Vintage Tissot watches are undoubtedly great values. In the same way that many Volkswagens resemble expensive Audis, I liken them to downsized Omega watches. This means you get high quality movements, cases, and designs at affordable prices. Today’s Tissot Antimagnetic Pointer Date 6445 is a great example of a vintage powerhouse watch that’s affordable.
eBay remains my favorite place to find vintage watches. There are fewer extremely random finds and shorter intervals now, but there are still great options. Vintage Tissot is a category that always offers options on the popular platform, with interesting watches from the 40s and 50s. Specifically, we’re talking about Antimagnetique watches with chrome or steel cases. Today, we’re going to talk about one of the great models from that era: the Antimagnetique Pointer Date 6445.
Image: Archive Tissot SA
Anti-magnetic designation
Much has been written about the advent of antimagnetic watches and Tissot’s contribution. Balazs wrote an excellent article and Tony Traina (formerly of Lescapement, now Hodinkee) followed suit with a look at specific models. The name Antimagnetic refers to a new, less magnetic alloy for the balance wheel. The 30s, when these models were released, was a time of great innovation. Electricity was becoming widespread. This led to the development of devices and equipment that could generate magnetic fields and put them into everyday use. It was also a time when metallurgy began to develop. Some of those developments led to the birth of new antimagnetic alloys that are in use today.
Image: Archive Tissot SA
How antimagnetic were Tissots from this era? Interestingly, no such claim can be found in old advertisements. It would have been a dramatic improvement for the time, but no different from a typical mechanical watch today. In other words, these watches should not be confused with the specially made Rolex Milgauss. Tissot used the description “antimagnetic” for a variety of watches up until 1959. This included the Tank, larger time-only watches, and small waterproof watches. Today’s Pointer Date 6445 is an example of the latter, although “small” is less appropriate given its age.
Pointer Date 6445
The Pointer Date 6445 is part of a line of watches from Tissot from the late ’40s, with a waterproof case and an attractive date display function. The Pointer Date style, which uses a fourth hand, is easily recognizable to modern watch fans thanks to Oris, who produced a Pointer Date model more than 70 years ago and brought it back in the ’90s. This modern version was so well-received that the brand even beefed up their own version with a traditional sub-second dial.
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 isn’t just an old-fashioned looking watch, it’s a really old watch. This watch was made in 1947 and features an eye-catching black and grey “bullseye” dial. Other models have included an all-white dial, or a black-on-white color scheme. The indices also vary, but radium lume is a common theme.
Attractive dial layout
The bullseye dial is, in my opinion, the most attractive. The crisp dark toned areas keep the numerous numerals well organized. As an aside, 99% of watches with a date window lose the fluidity of the design due to the carbuncle-like addition. The pointer date, on the other hand, keeps the dial symmetrical as it is. The Pointer Date 6445 is a shining example of the purity of this design.
The central grey zone features the Tissot Antimagnetique logo (more on that later), which blends into the sub-dials, which are also grey and printed in white. The middle ring features radially printed radium Arabic numerals indicating the hours. Finally, the grey outer sector features white date numerals. That may sound like a lot of numbers, and it is. But the watch is cohesive and well thought out. The Pointer Date features a radium-filled syringe-style hand and a red arrow-tipped date indicator. Red is the perfect contrast against the black, grey and white background.
Monet-like logo
The logo on the Pointer Date 6445 is unmistakable as anything other than a beautiful Tissot logo with a giant “T”. However, the font structure looks distorted and blurred. I would love to blame this on the radium and rile up those who have strong concerns about the material, but I don’t think that’s the case. I’ve seen many different examples of Pointer Dates and they all contain radium. The white models look great, but the models with the grey dials have consistently faded logos. Who knows if that’s due to the aging of the grey paint or how the grey paint reacted with the radium. Still, like a Monet, the logo looks great from a distance.
Easy to wear and durable
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 is made from stainless steel and measures 35mm x 42mm. Importantly, it has a lug spacing of 18mm, a good visual weight, and a wide selection of straps and bracelets. It has a tall domed acrylic crystal on top and an overall thickness of 12mm. Overall, it’s a sturdy watch reinforced by a chunky original crown and a screw-down caseback. Design-wise, I like the flowing lugs and concave bezel. It’s quite utilitarian, but the finish is crisp.
27-67 caliber
The Tissot 27-67 caliber found in the Pointer Date 6445 is an in-house movement based on the 27 caliber introduced in 1936. The watch was produced until 1949, after which the Incabloc shock resistance was added. It is a simple 15-jewel hand-wound movement that ticks at 18,000vph and has a 44-hour power reserve. As you can see, the surface finish is basic and the jewels are pressed in. Still, the number of bridges is impressive. Winding is smooth, but note that the date complication cannot be set quickly. We mentioned that Tissots of this era have an Omega-like feel, and in fact, Tissot was acquired by the Biel-based brand in 1925. The 27 series movements are said to have appeared in co-branded watches for the South American market.
Impressive on the wrist
The Tissot Pointer Date 6445 pairs well with a variety of straps and bracelets. I’ve worn this watch on a strap, a bon clip, and currently on a vintage NOS Montal Beads of Rice bracelet. No matter what I try, this beautiful watch looks like an expensive semi-complication watch, while also feeling sturdy and durable enough for everyday use.
Earn points with Pointer Date 6445
There are many vintage Tissot Pointer Date 6445 and related models for sale. Of course, finding one in good condition is difficult. The lighter dials tend to sell and be found faster than the darker bullseye pieces. I heard about my example from my friend Laurence in London, who decided that the watch was too small for him. He owns and wears other watches of the same dimensions, and the darker dial made the watch visually smaller on his wrist. I would assume a price range of 750-1,500 euros for a good one, but save the higher end of that range for something special. If you think these watches are too cluttered, you can get a waterproof stainless steel Tissot Antimagnetic piece for less. It’s a good deal, but remember to check, as they are often smaller in diameter.
lastly
Larger vintage stainless steel watches from the 40s and 50s are hard to find. Features like famous brand names, waterproof cases, in-house movements, and complications make them even more difficult. This makes the Tissot Pointer Date 6445 a very valuable watch for vintage collectors. It’s also hard to find a good one, but it’s well worth the search.
