Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph

Having owned the Tissot Chrono Janeiro re-issue, this vintage-inspired watch naturally caught my eye when it was first announced a year back. The watch leans heavily to the vintage, from its modest size to the subtle touches in the dial and case back.

So when the watch reach the shores of Singapore (it usually takes a couple of months after announcement for stock to get here), I had to go take a look.

Now a few months in, I'm going to attempt a review of the Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph.

The Good

This watch could very well be vintage inspired at its best. The stark white dial complements perfectly with the polished surfaces of the watch, the two working well together to present a lovely timepiece.

The 38mm case is a good size on this watch, Tissot showing a lot of restraint by not throwing forward a 'modern' case that's 40-42mm. This vintage case size lets the watch sit on my wrist with its bombe lugs hugging the sides in a very comfortable fit. If you didn't know, from its size you'd have thought this watch was an NOS from the 1970s.

Vintage goodness continues on the dial with a black printed railroad minute track on the outer rim of the domed dial. Underneath the acrylic crystal is a good balance between the applied elements that are polished, and the matte white background that gives a slight sheen under the light.

The case back is engraved, with three windows to allow access to the decorated automatic movement with simple Cotes de Geneve on the rotor and perlage on the main bridge.

And perhaps the best thing about the watch has to be the price point. Tissot has this priced very competitively, allowing many enthusiasts the chance to get in on this vintage goodness.

The Bad

There's not a lot to hate about this watch, and if I had to pick it would be the milanese bracelet and the curved spring bars.

The bracelet that comes with the watch is to me a little too thick. I'm thinking a slightly thinner mesh would give it an even dressier feel.

With a lot of watches I start to order straps. This one was no different. Imagine the surprise on my face when I found out (after removing the spring bars, and tearing a few micro scratches into the back of the lugs) that they were curved!

This meant that the space between the spring bar and the side of the case are too close to allow most aftermarket leather straps.

So if you're looking to own one of these studs, I'd suggest taking the above into consideration.

The Verdict

The price alone is a good reason to own this proper homage to the past. Tissot struck home with this white dial'd wonder. For those looking for a watch with a lot of vintage flair and without the hassles of owning and fixing an old movement, the Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph will surely rock your boat.

Tissot Heritage 1948 Automatic Chronograph

Ref. T66.1.782.33

ETA 2894-2

28,800vph, 42hrs reserve

30m water resistance

30-minutes and 12-hours counters, central 60-seconds chronograph hand

39.5mm stainless steel case

Engraved caseback with display window slits

The watch retails at US$1,450