A Brief Tour of Tissot

Photo: Rivoli Jewellers

Charles-Félicien Tissot, with his son Charles-Émile Tissot, first established Tissot in the Swiss city of Le Locle in 1853, where the company is still based today.

As a start, Tissot, based in the Jura Mountains’ Neuchâtel region, built its brand by producing very dependable, gold-cased pocket timepieces. These watches attracted a sizable and enthusiastic audience worldwide.

Charles-Émile departed for Russia in 1858 to promote the company’s savonnette pocket clocks. There, he marketed his timepieces throughout the Russian Empire with great fortitude.

The SSIH (the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère) was founded in 1930 as a result of a partnership between Tissot and Omega. The two companies created a whole phase of timepieces that most collectors and enthusiasts loved. Tissot had secured its initial official timekeeping contract when it came to time ski races over Villars-Sur-Ollon in the Jura mountains by 1938. Hence, the company began keeping time for the Davis Cup in 1957.

In the year 1983, Tissot joined the SSIH-ASUAG (Allgemeine Schweizerische Uhrenindustrie AG). This company met the majority of the requirements of the watch market. And later on, it changed its name to SMH, or Société Suisse de Microélectronique et d’horlogerie.

Photo: Wikipedia

In 1998, SMH changed its title to the Swatch Group, which is now among the biggest names in the sector. While remaining in Le Locle, Switzerland, Tissot distributed watches to more than 160 nations. It is also regarded as the company’s flagship label and is a member of the mid-range Swatch Group companies.

In addition, Tissot currently manufactures a wide range of high-end timepieces. They include classically designed manual dress timepieces and cutting-edge sporting watches featuring quartz movements with touch-sensitive sapphire crystals. Nonetheless, Tissot embraces contemporary styles and technologies across the chapters of its astonishingly varied catalog.

Photo: Fratello watches

It also continues to uphold the same essential principles it has constantly done. Besides, the label’s long history could be seen in the contemporary watches that it produces today.

Here is a brief tour of the Tissot’s modern history in five timepieces:

1. Tissot T-Classic

The men’s Tissot timepieces are represented by the T-Classic line, which has over twenty models available. Additionally, each one of these variants has undergone numerous iterations. With roughly 50 variations apiece, the PR 100 and Couturier continue to be two of the most common designs.

The T-Classic sticks to traditional watch designs, as one may anticipate. Despite this, they make stylish dress pieces or reliable timepieces for daily use. The assortment includes quartz, manually wound, and automatically winded movements.

Photo: Tissot

Overall, the Tissot T-Classic is the ideal illustration of the outstanding quality you can expect from the company. Beyond their traditional though timeless look, Tissot T-Classic versions display superior functionalities and features. These pieces are the pinnacle of classy designer watches that can be worn for regular and special events. Moreover, the Tissot T-Classic is a fully adaptable line that offers outstanding performance.

2. Tissot Heritage

Not every company can execute traditional recalls effectively. With the Tissot Heritage line, Tissot challenges this notion by paying homage to vintage classics. These timepieces combine the best Tissot has to offer with brand-new, contemporary movements.

The Heritage line offers you that appearance while being powered by cutting-edge technology if you enjoy old pieces. Earlier Tissot timepieces, like the 1973 variant, a vintage sporting watch featuring a chronograph function, serve as inspiration for heritage timepieces. Moreover, the Tissot Heritage Porto will take you back to 1910 as it has an art nouveau dial and a tonneau-shaped casing.

Photo: Monochrome

With these wonderful watches, Tissot delivers a piece of the brand’s history, be it an artistic style collection, a traditional round automated piece, or a quartz-powered rectangle watch. Additionally, every sub-collection features unique elements, providing dependable and practical watches. Therefore, the Tissot Heritage can be perfect for you if you’re searching for vintage-appearing items to include in your portfolio.

3. Tissot T-Pocket

Watch enthusiasts can choose from three alternative face displays in the Tissot T-Pocket line of wristwatches: hunter, double-hunter, and an open-face. These Tissot pieces come in a variety of styles, from retro-inspired to more modern skeleton watches. Besides, each one features remarkable aesthetics that Swiss artisans could only create.

In addition, despite their great quality and the dependable Tissot history that comes with it, this line of pocket timepieces also has affordable pricing points.

Photo: HiBid

As a result, devoted watch enthusiasts and ordinary people who wish to attempt something new may readily afford them.

4. Tissot T-Sport

Strong components in the Tissot T-Sport line make it ideal for those who are physically active. Moreover, this collection’s watches have a tachymetric scale plus Chrono functionality, among other things.

Tissot timepieces from the 1960s prompted the current T-Sport pieces. Besides, they come in forms that are both elegant and cutting edge. Furthermore, the series boasts models that are powered by a variety of movements.

Photo: Tissot

The Tissot T-Sport series also includes over 150 timepieces in various types and versions. As a result, there is a T-Sport timepiece for each and every character. So when you choose to purchase a Tissot T-Sport timepiece, you can be certain that you won’t have any regrets.

5. Tissot T-Lady

Talking of women’s timepieces, the Tissot T-Lady series has everything you could possibly want in a Tissot ladies’ wristwatch. The pieces in this collection provide a variety of designs ideal for a range of uses. Although some patterns are large enough to qualify as formal attire, others perform well in a more casual scenario.

Photo: Tissot

With a large assortment of variants, the T-Lady line strongly emphasizes elegance and feminine appeal. Overall, there is a Tissot T-Lady timepiece for you, whether you prefer a squared or round case.

Conclusion 

Despite being a mid-range company, Tissot is a powerhouse in terms of producing high-quality watches. A new era of collectors and aficionados is drawn to the brand’s collections as they continue to develop. It demonstrates that it is a powerful player in the market along with other well-known Swiss businesses.

Therefore, there is a Tissot timepiece suited to everyone’s needs. This is whether you enjoy sports, want a dependable daily watch, or need an attractive dress piece.