As one of the more affordable brands within Swatch Group, Tissot has always offered strong value for the money. However, as many other watch companies try to move upmarket with increasingly higher prices, the value proposition of Tissot watches has become even greater in recent years. Tissot’s popular PRX series is widely considered to be one of the top recommendations when it comes to affordable Swiss timepieces, and the latest release from Tissot for 2023 takes a similar value-oriented approach and applies it to the brand’s Seastar collection of dive watches. Joining the existing models from the series is the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm, which makes its debut appearance in three different colorways and brings a highly versatile case size to the brand’s entry-level lineup of divers.

Featuring cases made from stainless steel, the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm watches follow much of the same design as the 36mm models that were released last year, although they render it in a size that splits the difference between the smaller watches and the 45.5mm chronographs from the Seastar 1000 Quartz series. Given the popularity of 40mm watches, it almost seems like an oversight that Tissot didn’t already offer a version of the Seastar 1000 in this case size, and I suspect that these new 40mm variants will quickly become some of the most popular options within the collection. A 36mm dive watch is objectively a rather compact piece, while a 45.5mm diver’s chronograph is simply too large for many people’s wrists, so this new 40mm option will likely be the “Goldilocks” size for those who felt that the existing models didn’t quite suit their personal preferences.

Aside from the novel case size, the rest of the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm is very much in line with what can be observed throughout its 36mm counterparts. This means that the new models feature flat sapphire crystals protecting their dials, solid screw-down stainless steel casebacks, and signed crowns at the 3 o’clock location, which also screw down in order to help support the Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz’s 300 meters of water resistance. Additionally, just like the 36mm models, a pair of small crown guards protrudes from the side of the case to offer protection for the crown at 3 o’clock, while the top of the case is completed by a unidirectional rotating bezel fitted with a mineral glass insert that has its 60-minute elapsed time scale printed on its underside surface.

In much the same way that the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm follows in the footsteps of the 36mm models when it comes to its design and features, the new 40mm version is also making its debut appearance in three colorways that are already found among the smaller series. The ref. T1204101105100 is the most traditional among the trio, with a black lacquer dial, a black bezel insert, and a stainless steel bracelet, while the ref. T1204101104100 is essentially the exact same watch but with its dial and bezel in a rich shade of blue. Meanwhile, the ref. T1204102705100 is the final model from the inaugural trio, and it also features a black dial and bezel, but instead pairs them with gold-colored accents and swaps out the stainless steel bracelet for a black rubber strap.

Both the strap and the bracelet connect to the lugs of the Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm watches with integrated quick-release spring bars to facilitate easy tool-free strap/bracelet changes, although, with standard 20mm lugs, countless third-party options will also be compatible with the trio of new models. The bracelet offers a simple three-link design with brushed sides and polished center links, while the rubber strap is a standard two-piece creation that features the “Tissot” name embossed into the top surface with a textured pattern on the lower side. The clasp for the bracelet follows a fairly simple double-folding design with an additional secondary safety latch, while the strap gets completed by a chunky signed stainless steel pin buckle.

In much the same way that the cases and bezels offer the same overall appearance as the 36mm models, the dials fitted to the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm watches also largely adhere to what can be found throughout the smaller series, but just scaled up to suit their larger case size. The blue or black lacquer surfaces feature applied geometric hour markers, with a date display taking the place of the index at the 6 o’clock location, while the hands and hour markers are finished with Super-LumiNova to provide them with a luminous display in the dark. Both of the bracelet-equipped models feature dials with white text, while the version with gilt accents and a rubber strap features gold-colored text to compliment its hands and hour markers.

Powering the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm models is the ETA F06.412 quartz movement, which is a 3-jewel caliber that is powered by a single 371 battery cell. Reliable and easy to maintain, the ETA F06.412 is very well-suited to powering an affordable dive watch such as the Tissot Seastar 1000, and it offers an end-of-life indicator, where the seconds hand will jump every four seconds when the battery is low on power to notify the user that a battery change will soon be needed. Although Tissot does offer a 43mm version of the Seastar 1000 that is powered by the brand’s Powermatic 80 movement, these new 40mm models are specifically being added to the quartz lineup, although we may eventually see a 40mm automatic version at some point in the future.

As a historic Swiss manufacturer, Tissot isn’t always the first name that comes to mind when you think of affordable watches. However, as other brands try to make the move upmarket, many of Tissot’s models now represent a rather compelling value proposition by comparison. With an official retail price of $395 USD for the gilt-finished model on a rubber strap or $425 USD for either of the versions on a bracelet, the new Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm undeniably represents a rather compelling offering, considering that you get a dive watch from one of the big-name Swiss brands for what is ultimately still an entry-level price point. Additionally, 40mm is a great size for a versatile everyday diver (the number of brands that embrace this case size confirms this), and I could easily see these new models being highly popular among those who want a simple grab-and-go sports watch from a major household-name company. For more information on the Tissot Seastar 1000 Quartz 40mm watches, please visit the brand’s website.