As one of the largest Swiss watch manufacturers globally, Tissot has made a name for itself by creating quality watches in a variety of styles. Moreover, thanks to the company's large and vertically integrated structure, Tissot prides itself on offering watches that surpass their competitors in terms of price and quality. Let's take a closer look at one of the latest models - the Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80.
With impressive technical specifications and a bold, sporty aesthetic that combines modernity with classic elements, the Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional Powermatic 80 stands out among its competitors, offering budget-conscious divers and watch enthusiasts high-performance professional diving watches at an unbeatable price. In short, it's another model from Tissot - another watch that punches above its weight.
The Seastar 2000, equipped with Tissot's renowned Powermatic 80 movement, a ceramic bezel, and a robust construction made of corrosion-resistant 316L steel, builds on the success of the Seastar 1000 model, first released in 2019, and offers several notable updates. As the name suggests, the latest version of the Seastar boasts water resistance up to 2000 feet - 1000 feet more than the Seastar 1000. In line with this, Tissot has incorporated a helium release valve on the side of the watch near the “9 o'clock” mark. The helium release valve - a useful feature for saturation divers - allows pressure to be released inside the watch case during deep dives lasting more than an hour. This ensures that the sapphire crystal does not crack or pop off at shallow depths. While some may argue that a helium release valve is not a necessary or practical feature for the average person, it is an engineering feat appreciated by watch enthusiasts.
Despite the increased diving depth, the case back of the Seastar 2000 is made of sapphire crystal, allowing owners to view Tissot's flagship movement - the Powermatic 80. The Powermatic 80 movement is based on the ETA 2824 caliber but has a lower balance frequency (21,600 vibrations per hour compared to 28,800 vibrations per hour). This lower frequency allows the movement to provide an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Powermatic 80 is further optimized with Tissot's patented antimagnetic “Nivachron” spring and has additional shock-resistant properties. In short, Tissot has taken a time-tested movement and made it more accurate, durable, and reliable.
The Seastar 2000 is significantly larger than the 43mm Seastar 1000 model and features a sturdy 46mm case with a thickness of 16.25mm. These increased proportions make the watch more imposing on the wrist. However, the lug-to-lug length is 52mm, making these watches a bit smaller than one might assume from their diameter. Overall, the watch looks beastly on the wrist but maintains sophistication. It's bulky, yet very proportional and comfortable.
The Seastar 2000 dial is done in a classic art-deco style, similar to the Seastar 1000, with triangular, rectangular, and dot indices enclosed in a unidirectional dive bezel. A notable design change is the application of a gradient wave pattern on the dial, which beautifully reacts to light and makes the overall aesthetic more dynamic. The dial is available in three colors: blue, turquoise, and anthracite.
While all three color options are impressive in their own right, the blue and turquoise dials are eye-catching, while the anthracite dial is more restrained. We found it particularly interesting that each dial showcases a broad spectrum of its respective color. For example, the blue dial can appear dark, midnight blue in light but takes on a bright, electric blue color when exposed to direct light. This effect is mesmerizing, and to fully appreciate it, one must see it in person.
The indices on the Seastar 2000 are coated with Super-LumiNova luminous material, which glows a bright neon blue and provides fantastic readability in low light conditions. The overall design is complemented by a well-thought-out case finish, alternating between mirror-polished flat surfaces and satin-finished vertical surfaces, providing sufficient contrast and visual interest. Finally, the bracelet is both beautiful and comfortable: it features a milled clasp and a diver's extension, as well as three micro-adjustments for a perfect fit.
While there are many entry-level “luxury” diving watches, there are very few “professional” divers that can be purchased for less than $5,000, let alone $1,200. Perhaps this is where the Tissot Seastar 2000 Professional truly stands out from the rest.
The new Seastar 2000 watches, priced at $995 on a strap and $1,025 on a bracelet, are ISO 6425 certified, meaning they meet the stringent requirements for accuracy, water resistance, anti-magnetism, and shock resistance set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Thus, it is an excellent choice even for the most discerning professional divers. You can learn more at tissotwatches.com.