Women's basketball is hugely popular in the United States.
Just over a week ago, news emerged that the women's NCAA championship game surpassed the men's by four million viewers. NCAA record holder Caitlin Clark is directly related to these figures.
This week, she was also selected as the first pick in the annual WNBA draft. In connection with the 2024 draft, Tissot, in collaboration with the WNBA and Wilson, released the first official pair of WNBA watches. These two new Tissot Seastar models are an excellent choice for basketball fans worldwide.
Tissot has been a proud partner of the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League since 2015. The longstanding partnership has led Tissot to release several branded models aimed at the male NBA audience. With the new project, the brand is releasing its first official watches for the WNBA.
This is not only a timely decision due to the rapid rise in popularity of women's basketball but also an attractive pair of watches. In my humble opinion, these are the best basketball-related watches Tissot has released so far. It's time to learn more about these two new Seastar models created in collaboration with the WNBA and Wilson, the league's basketball manufacturer.
The Story Behind the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Watches
In the past, Balazs covered the NBA-themed strap collection created for the Tissot SuperSport line. Early last year, Tissot also released a special NBA version of this quartz chronograph, which Balazs wore during the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend.
The oversized SuperSport is perfect for the wrists of many NBA fans, especially when paired with straps representing their favorite teams. But for the new WNBA watch set, Tissot introduced two different models.
The first model is the Tissot Seastar Wilson NBA Powermatic 80, and the second is the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Quartz. By choosing two different versions of the Seastar model, Tissot decided to offer two watches with different designs and prices. However, both models are visually connected through WNBA-inspired aesthetics. While the co-branding is noticeable, it fits well with both watches. Let's examine both models and learn more.
Tissot Seastar Wilson NBA Powermatic 80
Let's start with the mechanical Seastar Wilson NBA Powermatic 80, based on the latest version of Tissot's Seastar 1000 model. The updated version of the brand's popular diver watch served as an excellent foundation for the new WNBA version.
The watch features a stainless steel case with a width of 40 mm, a thickness of 12.5 mm, and a length of 46 mm from lug to lug. In this WNBA version, the case is complemented by a black round matte dial with applied indices and a date window at the 6 o'clock position. The white minute hand is neatly placed on the rehaut and matches the white lume of the hands and indices.
As you can see, the 60-minute bezel insert is slightly different from a typical diver's bezel. The first 24 minutes are orange, representing 24 seconds in shot clock time. The remaining numbers are silver to contrast with the black color.
The second hand echoes the orange color of the bezel numbers. Additionally, Wilson offers two straps - orange and white, created to match the unique orange-white color scheme of the official WNBA basketball. Both straps feature typical basketball texture as well as Wilson and WNBA logos.
Powermatic 80 Movement Inside
If you flip the watch over, you can see the Powermatic 80 movement that powers it. The movement is "hidden" behind a white engraving of a basketball. The Powermatic 80 operates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour and provides an 80-hour power reserve.
This common Swatch Group caliber is also used in the regular Seastar 1000 model, as well as in the PRX and Gentleman lines. The case back also features the logos of Tissot's cooperation partners, indicating that this is not an ordinary Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80.
I think Tissot and Wilson have created a wonderful first official WNBA Seastar watch. The color combination and integration of brand elements are perfect for a WNBA watch. Moreover, despite being a special Seastar version from Tissot, it is not as overloaded as in other collaborations.
The new Tissot Seastar Wilson NBA Powermatic 80, priced at 795 euros, is an excellent choice for WNBA and basketball fans in general. The design of this edition perfectly complements the mechanical Seastar 1000, so thank you Tissot for creating these new watches.
Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Quartz
The second watch is the quartz version of the Seastar 1000 model. It also has a 40 mm stainless steel case with a length of 46 mm from lug to lug, but this model is 2.5 mm thinner - its thickness is 10 mm. The case features a non-white dial with applied markers with clear white luminescence and a date window at the 6 o'clock position. The bezel insert matches the dial color and features an orange-gray "24-second" design. Like the black model, the watch also comes with white and orange quick-release Wilson straps.
Inside the case of this quartz version, Tissot uses the ETA F06.115 movement. It is designed for a battery life of up to 90 months and is equipped with an end-of-life (EOL) battery indicator. The movement is hidden behind a stainless steel case back engraved with a basketball, which we also see on the case back of the mechanical model. Additionally, it features the logos of the three partners in this project.
The new Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Quartz watch is available for 495 euros.
Final Thoughts on the New Tissot Seastar WNBA Models
Overall, I like what Tissot did with these new Seastar models. The brand created two watches that are perfectly suited for both women and men. At first glance, the black mechanical model seems more masculine than its white counterpart. However, in the modern world, color does not necessarily define who a watch is for. Moreover, by changing the strap colors, you get different aesthetic solutions and good versatility.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, Tissot did an excellent job creating two truly collaborative watches.
The result fits perfectly into the world of the WNBA and basketball in general. With the growing popularity of women's basketball, I have no doubt that these new watches will also be in high demand among fans. They serve as a great example of how to create a suitable duo of watches that will hopefully support the success of women's basketball.
For more information, visit the official Tissot website. Let us know what you think about the Tissot Seastar collection addition in our Telegram channel.