Tissot Watches – Innovation and Styling
If you’re considering buying a luxury timepiece, you really should give some thought to Tissot watches. The company’s products are often lumped in with designer watch brands, but really, these are luxury watches, with the build quality, and pricing that suggests that you’re buying something extraordinary. You are.
Founded in 1853 in Le Locle, Switzerland, Tissot has long been a leader in technological innovation, as well as offering stunning build quality and attractive wristwatches as well as pocket watches. The company has changed hands several times over the years and at one time merged with Omega, another Swiss company. At the moment, the company is owned by the Swatch group.
Read on for the full Tissot watches review.
Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary
Tissot Watches Build Quality
The brand been on the market since the 1850s; you don’t stay in business that long if you don’t make a quality product. Tissot watches feature stainless steel cases and sapphire crystal bezels, insuring that your timepiece will be rugged. Many of their models are water resistant to 100 meters or more, allowing you to wear them in harsh environments. Tissot watches feature both Swiss mechanical and quartz movements, offering high reliability.
Not surprisingly, the movements used in Tissot watches are Swiss made. They use both mechanical (including self-winding) and quartz movements in their timepieces. While a few models include hybrid analog-digital displays, most of their models feature analog displays only, with traditional hands and perhaps a date.
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Innovation is one area where these watches really shine and distinguish themselves from other players in the luxury watch market. The company has long been among the first to bring new features to the market, starting with their two time zone model in 1853. They were the first in the world to introduce a non-magnetic timepiece, and they didn’t stop there.
Over the years, they have led the market by introducing plastic cases, stone cases, and even wooden cases. Some newer models include features such as thermometers, compasses, altimeters, and barometers, and they have also created the “T-Touch” technology, similar to touch screen technology, to make it easy to control some of these features.
Not surprisingly, the styling tends to lean towards the traditional, as this is an older company with a rich history of building timepieces with an austere look. That said, they also offer a number of cutting-edge designs as well as models containing a plethora of interesting features, as described above.
Unlike most companies, they still pocket watches, too, and offer quite a few in their product line. A few of their models offer bright colors and they offer a variety of bands, including both leather and metal bracelet-style bands. While they don’t make a whole lot of models that would be classified as casual wear, they have a few, and they certainly make a lot of models suitable for business and sports wear.
When it comes to evening and formal wear, they’ve got you covered; numerous models include both precious metals and gemstones in their designs, and many examples are genuinely spectacular to view. If you wear one of their high end models to any event, you will get noticed, and in a good way. With hundreds of models for both men and women, this brand can appeal to all tastes and most price ranges.
As with many designer watch companies, this one offers many limited edition models which tend to sell out quickly and are sought out by collectors. You may have to shop around to see these, as their distribution is spotty and they tend to sell quickly.
While these watches don’t require anything in the way of unusual care, they are quality pieces of jewelry and should be treated as such. Clean them using a soft cloth and avoid using any caustic or abrasive chemicals. Self-winding models should be worn regularly or stored in a watch winder to keep them running and displaying the correct time.
Quartz models will require battery replacement every few years, and if you have a sports model and regularly use it near water, you should probably have a jeweler examine it every three years or so to ensure that it remains watertight.
As warranties go, this one tends towards the low end of the scale, offering a two year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. While this is hardly the shortest warranty offered by watchmakers, many companies offer longer ones.
That said, Tissot watches are quality timepieces that are likely to last for decades with proper care, and most defects are going to show up well within the warranty period. Many retailers offer extended warranties at a nominal cost at the time of purchase; please inquire if this issue concerns you.
As luxury timepieces go, these are priced towards the middle of the price range. They’re not inexpensive, but the low end of their product line starts at around $200, making them affordable for most consumers and a relative bargain, given their history and build quality.
The company currently offers more than 200 models each for men and women, and their products tend to fall into four price ranges with approximate percentages of their models for each range:
$200-$499 (38%)
$500-$999 (44%)
$1000-$1499 (7%)
$1500 and above (11%)
“Above” $1500 may be misleading; some models are priced up to almost $10,000. That said, as shown above, they have a nice pricing spread, offering a nice variety of timepieces in each of the four price ranges. While the low end models are certainly attractive and well-built, it’s the high end where the company’s products really attract attention.
If you like features galore, gold, and diamonds, that’s where you’re going to find them. Still, you can find a quality model for several hundred dollars, and it’s highly unlikely that anyone in your social circle will have one (or will have seen one) so even low-end models should attract attention no matter where you go.
As with other companies with a long history, Tissot watches offer great interest to collectors, particularly those models made during the brief time when the company was associated with Omega. Vintage models as well as limited edition models attract a lot of attention in the secondary market, and there’s a good chance that your watch will appreciate in value over time, making a purchase a good investment.
You can find the brand for sale at fine jewelry stores and certain high end department stores. Like other mid to high end watchmakers, the company prefers not to see their products offered for sale online, but there are a number of online sellers who have some of their models for sale.
Given that the company offers such a large number of models (currently more than 400!), it’s highly unlikely that any one retailer is going to have them all, especially since some of their models are limited editions, where distribution tends to be somewhat spotty. You’ll likely have to shop around a bit if you’re looking for something specific.
Tissot Watches Summary
Tissot watches offer a rich history of fine Swiss watchmaking, great looks, terrific build quality and legendary innovation. While they aren’t inexpensive, their products certainly start in a range that makes them affordable for just about anyone.
Their high end models are truly works of art, incorporating beautiful design as well as diverse features as well as precious metals and gemstones. They’re highly sought out by collectors and will certainly draw interest from anyone no matter where you are. If you like quality, design and features, Tissot watches are perfect for you.