A brand that is not afraid to dip its toes in the past, Tissot has a knack for creating timepieces with effortless vintage style. For its most recent trip into the archives, Tissot has resurrected a couple of watches from the late 1930s. An era of classic, stripped-down design with Bauhaus influence, there is a timelessness that makes them feel almost contemporary. This particular quality really comes through in the new Tissot Heritage Small Second Auto COSC 1938.

Featuring a versatile 39mm stainless steel case with a box sapphire crystal and a combination of brushed and polished finishing, the Heritage Small Second Auto is designed to be an everyday timepiece with a business casual leaning. A clean, balanced dial in matte anthracite with silver accents on the sub-seconds dial and perimeter railroad index, it has a dynamic “inverse tuxedo” coloration. Gold-toned embossed numerals and hands stand out with extra vintage flair, and a date at three adds some extra functionality. Balanced and precise, the typography chosen is a standout feature of the design. Just below 12 is a vintage Tissot logo, while above 6 is a very important word “chronometre” indicating that these watches are chronometer-certified. The Tissot Heritage Small Second Auto COSC 1938 comes with a steel mesh bracelet and a leather strap adding to its versatility.

To that end, powering the Tissot Heritage Small Second Auto COSC 1938 is an ETA 2895-2 COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), meaning the movement has been tested and regulated to within -4/ 6 seconds per day, which is very accurate. The ETA 2895-2 is a highly regarded Swiss-made automatic movement with 27-jewels, small seconds, hacking seconds, hand winding, and a power reserve of around 42 hours. The movement is visible through a display case back showing off a special gold-toned rotor.