Tissot Seastar automatic wristwatch, 1972

Last Updated on November 16, 2024 by Jason

I will be the first to admit that I have a soft spot for the Tissot brand. Although my first Swiss watch was a Tag Heuer 1500 Series Professional, it was (sadly) quartz. My first “real” Swiss watch was a Tissot Visodate which I purchased new in 2018 (it still has a few years before I write about it on this website). For this reason, I am always interested in any Tissot that crosses my path and this vintage Tissot Seastar is no exception.

Tissot history

Tissot was founded in 1853 by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile Tissot in Le Locle, Switzerland, a town well known for its watchmaking heritage. The pair worked out of a small workshop attached to the family home using the établissage system whereby they purchased ebauches (blank movements) and assembled the watches.

In the late 19th century, Tissot expanded internationally, with Charles-Émile Tissot travelling to Russia to market the brand’s watches, earning Tissot a strong presence in the Russian Empire. By the early 20th century, Tissot had established itself as a pioneer in Swiss watchmaking. The brand made notable advancements, including creating one of the first anti-magnetic watches in 1930.

In 1915, the company began to produce their own movements for the first time, which included wristwatches. In 1929, the global financial collapse brought the entire watch industry to a halt. As a result, Tissot merged with watch companies Omega SA and Lemania in 1930, forming SSIH (Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère). Although merged, Tissot and Omega maintained separate brand identities and continued producing watches under their respective names.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Tissot introduced a number of brands, such as Seastar, Visodate and the PR516. These brands still exist today as part of Tissot’s heritage range. During the 1980s, Tissot joined the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch producer and distributor.

Seastar brand

In the 1930s, Tissot launched its first water-resistant models like the ‘Camping’ (1938) and ‘Aquasport’ (1939). Apart from being anti-magnetic and water-resistant, they were also shockproof, dust-proof, and equipped with a stainless-steel case and unbreakable glass. In the early 1950s, an improved model of a hermetically sealed waterproof watch case was created and the decision was made to name it Seastar. The name was registered as a trademark in 1952 and this watch has since become an iconic model of the Tissot brand.

Tissot Seastar 1972.
Vintage Tissot Seastar automatic, 1972.

The Tissot Seastar collection comprised a range of elegant, water-resistant timepieces suitable for outdoor pursuits. In the 1950s, watches were generally not water resistant in any way. Washing your hands and doing the dishes were all tasks that involved taking your watch off. Swimming and showering were unthinkable with the average watch. The Seastar, along with other water-resistant watches of the period, changed all of that. The Tissot Seastar was a watch that could handle exposure to water on a day-to-day basis, including a swim in a pool or snorkelling at the beach. Looking through catalogues and various online resources, I couldn’t find a depth rating for the Tissot Seastar anywhere.

Vintage Tissot Seastar automatic

The watch measures 34mm in diameter excluding the winding crown and the lugs. The case is gold plated and there is some wear to the plate. However, it is not very noticeable at all when being worn. Tissot, like many other Swiss brands of the era, used gold electroplating, where a thin layer of gold was bonded to a base metal, such as stainless steel or brass. This gives the appearance of a gold watch without the expense of a solid gold case. Typically, the plating is 10 to 20 microns thick.

The signed Tissot winding crown which is a nice sign of originality, has some light marking. The stainless-steel screw on caseback is signed with the Tissot name and logo inside. There are some short scratches to the case back, probably where a tool has slipped in the past. The acrylic crystal is in good condition. The signed dial is in good original condition with original hands, centre seconds hand and quickset date display (set by repeatedly pushing in).

Tissot 2481 movement

The Tissot 2481 watch movement, manufactured from 1972 to 1980, is equivalent to the Omega 1481 movement. The main difference between the two is that the Tissot 2481 did not include an excenter regulator, which was included on the Omega 1481. The Tissot 2481 is an automatic movement which includes various functions such as sweep seconds, date display with quickset capability through repeated pushing of the crown, and Incabloc shock protection. The Tissot 2481 movement has 21 jewels, a frequency of 21600 vph and a power reserve of 42 hours. It could also be equipped with optional plastic bushings instead of dial screws.

Tissot 2481 movement.
Tissot 2481 movement.

Overall, the Tissot 2481 movement is highly regarded among collectors for its durability, precision, and the historical significance it brings to vintage Tissot watches. One of the unique aspects of the Tissot 2481 is its quickset date function. This allows the wearer to set the date by repeatedly pushing in the crown. This feature adds convenience and ease of use, which is particularly appreciated by vintage watch enthusiasts. However, it also has a reputation for being somewhat temperamental and a challenge to repair. It also suggests that the crown does not screw down. This somewhat raises a question about the water resistance of a watch branded Seastar.

The serial number is located on the small circular sticker on the watch movement. The sticker is very small and requires magnification to read. The serial number is 14,298,176 which dates the watch back to 1972.

Summary

A great watch in very good condition and still working well. I think Tissot is a very underrated brand and the value of their vintage watches will only grow over time. The Tissot Seastar range has a long history, but there is not a lot of detail online, not surprising for a brand which pre-dates the internet. I have set myself the task of putting together a history of the Tissot Seatar brand, which I hope to publish in the coming weeks. I think a lot of guesswork will be involved but I will look forward to investigating the topic. In the meantime, I hope my readers have enjoyed this post about a quality vintage Tissot Seastar watch.

Related content

Tissot Seastar collection at the official Tissot website.

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