One of the more adventurous releases from Tissot as of late, the Sideral S is not an entirely new concept; it is a modern reinterpretation of the original from 1971. That watch was a huge-for-its-time 42mm regatta timer whose case was forged from, of all things, bakelite. Rolex 6542 enthusiasts and others know this wasn’t the most durable material, and Tissot has reissued the Sideral – this time in carbon fiber and stainless steel and we have them available now in the Windup Watch Shop. Look closely, though, and you’ll realize this is a watch that not only embodies a few current trends but may set some new ones of its own. In this case (see what I did there?), it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

The use of carbon as a material for watch cases isn’t a new thing. Girard Perregeaux and Tag Heuer have thrown their hats in the ring. On the more accessible side, Doxa and Formex have also joined the game. However one thing they all have in common is that they are relatively expensive. Carbon is still considered an avant-garde material in watches, and R&D and manufacturing costs make most of them prohibitive to own for those who want to try something new but aren’t sure about jumping off the deep end. At just under $1,000 retail ($995 at the time of this publishing), the Tissot Sideral S brings carbon fiber (and stainless steel) to a whole new audience. This is no doubt thanks in part to the Swatch Group’s economies of scale, and it will be interesting to see how more watch brands continue to use this new material.

Lume, among many subjects, tends to bring out strong feelings in watch enthusiasts. We all want the confidence that our sports watches can shine bright deep underwater or when we get lost in caves even though the most dangerous things most of us navigate on a daily basis are other drivers on the road. What doesn’t get much attention, however, is multi-colored lume. Check out the Sideral S in low light.

How cool is that? Like the new Zodiac x Worn & Wound Super Sea Wolf Laser Tag, the Sideral utilizes color to touch on an aesthetic that is both nostalgic and refreshingly fun. Time will tell if colorful lume is something we’ll see more of (lume dials have certainly been making more of a case for themselves recently), but it certainly is one of the standout features of the Sideral.

Taken as a whole, the Tissot Sideral S is a distinctive watch that is sure to find its way onto many wrists. It can be enjoyed as a callback to an obscure reference from 50 years ago or as a potential future cult classic.