It does not surprise me that this year we get a new Seastar watch from Tissot, but this particular neat design wasn’t expected. There is something retro about it – likely the thinner rotating diver’s bezel – but it has a nice modern looking dial. Detail is pleasant and the functionality seems sound for this circa $1000 timepiece collection.

The dial will come in a few colors. Seen here are just two of them being black dial with white and blue accents, as well as the black and orange dial. Having two different tones of blue is a benefit to the black and blue one (call it bruised, I dare you). Features such as a small but present and sloped flange ring as well as slightly depressed subsidiary dials give the dial a higher end look. The dial is also pretty easy to read thanks for the slick layout. The hands and hour markers are coated with SuperLumiNova.

One this I don’t get is the Seastar “1000” name. The case is water resistant to 300 meters not 1000. At least when you have a numerical value attached to the same of a dive watch you assume it related to the depth rating. In this instance that isn’t the case and it is confusing. It would just be the Seastar Chronograph or something like that.

Tissot gave this new Seastar a hell of a case making it 48mm wide in steel with some black in the bezel. I am also told that a blue PVD coated steel case will also be available. I look forward to checking that piece out. The case design is pretty intricate and there is an automatic helium release valve on the side of the case which is a nice feature to have. The case also has a sapphire crystal.

Inside the watch is the newer Swiss ETA calibre C01.211 automatic chronograph movement. This is the same movement used in the popular Swatch Automatic Chrono watch that I reviewed here. The movement is designed to be a lower cost version of the ETA Valjoux 7750 – though it is actually based on the older Lemania 5100. Swatch needed to give the 7750 some visual marketability, so they intentionally left some things out of the C01.211. For instance that hour counter for the chrono goes up to 6 hours versus 12. Is there a technical reason for that? Not at all. But the 7750 loses steam if a movement much less expensive than it does the same thing. The C01.211 isn’t as pretty at the 7750 of course, but does have a neat industrial look to it. Unlike the Swatch Automatic Chrono, Tissot decided to open up the back more for a full exhibition view of the caseback. They use an automatic rotor with a rich pattern on it to spruce up the movement.

The watch comes with your choice of metal bracelet or rubber strap. I am not sure of all the options, but there should be a fair number of varieties of this watch. Tissot likes big releases with lots of options, so I expect the Seastar 1000 Automatic Chronograph to be no different.