Does anyone still remember the very first TVs, their almost square/rectangular shape screens with rounded corners? They completely disappeared from our day-to-day life, but there was a time when that form was a huge inspiration to the watchmaking industry. The timepieces with the cult classic TV-shaped cases were very popular in the late 60’s, early 70’s when the TV had the world gathered around to see spaceflights and wonders across the globe. That design reflected the desire for something new and futuristic. It also corresponds to the Woodstock era, the era of the civil rights movement, a period of great unrest and protest when the largest, and most memorable of dozens of outdoor music festivals in 1960s, The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, took place.
That significant event, when half a million young people gathered together to experience three days of peace and music, became a beacon of hope, love, and freedom, and a capstone for the Sixties, a time of turbulence and turmoil in America.
For many of those who had been there or had watched that iconic concert on television, Woodstock had transformed into a term synonymous with uplifting and inspiring, and had a great symbolic value.
Even today, the influence of Woodstock Music Festival can be seen across the globe, it changed the world in so many different ways and it still continues to be a source of inspiration for many.
This was a lyrical digression, however, and now let’s get back to the retro TV style watches. Unfortunately, this shape has not received the love it deserves, it faded in popularity quickly and there was a period of time where it vanished from the production. Fortunately, in this day and age, with the advantages of the Internet, you can find a number of beautiful wristwatches from the past which feature this unique dial shape, such as Omega, Tissot, Rado, Zodiac, Girard-Perregaux, Jules Jürgensen, Seiko, Zenith and there are many, many others, even from the lesser-known names. It goes without saying that the watchmakers love paying tribute to the past therefore you can discover numerous modern creations, like Mido Multifort TV Big Date, Glashütte Original Seventies Panorama Date, JeanRichard TV Screen Chronograph, Brew Retrograph, Retromatic and Metric to name a few.
Today we’ll be talking about a vintage TV shaped Tissot Seastar Quartz from 1970s, which is the precursor to the PRX model.
Let’s first get the dimensions out of the way. The case of this timepiece measures 36.5mm from side to side and a very wrist-friendly 39mm from lug to lug, with a relatively modest 10mm thickness.
The case features a good mixture of brushed and polished stainless steel covered with 10M gold plating, and integrates smoothly into an identically finished bracelet. Fine horizontal brushing can be found on the entire surface of the case and on top of the bracelet while the bezel is well polished. This adds an extra dimension to the timepiece.
The dial’s color and its crosshatch pattern that were chosen for this timepiece help to tie in the luxury vibe of the watch perfectly and elevate its style.
Three polished gold tone hands are paired with applied rectangular markers, which are also polished, and a white date wheel inside an applied framed window at 3 o’clock. A stylized vintage logo can be found at the 12 and the words “SEASTAR” and “QUARTZ” at the six. The hour markers at the cardinal points are not highlighted and have the same size and style as the rest. The gold plated crown with a logo on it increases the overall width of the wristwatch by 3mm.
If you are like me, you might want to know what beats inside the case. The watch runs on the brand’s Calibre 2031, which in turn was a greatly improved version of 2030, the first in-house quartz invention from Tissot. Their earlier quartz watches until 1976 were equipped with Omega’s 1310 Megaquartz 32 Khz movement which was introduced in 1973, and was produced until about 1978.
The time setting procedure on this watch is performed by the stepping motor which requires an installed battery and an in-depth knowledge about complex set of presses on the crown.
This automatic/motorized setting idea must have been considered a revolutionary breakthrough in the watchmaking industry back in the 70s, but it turns out to be not the best one in real life.
This watch have a great dose of retro vibes. I can’t say its TV screen style is for everyone, even for me, it was not love at first sight. But this timepiece grows on you and I think that, in general, it is still the perfect case shape for a wristwatch more than 50 years later. Please share your thoughts, I’d like to hear what you think about such watches.
If this model grabbed your attention, you can find its modern forms, like Tissot Seastar 1000 40mm or this Seastar 1000 Quartz Chronograph with a vibrant blue dial paired with a red and blue bezel, available on Amazon.
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