We're covering all things Tissot, the historic brand and high-quality swiss watch manufacturer, and part of the Swatch Group. I'm going to pick out a few of my personal favorite Tissot watches and give you the rundown on the Tissot brand.
I currently own a Tissot touch and it's amongst my favorite watches. I think that Tissot's push to bring luxury high quality watches to a more affordable market makes the company a pioneer. Tissot watches have been making innovative timepieces since the beginnings of the brand in Le Locle, Switzerland, over a 170 years ago.
For this, Tissot Reviews - Swiss Luxury at Affordable Prices, article, I've picked out four watches from their collections that represent the wide range of types and styles the Tissot brand manufacture. With a review of all four, I hope to give you some ideas for your next Tissot. I'll also provide a brief history and a quick guide to helping you choose your Tissot.
Tissot is sometimes one of those brands enthusiasts overlook, but they are watchmaking groundbreakers and a brand with a rich history. Want to get the full breakdown of Tissot? Read on!
Let's start with the specs list of the Tissot watches I've picked out. Here are four of my favorite Tissot watches designed to show you the watch styles and quality this watch company has:
Style. That's the first word that comes to mind when I look at the Tissot PR100 Powermatic 80 silicium. And simplicity is the next. Which is great, because they're the two things I look for in a dress watch.
It has an understated and elegant polished silver case that goes with almost anything from casual to black tie. The black sunburst dial is set off nicely by silver hour and white minute indices.
A square date window at the six position is subtle but not too small to be read. And the lumed hands mean you can still read the time in low light conditions.
This Tissot watch sits on the wrist very well. With its less than 10.5mm thickness and modest 39mm diameter, it's the perfect size for a classic dress watch.
Turn the watch over and Tissot have added a half-skeleton back as a clever detail that lets you see into the 23-jeweled mechanism. It's a classy touch that speaks to the swiss luxury roots.
The 80 refers to the 80 hour power reserve the accurate, automatic movement has. And the silicium refers to the material they use in the mechanism. This is to decrease potential interference from electronic magnetic fields (basically, it stops your phone or any other of your electronic items messing with the accuracy of the wristwatch). Tissot were a pioneer in this technology.
The Tissot Seastar 660/1000 goes right to the other side of the scale. This is a big and solid dive watch, that oozes class. And just as brand Tissot have got the essence of a dress watch in the PR100, so have they got the essence of dive watches in this piece.
This is a big watch, it's 45.5mm diameter, so it's going to be noticed. But with its less than 13mm thickness and under 110 grams, it doesn't feel too bulky nor heavy.
It has a lovely blue-black gradient dial that catches the light and speaks to the marine roots of this watch. It is a stunning dial. This version has a chronograph, there are versions without if you don't want it. Because of the chronograph, the calendar date window is a little small, nestled between the 4 and 5 positions. A contrasted color window would have made it easier to read, but it's not bad.
I have chosen a Seastar with a quartz movement to highlight the different movements the Tissot brand has available, but for those of you who prefer automatic movements, there are versions of the Seastar that come with a Tissot powermatic mechanism.
Like most things TIssot, the unidirectional bezel is solid, and it feels precise. There is a tiny amount of play in the bezel but not enough to be an issue (at least for me). Both the crown and the pushers are screwdown to help with the water resistance. Which is 300 meters (1000 feet, hence the 1000 in the name).
Divers are one of my favorite categories, and this Tissot is close to my favorite piece. There are color and bracelet options available, so you can always find something you like. And you get all of this for around the $500 dollar price range. Tissot durability at a competitive cost.
I have a soft spot for skeleton watches. And the Tissot Men's T-Complication Squelette is a beautiful timepiece. I could watch the movement for hours. I'm an engineer by education and a bit of a nerd by disposition. The ability to fit that kind of precise mechanical engineering into such a tiny machine that is a modern watch is fascinating.
With a simple brushed stainless steel case, Tissot have hit the right note. The case is elegant without taking your focus from the main event.
The indices are as small as possible while still being big enough to read without strain. And the hour markers are outlined in the same blue color as the hands. The hands are a blue skeletal triangle with the tips filled in white. I think the separate seconds counter gets lost a little in the skeletal mechanics. But it's like a little secret addition that Tissot have added and it surprises you when you notice it.
As much as I love automatic movements for never having to worry about winding it, I think the manual movement suits this watch. It is a reminder of Tissot watch traditions and is an excellent example of what Tissot have done with everything for this watch. Seamlessly integrating the traditional with the modern.
The back of the watch is just as fascinating as the front, showing off more of the quality movement and the 17 jewels it includes. Text on the outside also highlights the 50 meter water resistance.
I have chosen this one, just to show the breadth of Tissot watches. The Tissot Porto Dress Watch is an unusual Tonneau shape. Basically, a buoyed rectangle. Based on a Tissot watch from 1910, it is a true classic.
Its unusual shape and big arabic numbers mean it's a watch that gets noticed. But at less than 43mm in length and only 31 mm in width it isn't big and with 10.5mm thickness it fits well on most wrists big or small. Tissot have got the dimensions just right.
I have chosen the quartz version here, but there are mechanical watches available. It's just twice the cost. If you want to be true to the 1910 TIssot original, the mechanical is a little over a $1000 dollars, the quartz should be around $500.
The polished silver case is expertly finished. As is the brushed silver dial. I like the old-fashioned numbers (Art-Nouveau, if we're getting precise) that are largest at the 12 and 6 and shrinking to the 3 and 9.
As a general rule, I'm not a fan of a gap between the strap and the case. But done like this, it's part of the style and suits it perfectly. The caseback is polished silver and very simple. With just the Tissot logo at the top and the watch details at the bottom. I think I might have liked an engraved image, but I know Tissot are only staying true to the original.
I haven't included this in my list of watches at the top. But the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar is definitively one to look out for. Tissot watches were the first with a touch screen and they continue to improve the technology.
It's a fantastic sports watch with Tissot's touch technology, it's solar powered, packed with features and connected to your phone. A ceramic bezel, tough design and 100m water resistance, mean it will tolerate hard use. Or as Tissot say 'A swiss army knife for the wrist'. And it still looks like a high quality piece. I hope to have an example on order soon.
So, you have a few of my favorite Tissot watches. By all means, this is not an exhaustive list and I'm sure you have a favorite that's not made my cut. But that's the cool thing about Tissot watches, there's something for everyone.
Let's take a historic look at Tissot the brand:
The Tissot brand dates back to 1853 and the town of Le Locle in Switzerland. Le Locle has a special place in horology. In the middle of the 18th century, over half the population of the town had a hand in manufacturing watches.
Father and son Charles-Felicien and Charles-Emile Tissot were two of those involved and they founded the Tissot watches company, beginning in the family home and then moving to a factory site nearby. The Tissot watch company brand grew quickly as the duo adapted to changing times and politics to keep ahead of the competition.
Expanding from their home country, Tissot began delivering watches to the Russian court and Alexander II. And Russia became the biggest market for the Tissot company, helped by a third-generation Tissot dealer who moved to Moscow and started a family. It wasn't until later they expanded the Tissot watchmaking brand across the world into retailers in the United States and Asia.
Tissot have always been a brand whose principle is to stay ahead of the times. Both in manufacturing (they were the first to use electric tools), production quality, and in the concepts, types and styles of watches made.
To this day, the Tissot Company is known for some of the best quality pocket watches available. They became part of the Swatch Group, along with Omega, in the early eighties and continue to innovate. In fact, that's the brand tagline "Innovators by tradition".
Some of their innovative products include the RockWatch, the WoodWatch and the PearlWatch. The RockWatch is a piece whose case is made entirely of rock from the Swiss Alps.
But it isn't just in quality designs and functionalities that Tissot watches display originality. In marketing, Tissot have always been in front as well. They were one of the first watchmaking brands to have cinema advertising. They have lucrative brand partnerships and are official timekeeper for cycling and motogp sports, and with the backing of the Swatch Group, they have a truly global reach. The result, you can find a Tissot in any retailer all over the globe, from China via Europe to the United States.
There are so many Tissot watches to choose from, it can be daunting to know where to start. So here's my checklist for picking out your next timepiece from the Tissot watches collection.
With an answer to these questions, you'll have found some perfect Tissot models to choose between. And most Tissot's come with a comprehensive warranty, so you can purchase with peace of mind.
And that's our breakdown on the Tissot brand and their watches. I need a lot more words than I've got space for here to do Tissot and their pieces justice. But in the end, I hope you've learned something and have gotten ideas for your next Tissot purchase.
They might not have the flashy name of Rolex, but the Tissot Company has been quietly innovating wristwatches in manufacturing, marketing, production and designs for a long time. They have a watch for any part of your life.
Even as part of the giant Swatch Group, they still have headquarters near Le Locle in Switzerland, and here's to hoping they continue to be a watch brand of quality way into the future.
