Tissot · ref Navigator · early 1950s
Tissot's Navigator was one of the first automatic world-timers, and it reached the market before the Rolex GMT-Master. Sources put its launch in 1951 or in 1953, Tissot's centenary year, but they agree on how it works. A disc in the center carries the time zones and their cities and turns once every 24 hours, while a fixed bezel shows local time on an ordinary 12-hour scale. You set your home zone to midnight, stop the disc with the pusher at 2 and then set the hands as usual. Designer Oscar Waldan took an older Louis Cottier world-time idea and made it simpler. It's a 36mm watch in steel or 18k gold, driven by Tissot's in-house bumper automatic, the cal. 28.5N-21T. Tissot later reissued it as the Heritage Navigator, and the Navigator name also went on 1960s and 1970s chronographs, so make sure the listing is the 1950s world-timer.
The caliber
The 28.5N-21T is Tissot's own bumper automatic, an early self-winding design where the weight swings back and forth against springs instead of spinning freely. Later watches with the Navigator name used completely different movements, including Lemania automatic chronograph calibers in the 45xxx references of the late 1960s and early 1970s, so don't compare them with the world-timer.
The rotating city disc and the pusher that stops it are the parts unique to this watch, so they're the first things to check. Worn bezels and patina on the two-tone dial are common on examples this old.
Buying guide
Most Navigators for sale are later T12 Seastar world-timers, and we'd start with the cheapest, titled T12 Navigator World Time, at $699 delivered from the US. There are about 32 for sale and most ask $775–2,300 delivered, a wide band because titles rarely say what sets one apart, so judge each on a running video and crisp city names and 24-hour printing. Only one is the 1950s original, a 1953 ref. 4002-1 at $3,000 from Argentina, and for that one ask for a photo of the bumper movement and a video of the city disc. Check the seller's feedback and return policy on the item page, since eBay's watch search doesn't show them.
$699.00delivered
The lowest delivered world-time Navigator at $699, about $75 under the band. The title says nothing beyond T12 Navigator World Time, so ask for a video of it running and a photo of the movement.
Vintage Tissot T12 Navigator World Time 0210
$3,000.00delivered
The only listing here that's the 1950s original the catalog describes, titled ref. 4002-1 from 1953 in 36mm steel. It asks $700 over a band set by later T12s, so ask for a photo of the 28.5N-21T bumper movement and a video of the pusher at 2 stopping the city disc.
VINTAGE RARE TISSOT Navigator ref 4002-1 1953 stainless steel 36 MM Automatic
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 6, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 6, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$699.00delivered
$699.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$699.00
Good buy
T12 Navigator titled world time. Ships from the US.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$3,000.00delivered
$3,000.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$3,000.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
The 1950s world-timer, titled ref. 4002-1, 1953, 36mm steel. Ships from Argentina.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$839.57est. delivered
$739.57 + $100.00 shipping
Buy It Now$739.57
Our take
Navigator Seastar T.12 world time with rotating bezel. $100 shipping from Japan.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$1,280.99est. delivered
$1,275.00 + $5.99 shipping
Auction · no bids yet
Our take
Auction with no bids yet. Titled T12 world timer.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$1,499.00delivered
$1,499.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$1,499.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Seastar Navigator world timer in a Super Compressor case.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$1,713.98est. delivered
$1,699.99 + $13.99 shipping
Buy It Now$1,699.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Navigator Seastar T12 with 24-hour world time.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$2,093.99est. delivered
$2,058.99 + $35.00 shipping
Buy It Now$2,058.99
Our take
24-hour dial, black mirror finish. Same title as another Japan listing at $2,105.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Used$2,474.94est. delivered
$2,449.99 + $24.95 shipping
Buy It Now$2,449.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled with a deployment bracelet and box. Just over the band.
Seller: Seller on eBay
Check feedback on the listing
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 6, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchA fresh strap, a set of spring bars and a spring-bar tool are the cheap part of making an old Tissot Navigator World Time wearable again. This searches Amazon for the usual kit.
Search straps & tools ↗Amazon search
Tissot · Visodate
Dressref Visodate Seastar
$240–$390 typical ask
IWC Schaffhausen · Pilot's Watch
Pilot and fieldref Mark XI (6B/346)
$8,050–$8,725 typical ask
Longines · Conquest
Dressref 90xx series
$675–$3,000 typical ask
Omega · Constellation
Dressref 168.005
$2,500–$3,275 typical ask