Are you a timepiece lover looking for cheaper, well-made options retailing below $1,000? If yes, you are in the right place. We will look at a fairly common watch brand from Switzerland known as Tissot. Remember, a good watch should guarantee performance and reliability; therefore, strive to find out as much as possible about the brand before splashing your money on one. Before we start, let’s give you some background information about this particular brand.
What Is Tissot?
Tissot is a subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group, one of the biggest manufacturers of watches and jewelry worldwide. It is headquartered in Switzerland and was founded by Charles- Felicien Tissot and his son, Charles-Emile Tissot, in 1853. It wasn’t until 13 decades later, in 1983, that it joined the Swiss Swatch Group.
This brand gained more popularity in 1938 when it was used as an official timekeeper for a downhill ski race. Since then, it has been notoriously famous for downhill skiing. The brand has also penetrated other fields, such as ice hockey, racing, fencing, and cycling. Additionally, the company has heavily invested in accurate time-keeping thanks to their sensors, which are often placed on bikes and tracks and then connected to computers to show real-time performance data.
Is Tissot A Good Brand?
We will have to review the Tissot watch specifications to answer this question. Remember, you have to consider several features before getting a timepiece, which we will shed light on in this section. Let’s find out whether Tissot is worth your money or not.
1. Price
Even though budding watch lovers and collectors may not care about the price of timepieces, most people want affordable, reliable watches. So, unless you fall under the two categories mentioned above, getting a $1 million timepiece is unnecessary. When it comes to pricing, Tissot is a great brand.
Most of the watches in its catalog cost $200- $1,000, which is relatively affordable. Some watches above the $1000 mark only cost slightly higher, probably a hundred dollars or less. Tissot is, therefore, largely a middle-class watch.
If you want proof, google the Swatch Group Portfolio, which has different levels for individual brands. You will notice that Tissot is found above entry-level brands such as Flik Flak, which makes it a middle-level brand.
There are several reasons why Tissot sells its products at a relatively lower price. First, it produces them in bulk, hence enjoying high economies of scale supporting cheaper production. Second, it outsources most of its products’ components, lowering costs. Lastly, it uses ETA movements, which are cheaper, allowing the brand to support competitive pricing.
All in all, its low pricing doesn’t matter if the quality and build aren’t good. So let’s see how Tissot ranks when it comes to quality.
2. Quality
Even though Tissot prices its watches fairly, it performs quite well when it comes to quality. Note that quality goes hand in hand with durability, which is quite important. Back to Tissot, the brand uses is Sapphire Crystal, a scratch-resistant glass only found in premium watches. You will notice this at the front and back of the watch, assuring you of the level of security you need in your timepiece.
Your Tissot watch can survive a few knocks here and there without the glass getting hampered. Tissot watches also have a Swiss Made label which serves as a mark of quality and reliability. For a watch to fall under the Swiss Made category, it must be inspected and assembled in Switzerland and have the Swiss movement.
3. Movements
Your watch movement dictates how accurate it is. This is, therefore, an important consideration before buying one, whether expensively or cheaply. Luckily, Tissot has the same type of movement found in relatively expensive brands, even in their cheaper models.
For example, the Seastar 1000, which costs $400 or thereabout, has the same movements as some of the relatively expensive Omega watches. This is because Tissot does not make most of its own movements but relies on ETA, which is one of its biggest partners. However, other brands such as Briquet, Omega, and Blancpain manufacture their movements even though they are part of the Swatch Group.
4. Materials
The materials your watch is made of (especially the straps) dictate the level of comfort and security you will enjoy. Luckily, Tissot watches have high-quality leather straps, which are comfortable. They are also thick enough, putting less strain on your wrists and allowing you to wear your watch for a long time. The quality leather straps allow you to adjust your watch easily, which you will definitely appreciate.
5. Technology
Tissot also produces new, improved, long-lasting automatic watches thanks to its advanced technology powered by its research and development unit. Its automatic watches can go up to 80 hours, 44 hours more than most automatic watches that only last 36 hours. A good example is the Powermatic 80 line which the company produced in collaboration with ETA.
As part of the Swatch Group, this brand enjoys shared research and development efforts with others under the Swatch umbrella. This explains why most of its products are highly rated.
6. Variety
It’s important to consider the number of designs available before selecting a watch brand. Luckily, Tissot produces over 5 million watches for men and women yearly, which means several designs to choose from. You can be sure that you will get a design or two that works for you, especially if you are collecting watches. A variety of designs also means that you will get a watch for every purpose and occasion, an area Tissot thrives.
Example Of Tissot Watches
We will look at two of Tissot’s creations to help you decide whether this brand is good.
1. Tissot Le Locle
This unique design from Tissot was named after the town where the brand was founded. It comes with a date aperture and rose gold indices. It is also powered by the brand’s improved automatic movement, thanks to the Powermatic 80 Caliber. The straps, made of leather, are also equally comfortable.
2. Tissot T-Lady Flamingo Mother Of Pearl Dial
This is one of the best recommendations for any female watch lover. As the name suggests, it has a mother-of-pearl dial and a well-made two-tone bracelet, making it one of the best accessories to have in your wardrobe. Users also enjoy a powerful Quartz movement, which should tell you everything you need to know about the watch before making a purchase decision.
You can look up other designs and/or products and judge yourself.
Conclusion
So, Is Tissot a good brand? Definitely. It is evident from our article that this brand has a variety of quality, well-made and affordable watches that can be a good addition to your collection. Even though it can’t be termed a luxury brand, its creation and designs will still serve your purpose.
FAQS
1. Is Tissot A Luxury Watch Brand?
Tissot cannot be considered a luxury watch brand as its products are relatively cheaper. Examples of luxury brands when it comes to timepieces include Rolex, Partake Phillips, and Audemars Piguet, whose products cost up to and above a million dollars. Tissot can be defined as a middle-level watch brand.
2. Does Tissot Make All Its Watches In Switzerland?
Tissot is considered a Swiss Made watch, and as a general rule, Swiss-made watches must be assembled and inspected in Switzerland. It’s, therefore, safe to say that Tissot makes all its watches in Switzerland. However, to be a middle-level brand and maintain great pricing, it sources most of the watches’ components in other regions to lower production costs. This explains why you can easily get a good Tissot watch from $500- $1,000.
3. How Does The Powermatic 80 Caliber Afford To Last That Long?
Tissot produces automatic watches thanks to its research and development department. Its latest automatic caliber is the Powermatic 80, which the company produced in collaboration with ETA. It allows automatic watches to go up to 80 hours when fully winded, which is breathtaking, to say the least. This is possible because the caliber has an integrated new spring barrel design that acts as an additional power reserve.
Secondly, the regulator system is improved thanks to Tissot’s newly designed movement, which is micro-precise. A good or improved regulator system means that the watch runs on less power. Lastly, the Powermatic 80’s movement material is made of ARCAP, consisting of elements with anti-magnetic qualities.
4. Which Is Better? Tissot Or Seiko
Seiko has created a name for itself over the years for some of the market’s most reliable yet affordable timepieces. Even though both brands are equally good, Seiko may rank slightly above Tissot, which is understandable given that some of its models appreciate over time. However, note that these two brands use different models and technology; therefore, making such a comparison may not be easy.
For example, Tissot watches rank higher when it comes to high-quality and improved technology movements, a good example being the Powermatic 80. At the same time, Seiko is known for highly reliable, and limited-edition watches with super-high resale values. It is, therefore, okay to have different opinions concerning this matter.
