Vintage Watches: The Tissot Antimagnetique Pointer Date 6445
There’s no doubt that vintage Tissot watches represent great value. I liken them to downscale Omega watches in the same way that many VWs are similar to more expensive Audis. This translates to quality movements, cases, and designs at approachable prices. Today’s Tissot Antimagnetique Pointer Date 6445 is a great example of an affordable and available vintage powerhouse.
eBay is still my favorite hunting ground for vintage watches. Even though the extreme random bargains are now fewer and further between, great options still exist. Vintage Tissot is a category that consistently offers options on the popular platform with interesting pieces from the ’40s and ’50s. Specifically, I mean the Antimagnetique pieces with chrome or steel cases. Today, we’ll discuss one of the nicer models from the era, the Antimagnetique Pointer Date 6445.
Image: Archives Tissot SA
The Antimagnetique designation
Much has been written about the advent of anti-magnetic watches and Tissot’s contribution. Balazs wrote a fantastic article and Tony Traina (previously of Rescapement and now with Hodinkee) followed it up with a look into specific models. The Antimagnetique designation refers to new, less magnetic alloys for the balance wheel. The ’30s, when these models were released, was a time of immense innovation. Electricity was becoming a widespread utility. This led to the development and daily use of more devices and appliances that created magnetic fields. It was also a period that gave rise to metallurgical development. Some of that development helped spawn newer anti-magnetic alloys used today.
Image: Archives Tissot SA
How anti-magnetic is a Tissot from this period? Interestingly, I can’t find any claims in old advertisements. I assume the improvement was drastic for the time, but no different than any normal mechanical watch today. In other words, these watches shouldn’t be confused with a purpose-built Rolex Milgauss. Tissot used the Antimagnetique description on many different watches until 1959. These included tanks, larger time-only pieces, and smaller waterproof watches. Today’s Pointer Date 6445 is an example of the latter, although “small” isn’t overly appropriate considering its age.
The Pointer Date 6445
The Pointer Date 6445 is part of the late ’40s line of watches from Tissot featuring waterproof cases and an attractive date complication. The pointer date style of using a fourth hand is easily recognizable to modern watch fans because of Oris. The brand also produced pointer date models more than 70 years ago and brought them back in the ’90s. The modern iterations are well-liked, and the brand has even doubled down to an in-house version that includes an old-school sub-seconds dial.
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 doesn’t just look old-school; it is properly old. This watch dates to 1947 and has an arresting black and gray “bullseye” dial. Other models had all-white dials, white-on-black schemes, and more. The indices also differed, but radium lume was a common theme.
An attractive dial layout
The bullseye dial is the most attractive of the lot for my money. With its well-defined darkly toned regions, it organizes the plethora of numbers well. As an aside, 99% of watches with a date window lose their design fluidity because of the carbuncle-like addition. A pointer date, however, leaves the dial intact and symmetrical. The Pointer Date 6445 is a shining example of this design purity.
We see a central gray zone that houses the Tissot Antimagnetique logo (more on this later) and melds with the equally gray subdial with white printing. An intermediate ring has radial-printed radium Arabic numerals for the hours. Finally, a gray outer sector contains the date numerals in white. If it sounds like a lot of numbers, it is! Yet, the watch is cohesive and well thought out. The Pointer Date opts for radium-filled syringe hands and a red, arrow-tipped date indicator. The red is the perfect contrasting color against the backdrop of black, gray, and white.
The Monet-like logo
There’s no mistaking the logo on the Pointer Date 6445 for anything other than the lovely Tissot name with its massive “T.” However, the font has lost its structure and looks blurry. I’d chalk this up to radium and feed the flames of those with heavy concerns about the material, but I’m not sure this is the case. I’ve looked at different pointer date examples, and all include radium. White models look fine, but gray-dialed models consistently have washed-out logos. Whether it’s the aging of the gray paint or how the gray paint has reacted with the radium is anyone’s guess. Still, like a Monet, the logo looks fantastic from a distance.
Wearable and sturdy
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 is made of stainless steel and measures 35mm by 42mm. Importantly, it has 18mm lug spacing, which gives it a decent level of visual heft and allows for plenty of strap and bracelet options. It is topped by a tall, domed acrylic crystal, bringing the total thickness to 12mm. Overall, it’s a sturdy watch bolstered by its chunky original crown and screw-in case back. Design-wise, I like its flowing lugs and concave bezel. It’s fairly utile, but the finishing is crisp.
The 27-67 caliber
The Tissot 27-67 caliber within the Pointer Date 6445 is an in-house movement based on the 27 caliber introduced in 1936. The watch was manufactured until 1949, when it was modified to include Incabloc shock protection. It’s a straightforward 15-jewel manual wind movement that ticks along at 18,000vph with 44 hours of power reserve. As you can see, the surface finishing is basic, and the jewels are press-fit. Still, there are an impressive amount of bridges. It’s a smooth movement to wind, but be aware that the date complication is not a quick set! I stated that a Tissot from this era feels like an Omega, and in fact, Tissot was bought by the Biel-based brand in 1925. The 27-series movements allegedly appeared in co-branded watches for the South American market.
Impressive on the wrist
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 works well with many straps and bracelets. I’ve had this watch on a strap, a Bonklip, and now a vintage NOS Montal beads of rice bracelet. No matter what I’ve tried, this handsome piece looks like an expensive, semi-complicated watch. It also feels tough and hearty enough for regular use.
Getting a point on a Pointer Date 6445
There are plenty of vintage Tissot Pointer Date 6445 and related references for sale. The challenge, of course, is finding one in nice condition. Lighter-colored dials fare better than the darker bullseye pieces, which can lead to a faster find. My example came from a friend in London, Lawrence, who decided it was too small for him. He owns and wears other watches with these dimensions, so the darker dial visually shrunk the watch on his wrist. Assume a price range of €750 to €1,500 for a nice example, but the upper end of that price target is reserved for something special. If you find these watches too busy, many waterproof stainless Tissot Antimagnetique pieces are available for less. That’s great value, but remember to check the diameters because they’re often smaller.
Final thoughts
Finding relatively large vintage stainless steel watches from the ’40s and ’50s is challenging. Characteristics like a household brand name, waterproof case, in-house movement, and complications add to the task. Therefore, the Tissot Pointer Date 6445 represents extreme value for the vintage collector. Also, finding a nice one is difficult enough to make the search rewarding.
