The Accessible Tissot Heritage 1938 COSC, Now in a Fresh White-Blue Edition

Released last year, the Tissot Heritage 1938 COSC is a watch that’s hard to not objectively find brilliant. Combining a nice retro design with modern specs and a truly fair price, it even comes equipped with a chronometer-certified movement – making it one of the most accessible Swiss chronometers on the market. This handsome, affordable vintage-styled watch was already available in two appealing editions – salmon and black-gilt – but Tissot now adds a third version to the collection, with a fresh, classic silvery-white dial and blue accents. 

Before we take a closer look at this new edition of the Heritage 1938 COSC, let’s quickly come back to the topic of the chronometer. A chronometer, not to be confused with a chronograph, is a watch that has been officially tested for its precision by an independent and vetted institute. Multiple organisations have the authority to certify movements and watches, the most famous of them all being the COSC or Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres. To summarise, the COSC measures seven criteria, including the well-known average daily rate of -4/+6 seconds per day. This implies multiple constraints, such as higher-grade parts for the movement, a rigorous testing and adjusting procedure and a time-consuming process – all of which adding to the final cost of the watch, hence why chronometers are more expensive than non-certified counterparts.

With the Heritage 1938 COSC, Tissot not only captures the essence of historic watches but brings the chronometer certification to the masses, with a watch that’s priced aggressively. More on that at the end. Design-wise, this watch, already available in salmon and black, is modelled after pre-WWII time-only models, with an appealing mix of Calatrava and military inspirations. The case, made of brushed steel with a polished bezel, measures 39mm in diameter for a reasonable height of 11mm. It features a sapphire crystal, a see-through back and a cool flat onion-shaped crown. Simple but well executed.

The dial of the Heritage 1938 COSC follows the same guidelines, with a railroad minute track, large embossed Arabic numerals and a clean no-date display. The vintage Tissot logo adds a touch of charm while the chronometre mention, despite being a tad too large, reminds of the watch’s superior precision. New for this year, the dial is now offered in a classic silvery-white tone with all elements of the dial being coloured in blue.

To match the dial, the watch is presented on a blue leather strap, with quick-release spring bars. And to make it even better, Tissot adds a Milanese mesh steel bracelet with straight end-links to the package, for a sportier, more casual look.

Under the see-through back is one of the most important movements of the Swiss industry, the ETA 2824-2 – which you can discover in detail here. It’s here presented in a COSC chronometer-certified version, with a silver-toned rotor. Beating at 4Hz and boasting 38h of power reserve, it shows that a simple, utilitarian movement can do great things.

The best part is the price, as this new, fully loaded white-blue edition of the Tissot Heritage 1938 COSC retails for EUR 895 or CHF 815… Really hard to beat. For more details, please visit www.tissotwatches.com.