Tissot Introduces Three 40mm Options To The Seastar 1000 Collection
Although most Fratello readers love mechanical watches, none of us can deny the convenience of quartz. I’d even venture a guess that a majority of us have at least one grab-and-go quartz watch in our collections. Whether it’s a budget-friendly beater or a higher-end piece, there’s comfort in knowing that one watch is always ready to go when you’re scrambling to put clothes on before bolting out the door. Well, that’s assuming that the battery hasn’t suddenly died, leaving you wearing nothing but a wrist weight and mismatched socks to boot! Regardless, Tissot has got you covered with three 40mm additions to the Seastar 1000 line.
These three new watches offer a versatile size and aesthetic, do-it-all specs, and an end-of-life (EOL) indicator for the battery. Furthermore, they come in at under €500, making them quite accessible in the world of quality Swiss watches. While they are certainly not revolutionary, groundbreaking timepieces, I think they offer a lot for longtime watch lovers and budding enthusiasts alike. Let’s take a quick look at these three new additions to the Seastar 1000 lineup.
Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm — Specs and details
The Seastar line has seen tons of designs and functions in its nearly 70-year history (check out some here and here). These days, however, it serves as the archetypical diver in the Le Locle brand’s lineup. What we have here is a 300m-water-resistant stainless steel case measuring 40mm wide, 10mm thick, and 20mm between the lugs. It comes equipped with a screw-down case back and crown, with the latter protected by squared-off guards on the sides. The case features vertically brushed flanks, polished lug hoods, and a polished stainless steel bezel with a mineral-crystal insert. A 60-minute timing scale surrounds the color-matched dial with a framed date window at 6 o’clock and applied luminous indices. The shapes of the indices echo those of the Rolex Submariner, but the Super-LumiNova-treated sword hands are refreshingly different. I particularly like the T-shaped counterweight on the seconds hand.
Covering the dial is a sapphire crystal with an antireflective coating on both sides. This should help keep the dial clear in brighter conditions, while the teal-glowing lume will provide legibility in low light or at night.
Color options
The Tissot Seastar 40mm is available in three colorways — standard black, navy blue, and black with yellow gold PVD accents. The first two come on a stainless steel three-row bracelet with brushed outer links, polished center links, and a folding safety clasp. The black/gold option comes standard on a black silicone strap with a brushed steel pin buckle and quick-release spring bars.
Conveniently, the bracelets also feature quick-release spring bars if you want to switch the look up with a 20mm strap. Even if you don’t, female end links will give a wrist-hugging fit, and the removable links utilize screws for easy sizing at home.
Behind the nicely engraved case back with the Seastar seahorse logo lies an ETA F06.412 movement. As I mentioned, this quartz caliber features an end-of-life indicator that alerts you when the battery gets dangerously low. When this happens, the seconds hand will make four-second jumps, and the battery will last for a few more days. Hopefully, this will provide enough lead time to get a battery change so your grab-and-go watch stays ready for action. Still, with a battery life of over five years, this shouldn’t be something that will keep you up at night. On top of that, the movement features HeavyDrive tech for shock resistance and PreciDrive for thermocompensated accuracy of ±10 seconds per year. For perspective, that’s ±0.027 seconds per day and as accurate as Grand Seiko’s 9F movements. Not too shabby indeed!
Fitting into the collection
In the Seastar 1000 lineup, these 40mm models slide in nicely between the 36mm three-handers and 45.5mm chronographs. Tissot also hasn’t released this size with a Powermatic 80 movement, which is currently only available in a 43mm case. As much as I’d love to see an automatic 40mm Seastar, I have to hand it to Tissot for this strategic positioning. Plus, this is a pretty fail-safe size for a dive watch as 40mm has been the gold standard for years. Though Tissot hasn’t provided a lug-to-lug measurement yet, based on the automatic model’s proportions, I’d estimate a 46mm length here. With female end links and a 10mm thickness, I imagine these will suitable for a wide variety of wrists.
Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm — Pricing and last thoughts
I also think that these Seastar 1000 models represent solid value when considering the price. All three versions come in at €475 (including VAT) in the EU or $425 (excluding tax) in the US. With more than enough water resistance for most of us, a sapphire crystal, and a hard-wearing, highly accurate ETA quartz movement, these models satisfy many criteria for an everyday watch. And though their dive-watch aesthetic is far from fresh and original, it’s hard to argue with a timeless formula like this. As I said, I think these Seastars would be great for watch lovers who want a reliable grab-and-go piece that’s handsome as well. Alternatively, I can see the Seastar 1000 40mm being a great gateway into the world of “proper watches” for a younger generation. With big-brand appeal and a reputation for quality in this price segment, Tissot certainly has a lot going for it.
To find out more about the Seastar 1000 40mm and the other watches in the range, please visit Tissot’s official website. You can also check out all of our coverage on Tissot here. And as always, feel free to drop a comment down below with your thoughts on this release.
