Affordable fine Swiss Timepieces
Tissot is a brand that needs no introduction, being around since 1853. That’s only half a decade after Omega and over half a century before Rolex. Heritage isn’t something that Tissot needs to fake. And while calling themselves ‘innovators of tradition’ may sound like a bold claim, it is actually a claim with proper backing. Having made watches for over a century and a half, it’s safe to say that the brand has gotten pretty damn good at making them. And with advancements in technology in the modern era, the brand has also embraced modern technology and infused it in its creations. Whether it’s in the form of the incredible and functional T-touch series or its newest Silicium escapement for its Powermatic 80 calibres, or even its quartz powered perpetual calendars, Tissot is a brand that always looks forward in its creations, while celebrating its rich heritage too. With such an extensive history, it should be expected that Tissot’s catalogue is equally extensive too, and it is indeed.
For those looking to add a Tissot into their collection, it can be daunting to find the right one for you in the sea that is their catalogue. Today, we’re here to make things easier for you, we’ll be rounding up the top 5 best of our new arrivals from the brand and why we think they ought to be in your collection.
TISSOT T-RACE MOTOGP 2020 AUTOMATIC LIMITED EDITION T1154272705700 MEN'S WATCH
The Tissot T race line has always been a celebration of the brand’s ongoing partnership with the prestigious MOTO GP motorcycle race. The brand has always had a tradition of making limited edition watches within the T race range and this MOTO GP 2020 Automatic Chronograph is no exception.
Though for this one, Tissot has done a rather good job on the dial, giving it an almost Royal Oak Offshore kind of a vibe, which isn’t even a bad thing. Firstly, the bold numerals are applied, and the chronograph sub-dials are nicely recessed and completed with a carbon fibre finishing. The case is where the design cues of this watch start to dial up to 11.
Featuring a unique brake calliper-esque crown guard and a brake rotor like bezel, the watch certainly harks to its motorsport heritage. The crown guard is merged nicely with the date magnifier which while large, gets the job done nicely. The pushers are nicely detailed too with a bold Start and Reset etched into the sides so there can be no mistaking what they are for.
Powering the watch is the ETA C01.211, an automatic chronograph movement that beats at 3Hz and offers 45 hours of power reserve and is visible (barely) through the exhibition caseback behind the motorcycle style wheel cage beneath the window.
All in all, whether you’re a fan of the Moto GP or are just looking for a striking sports chronograph, the Tissot T race Moto GP 2020 is certainly a worthy addition to any collection.
TISSOT POWERMATIC 80 SILICIUM T1274071105100 MEN'S WATCH
It may not look like it, but the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 is a fantastic stainless-steel every-day sports watch. It’s a timeless design that works no matter the occasion, whether you’re in jeans or shorts for a weekend out or in a suit for a gala dinner, this simple steel sports watch will never look out of place.
The watch that exemplifies this design best is, of course, the Rolex Datejust. But what if we don’t want to spend $10,900 on a steel Swiss made sports watch, but still want something special with similar aesthetics without having to break the bank? Well, Tissot has heard your calls and have responded with this: the Powermatic 80 Silicium T1274071105100. It’s part of Tissot’s Gentleman line, so we’ll just call it that for short.
The design is a simple formula that’s worked for over half a century and still will for the next century. With a smooth stainless-steel bezel surrounding a satin-finished sunburst Rhodium grey dial adorned with sharp, applied indexes and hands.
It’s a handsome watch and fits the bill of a gentleman’s timepiece perfectly. Elegant, ergonomic, refined yet strong enough to get a little rough. The 100m of water-resistant is a nice touch too, though it is really the movement of this watch that’s what makes it unique. It’s Tissot’s own Powermatic 80 caliber that offers a useful 80 hours of power reserve but paired with a Silicon escapement which makes the watch much more magnetism-resistant than before.
It’s an interesting piece of technological innovation that is rarely ever seen in watches of this price range, and when you put it next to the Rolex with its own Silicium escapement as well, getting that same bit of technology and refined design in a watch a tenth of the price makes the Gentleman look like the bargain of the century.
TISSOT SEASTAR 1000 POWERMATIC 80 MEN'S WATCH T1204071704100
No list of the best sports watches you can get will be complete without taking a look at a dive watch, and this is it: the Tissot Seastar 1000. The Seastar 1000 is a sports model marketed towards water sports lovers of course. The case of the Tissot Seastar 1000 is the nowadays-usual 316L steel. Over 43+ millimetres in diameter not including the crown or the guards, it is not exactly a small watch. But I’d rather call it contemporary. Being 13.3mm thick does not make it sit obstructively high on the wrist, it’s just a really comfortable watch to have on the wrist.
As far as the surface finishing is concerned, the top of the case is polished and the sides are mostly brushed with some polished trims here and there. The rear, as well as the case back, are all brushed. A few years ago, only the top brands had ceramic bezels, and now this incredibly technical material has become an industry standard for luxury dive watches.
The Seastar 1000 also has a unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel with a lume pip at 12 o’clock. Large crown guards make sure that the equally large crown (with the brand’s T logo emblazoned on it), remains intact. As the model’s name suggests, inside the Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 is a now-relatively staple movement of the Tissot brand, the ETA Powermatic 80. It is a 23-jewel automatic movement with a date function and beats at 21600 VpH.
The major thing to note about this caliber is, of course, its power reserve, which is, as the name suggests, 80 hours. All in all, if you’re looking for a handsome, modern Swiss diver with respectable performance and some additional features to boot, the Tissot Seastar 1000 is certainly a great choice for you.
TISSOT PRX40 T1374101104100
One of Tissot’s newest releases and unarguably one of their best so far. Oozing 1970s charm with its integrated bracelet design, harking back to angular sports watches of the era popularized by the Royal Oak and Nautilus.
With only 3 hands and the date, packed in a nicely svelte 40mm tonneau shaped case, paired with a neatly designed angular integrated bracelet, it is an iconic and timeless design that looked ahead of its time in the 70s and is still timeless today even after half a century.
It may look the part of a luxury Swiss-made sports watch but it certainly isn’t priced like one. And that is the best part about this fantastic watch: it costs only $510. Let that sink in for a moment; a Swiss made stainless steel sports watch that’s finished beautifully, sized nicely and is made by one of the best affordable Swiss watchmakers in the market, what’s the catch?
Well, if you hadn’t already guessed, where Tissot made the sacrifice to give the PRX the incredibly low-price-tag it has is in the movement. It’s powered by a Swiss ETA Quartz caliber, and to purists and enthusiasts, it may seem like a deal breaker but it shouldn’t be.
If you think about it, the reason why sports watches like the Royal Oak and Nautilus even existed in the first place was because the quartz crisis was about to wipe out the reign of mechanical watches. Casing a quartz movement in a watch that harks back to the era is the perfect vintage throwback to a substantial turning point of Swiss luxury watchmaking, at an incredibly competitive price.
TISSOT HERITAGE VISODATE AUTOMATIC T0194301603101 MEN'S WATCH
Styled as though it was from 50 years ago, the Tissot Heritage Visodate Automatic is a proper gem for a vintage style watch. The Tissot Visodate automatic harks back to a simpler time, a humbler era where tradition and functionality were all that mattered in a watch. Tissot has always enjoyed a reputation for producing high-quality watches that were affordable and forward-thinking, and the Visodate really encapsulates that ethos. The new model adds modern conveniences to the vintage design with an updated day-date complication, sapphire crystal and of course modern production techniques, despite these, the vintage charm of the watch still remains intact. Powering the watch is an ETA 2836-2 beating at a modest 28,800VPH (4Hz) with 40 hours of power reserve, and fitted with a custom golden rotor with Côtes de Genève decorations. Everything about this watch screams classic old-school (even down to the vintage Tissot logo on the dial), and it truly is a proper reminder that sometimes, some things really were just better back then.
Affordable Swiss Luxury for everyone
Affordable luxury isn’t a term I like to use or see being used, simply because luxury isn’t meant to be affordable or accessible. But for Tissot, I think it really is the case here. Maybe affordable luxury isn’t the right term, entry-level luxury would be more appropriate. It offers collectors and by-standers a bite of a highly coveted and often inaccessible slice of cake that is high-end Swiss watchmaking. Obviously, their watches aren’t made to compete with the giants that we’ve grown accustomed to, like Rolex, Omega, and Patek, but the appeal is similar. If you’re not looking to splash tens of thousands or even thousands of dollars on a watch, but still want something special, with an intriguing heritage and plenty of brand cache too, then Tissot is certainly the brand that you should go for.
