• Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 Own a Piece of WNBA History
  • Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80

    Own a Piece of WNBA History

    Hourstriker Staff
    Words by: Hourstriker Staff
    April 16, 2024
  • The world of sports and timekeeping have always been intertwined. From the split-second finishes of track races to the meticulously tracked quarters of an NBA game, precision is paramount. This connection is particularly important in basketball, where the shot clock reigns supreme. Tissot, a watchmaker with a rich history in sports timekeeping, has teamed up with the WNBA and Wilson, the league's official basketball provider, to create the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 watch, a special edition timepiece that celebrates the WNBA and the dedication of its athletes.

    Tissot, founded in 1853 in the Swiss Jura mountains, has been a mainstay in the watch industry for over 160 years. The company is renowned for its blend of tradition and cutting-edge technology, crafting timepieces that tell the stories of their wearers' lives. Tissot's commitment to excellence is reflected in their sponsorships of various sporting events, including the NBA, MotoGP, and the Tour de France. They are not just timekeepers; they are passionate about the sports they partner with.

    Courtesy of Tissot
    Courtesy of Tissot


    The Tissot Seastar collection is known for its sporty design and impressive functionality. These timepieces are designed for those who lead active lives, and the Seastar 1000 Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is no exception. It features a water resistance of up to 300 meters (1000 feet), making it suitable for swimming, diving, and other water activities. The watch also boasts a screw-down crown and caseback, which helps to ensure water resistance and protect the movement from dust and dirt.

    While a full technical description of the watch will be provided in the second part of this article, we can take a closer look at some of the intriguing features offered by the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 from a visual standpoint. The watch pictured has a black dial with white and orange details that mirror the WNBA's colors. These pops of color are not merely aesthetic; they pay homage to the league that the watch celebrates. The watch hands and indices are coated with Superluminova, a luminescent material that allows for easy time reading in low-light conditions. A distinguishing feature of this timepiece is its unidirectional rotating bezel. The bezel incorporates the 24-second basketball shot clock time, a subtle nod to Tissot's role as the WNBA's Official Timekeeper.

    Courtesy of Tissot
    Courtesy of Tissot


    For the watch aficionado, a close examination of the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 reveals more about its quality and craftsmanship. The 40mm stainless steel case is polished to a high sheen and houses a Swiss automatic movement, the Powermatic 80. This movement is known for its reliability and impressive 80-hour power reserve. The watch also features a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with an antireflective coating, ensuring clear readability even in bright sunlight.

    Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is its strap. It is crafted from Wilson's Evo-NXT Premium Composite Game Ball material, the same material used in the official WNBA basketballs. This unique design element directly integrates the essence of the WNBA into the watch itself. Furthermore, the strap is interchangeable, meaning that wearers can switch between the orange and white straps included to complement their style or show their WNBA fandom. The caseback of the watch features a WNBA Wilson® basketball, another subtle nod to the collaboration that produced this special timepiece.

    Driving the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is a true beast of a movement—the Powermatic 80. This Swiss automatic movement boasts an awe-inspiring 80-hour power reserve. This means that if you take your watch off on a Friday night, it'll still be ticking away happily on Monday morning. This extended reserve isn't just about convenience; it indicates a movement optimized for reliability and longevity.

    Courtesy of Tissot
    Courtesy of Tissot


    But the Powermatic 80 doesn't just impress with sheer staying power. It features an innovative Nivachron balance spring, a material highly resistant to magnetic fields. In our modern world filled with smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices, magnetic fields can wreak havoc on a mechanical watch movement's accuracy. The Nivachron balance spring helps to ensure that your Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 remains precise, no matter how much tech you have around you.

    The Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 features a classic three-hand layout with a date function. The black dial provides exceptional contrast with the white hour markers making for an incredibly legible experience. The watch's hands and indices are filled with Superluminova for clear visibility even in the dark, just like those brightly lit basketball courts where WNBA stars shine.

    Protecting the dial is a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with an antireflective coating. Sapphire crystal is renowned for its toughness, ensuring your watch maintains its good looks for years to come. The antireflective coating is the icing on the cake; it reduces glare and reflections, significantly enhancing readability in bright sunlight – perfect if you're sporting your Tissot outdoors.

    The 40mm stainless steel case of the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 strikes an ideal balance between presence and wearability. Its size suits a variety of wrist sizes. The case features a mix of polished and brushed surfaces, lending it a dynamic and sophisticated look, making it equally at home under a jersey sleeve as it is with your favorite pair of jeans.

    We’ve touched on the unidirectional rotating bezel with its incorporated 24-second shot clock, but its functionality deserves additional attention. This bezel is ideal for tracking elapsed time. Whether you're timing a parking meter, setting a workout interval, or keeping track of a pickup basketball game, a rotating bezel becomes an incredibly useful tool.

    Courtesy of Tissot
    Courtesy of Tissot


    One of the most appealing aspects of the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is how easily it can shift appearances. The watch comes with interchangeable orange and white straps crafted from the Wilson Evo NXT Premium Composite Game Ball material. The quick-release system means swapping them out is a breeze, transforming the look and feel of the watch within seconds. This level of personalization means you can always rock your WNBA pride by matching the strap and dial colors to your gameday outfit, or keep it subtle with the white strap for a more classic vibe.

    The most unique and exciting element of this Tissot Seastar is undoubtedly its status as a collaboration piece. But what does that truly mean? It goes beyond adding a logo to the watch and calling it a day. The use of Official WNBA basketball material to create the straps is a stroke of genius. It adds a tactile dimension to the watch, letting you feel the sport on your wrist. Beyond this, the collaboration with Wilson and the WNBA represents a celebration of women's basketball as a whole.

    The WNBA has been showcasing incredible athletes and intense competition for decades. This Tissot timepiece is both a tool those athletes could use and a statement piece for the fans who love them. With all eyes on the rise of women’s sports, the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 feels not like a trend-riding cash grab, but a sincere recognition of a powerful league and its dedicated fanbase.

    Let's be real, the Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is a watch that hardcore WNBA fans are going to be immediately drawn to. Its bold design, the integrated basketball material, and the celebration of all things WNBA make it an awesome showpiece of fandom. But let's not pigeonhole it either.

    This is a well-executed sports watch through and through. The 300-meter water resistance means it's ready for more than just courtside action. The reliable movement, sturdy case, and scratch-resistant crystal make it a companion for adventure, whether that means pickup games on the local courts or a weekend camping trip.

    Courtesy of Tissot
    Courtesy of Tissot


    And, if we're talking pure style, the sporty-chic aesthetic of this watch makes it a versatile player. It's got all the wrist-presence you could want, yet it's not overbearing.

    The Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 is a compelling blend of style, technical prowess, and a heartfelt tribute to the WNBA. Whether you're a passionate basketball fan, a collector of sports watches, or simply someone who appreciates well-made timepieces with a unique story to tell, this watch is more than worth your attention.
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