Innovators in tradition

Tissot is a brand that needs no introduction, calling themselves ‘innovators of tradition’ may sound like a bold claim, but for them, it is true. 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. Having made watches for over a century and a half, it’s safe to say that the brand has become pretty damn good at making them. And with advancements in technology in this modern era, the brand has also embraced innovation with its timepieces. Whether it’s in the form of the incredible and functional T-touch series or its newest Silicium escapement for its Powermatic 80 calibers. Tissot is a brand that always looks forward in its creations, while never forgetting its illustrious heritage too. And with such an extensive history, it should be expected for Tissot’s   to be equally extensive too, and it is. So, if you’re looking to get your feet wet with Tissot, whether it’s your first rodeo or if you’re already a seasoned collector, it can be rather headache-inducing to find the right one for you. But as we always do, we’ve done the looking for you and have narrowed down 10 brilliant watches from Tissot that (we think) ought to be in your collection.

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.    

 Key Features

• A vintage-style watch
• High-quality watch with vintage design
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 30 meters
• Case Size - 40mm

TISSOT V8 AUTOMATIC CHRONOGRAPH T1064271103100 MEN'S WATCH

For the petrol-head who is looking for a reliable, affordable chronograph to reflect their style and passion, the Tissot V8 Automatic chronograph is for you. The case is a classic sporty affair with equally sporty T-shaped chronograph pump pushers and a tachymeter scale as well.

Taking its namesake from one of the most versatile and iconic engines of all time, the V8 packs one hell of a punch in its design and technical prowess, not dissimilar to what you would expect from the engine it derived its name from. Power comes from the C01.211 automatic chronograph caliber with a 6-9-12 sub-dial layout, a 3Hz frequency and 45 hours of power reserve, the V8 chronograph seems like significantly greater value when compared to the competition, offering a Swiss automatic chronograph for under $1,500. And being a Tissot of course, reliability will practically never be an issue over time. Overall if you’re looking for a sporty timeless piece that oozes motorsport style for yourself, this is certainly a strong contender.

Key Features

• A sporty timeless piece
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 100 meters
• Case Size - 45mm

Tissot PRC200 Automatic chronograph T0554271101700 MEN'S WATCH

It should go without saying that chronograph movements don’t come cheap, even buying in movements from other sources can still be pricy. But Tissot, being part of the Swatch group has the inherent advantage of working with movement power-house ETA and this combined with volume production has enabled Tissot to release the new PRC200, a Swiss automatic chronograph for well under $1,500, while most Swiss made automatic chronographs generally go for a good $3000 and above.

This makes the Tissot PRC200 Automatic chronograph T0554271601700 extremely affordable and excellent value for the money for its robust specifications and it’s functional, down-to-earth design and built. The steel case is 44mm across and a little on the thick side, though the lugs do a good job of minimizing how high up on the wrist the PRC 200 sits. The alligator strap feels nice, and while the PRC 200 is also available on a bracelet for a slight premium, it's the rubber strap option I found the most enjoyable to wear. The dial has red accents added to the black dial and the black rubber strap makes the relatively large watch wear much easier than either of the other options. The pushers have a satisfying weight to them and you really feel the chronograph engage and disengage. There is nothing fancy about the PRC 200 or the C01.211 inside, but that isn't the point - the PRC 200 offers an accessible way for someone to get into the world of mechanical chronographs, and it does so very nicely.

Key Features

• A functional, down-to-earth design
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 200 meters
• Case Size - 44mm

Tissot Heritage Visodate Automatic T0194301104100 MEN'S WATCH

Key Features

• A vintage design with modern production techniques
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 30 meters
• Case Size - 40mm

Tissot Le Locle Regulateur T0064283605802

The next contender we have is the Tissot Le Locle Regulateur, which is the antithesis of the previous watch we had, where the Visodate presents all the information you need simply in one dial, the Regulateur gives you all that information in 4 separate apertures.

 It might sound like an illegible mess but Tissot has managed to make it work, keeping to its namesake and paying homage to the highly precise regulator clocks of old, with a single dial assigned for a single piece of information.

Powered by an ETA 2825.2 which already features subsidiary seconds, with variable axes, allowing the indicators to be moved around the dial. The Regulateur features 2 subsidiary dials (at 12 and 6 O’clock) with the minutes being read on the main dial, hours on the 12 O’clock sub-dial and subsidiary seconds at 6 O’clock.

Regulators were meant to make telling the time easier, and though it might take some time to get used to, this layout really does make a lot of sense once you’ve gotten the hang of it. I shan’t get too pedantic here but simply put, with different information displayed separately, it makes it a lot easier and clearer to absorb at a glance. Coming in at a hair over 39mm in diameter, the Regulateur is in every bit a proper homage to the vintage regulator timepieces in terms of style and proportions alike.

Key Features

• A classical chic watch
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 30 meters
• Case Size - 39mm

TISSOT SEASTAR 1000 POWERMATIC 80 MEN'S WATCH T1204073705100

No list of the best 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. With 42+ millimetres not including the crown or the guards, it is not a small watch. I’d rather call it contemporary. Being 13.3mm thick does not make it extra high on the wrist, as I already explained it above. It just sits comfortably.

As far as the surface finishing is concerned, the top is polished and the side is 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 dive watches.

The Seastar 1000 also has a unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel with a lume pearl 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 name suggests inside the Seastar 1000 Powermatic 80 is a now-iconic movement of the Swatch Group, 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. That 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.

Key Features

• An elegant watch for water sports lovers
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 300 meters
• Case Size - 43mm

TISSOT LE LOCLE POWERMATIC 80 T0064071603300 MEN'S WATCH

The next watch we’re looking at is one of the first few watches that sparked my love for mechanical watches. The Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80. When I first saw this many, many years ago, I wanted it, it was the first-ever proper watch that I actually wanted and strived for.  

It is, a traditional, swiss made 3 handed dress watch. And it is the very essence of what the dress watch stands for, and this Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80 brings that tradition to us in an incredibly affordable and gorgeous package. Being innovators in tradition, the Le Locle Powermatic 80 is a vintage styled dress watch, designed for the modern world featuring a central machine Guilloche dial surrounded by a bead-blasted minute track adorned with applied Roman numerals indices.

Though it looks like it belongs in a time long before ours (and that’s not even a bad thing) it is powered by Tissot’s very modern and reliable Powermatic 80 automatic movement, giving it as its name implies a healthy 80 hours of power-reserve, twice of what you get from mechanical watches in this price range. And it’s the on the rear where the vintage charms of this watch truly shine, with a medallion like case-back decorated with Tissot’s signature housing a very contemporary and innovative movement within.

It’s a great watch, to have for under a thousand dollars, with such a rich history and heritage that packs plenty of modern innovations and manufacturing techniques. Its unarguably one of the best modern affordable Swiss watches you can get right now without having to break the bank.

Key Features

• A traditional swiss made 3 handed dress watch
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 30 meters
• Case Size - 39mm

TISSOT POWERMATIC 80 SILICIUM T1274071105100 MEN'S WATCH

No list of the best sort of watches a man can get is complete without taking a look at the 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, the simple steel sports watch will never look out of place
The watches that exemplifies this design the 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 without having to break the bank. Well, Tissot has heard your calls and has 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 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 and with a Silicon escapement which makes the watch much more magnetic 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.

Key Features

• An everyday sports watch
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 100 meters
• Case Size - 40mm

TISSOT CHEMIN DES TOURELLES POWERMATIC 80 T0994071104800 MEN'S WATCH

Named after the street where Tissot’s headquarters is located at since 1907, the Chemin des Tourelles collection is not the latest collection, but it’s a timelessly smart looking piece that has aged very nicely over the years.

The watch is powered by Tissot’s proprietary Powermatic 80 automatic movement, giving as its name implies, 80 hours of power reserve which at this price point, is almost unheard of from other mechanical watches. The Powermatic 80 is based on the ETA Caliber C07.111 and is, of course, chronometer-certified as well. A chronometer with 80 hours of power reserve at just over a thousand dollars is truly a bargain and it only gets better when you look at the watch.

It is a proper representation of fine Swiss watchmaking bundled in what can only be called, an exceptional value. The dial is textured, with a subtle sunburst finishing on the center and surrounding it is a beautifully finished Clous de Paris guilloche pattern. It’s the perfect definition of smart casual, fitting right at home underneath a shirt cuff or with a pair of jeans on the weekend. Available in a 42mm diameter, making it an easy fit for most of us, this modernly classic looking timepiece is a proper representation of traditional Swiss watchmaking, embodied into a functional and handsome looking package.

Key Features

• A timeless smart looking piece at a relatively affordable price
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Stainless steel
• Water Resistance - 30 meters
• Case Size - 42mm

TISSOT T-TOUCH EXPERT SOLAR T0914204705701 MEN'S WATCH

With all the watches we’ve covered so far being mechanical, I think it’ll be fun taking a look at something different for our last watch; The Tissot T-touch expert solar.

Combining both analogue and digital readings, the Tissot T-touch Solar Expert 2 is a watch that will suit all kinds of horologists and offers the best of both worlds. Coming in the form of a neat, practical and compact watch that not only looks good but is great at its job as well. Its multiple functions include; multiple time-zones, a chronograph, day and date, altimeter, barometer and compass.

The dial of the Solar Expert 2 (45mm) is large enough to be read legibly during the day and after the sun sets, the luminescent hands and markers make it just as legible as it is in the day. It’s a robust watch, you can tell right off the bat after handling it for a while, it’s a proper, purpose-built timepiece.

Overall, it is a well built, well thought out watch that can be the perfect tool when you’re out in the wild and can only depend on the gear you have with you. Or when you just need a snappy, convenient and properly handsome timepiece to accompany you on your days out.

Key Features

• A neat, practical and compact watch with multiple functions
• Movement Type - Automatic
• Materials - Antimagnetic titanium case with black PVD coating
• Water Resistance - 100 meters
• Case Size - 45mm

Affordable Luxury?

It’s a term I personally hate using and 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; Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe. 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   is certainly the brand that you should go for.