A Handsome 1960s Vintage Steel Tonneau Cased Tissot Seastar Chronograph Reggata/Sailing Watch with a Tropical Chocolate Coloured Dial with the Lemania 1277 (Tissot 872) movement. 

Tissot was founded in 1853 by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile Tissot in the Swiss city of Le Locle, in the Neuchâtel area of the Jura Mountains. The father and son team worked as a case maker (Charles-Félicien Tissot) and watchmaker (Charles-Emile). His son having expressed an interest in watchmaking from a young age.

Tissot introduced the first mass-produced pocket watch as well as the first pocket watch with two time zones in 1853 and the first anti-magnetic watch, in 1929–30. Tissot was also one of the first companies to manufacture an antimagnetic wristwatch in the early 1930s. The Tissot company was also the first to make watches out of plastic (Idea 2001 in 1971), stone (the Alpine granite RockWatch in 1985), mother of pearl (the Pearl watch in 1987), and wood (the Wood watch in 1988).

What’s On Offer 

This 1960s tonneau cased reverse panda chronograph from Tissot is a fine example of a popular model reference (40508 - Seastar) with its fixed black tachymetric bezel. The dial has completely transformed from its original matt black to a beautiful and even tropical caramel/chocolate hue which perfectly sets off the contrasting white subsidiary seconds subdial on the left and the chronograph's minute register to the right. The right-hand counter has its first five-minute division highlighted in blue, a famous form of calibration on yachting chronographs to help mark the five-minute period after the starting gun during regattas before the second gun is fired exactly five minutes later.

The original hands are in great shape with lume inserts and the hour plots also retain their original lume. The orange central second's hand adds another pop of colour and gives the dial a really sporty aesthetic. The case looks great with only minor signs of wear and the lugs curve ergonomically onto the wrist making it very comfortable on the wrist.

The pushers and Tissot signed crown add an extra punch to already fairly meaty proportions for a watch of this age. A real gem with a retro nod to the 60s, perfect for any sailing enthusiast or chronograph collector. 

Additional information

Made from

Case: Stainless Steel

Dial: Tropical

Crystal: Glass

Bracelet: Chocolate Brown Leather Strap with Pin Buckle

Technical specifications

Winding: Manual

Movement Type: Mechanical

Caliber: Lemania 1277 (Tissot 872)

Jewels: 17

Waterproof: When New

Power reserve: 39hrs

Purchase details

Condition: Excellent

Model Reference: Seastar 40508-4

Date of issue: c.1969

Warranty: 12 Months by VWS

Dimensions

Width (without crown): 36mm

Lug width: 19mm

Lug height: (lug to lug) 42mm

Wrist size: Adjustable