grain texture that absorbs light beautifully. Against that dark canvas, the full set of white Arabic numerals pops with fantastic legibility, rendered in Tissot’s characteristically rounded, friendly typeface. But the real design flourish here is the red minute track, a series of vivid red hash marks around the outer dial edge that gives the whole watch a subtle but unmistakable sporting energy. It’s a detail that transforms what could be a straightforward dress watch into something with genuine personality and visual punch. The blued steel handset is original and in excellent shape, and the tritium markers flanking the “T Swiss Made T” designation at 6 o’clock confirm the watch’s period authenticity.
The stainless steel case is in fantastic condition, and the design is worth pausing on. The lugs are sharply faceted with clean, angular chamfers that catch light in a way that feels almost architectural. In profile, the case is slim and purposeful, and the polished and brushed surfaces remain well-defined with only minor surface wear. The caseback features a distinctive faceted octagonal shape with a fine brushed finish, stamped “Acier Inoxydable” (stainless steel), “Chs Tissot & Fils,” and the reference number 41/42568-3. The signed Tissot crown is original. And here’s a lovely bonus: this watch comes on its original Tissot-signed black leather strap, still marked “23/32 Tissot” on the underside, paired with an original signed Tissot buckle. Finding a watch from this era with its complete, original strap and buckle set is increasingly uncommon and adds a wonderful sense of completeness.
This is the kind of watch that makes you wonder why anyone spends ten times more on something with less character. It’s a beautifully preserved, honest Swiss manual-wind watch from a storied brand, with a dial that could hold its own against pieces costing multiples of its price. The black dial with red accents gives it a sporty, almost pilot-watch sensibility, while the refined case proportions and slim profile mean it works just as well with a suit as it does with a weekend outfit. For the collector who values substance over hype, or for someone looking for their first serious vintage Swiss watch, this Tissot Seastar is about as good as it gets.
