Born in 1853, the Tissot brand remains one of the most popular in the world. It’s also one of the most iconic of Swiss watchmaking. The family workshop has become a veritable empire within the Swatch Group. But what are its products worth? Is it “a good brand”? We give you our complete opinion on Tissot watches here.
The history of the Tissot brand
The adventure of Tissot begins in the heart of the Swiss Jura mountains, in the town of Le Locle, the cradle of watchmaking, which also witnessed the birth of Audemars-Piguet, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith and so many others. This is where Charles-Emile and his father Charles-Félicien founded the Tissot brand on July 1, 1853. Or to be precise, the CH. F. Tissot & Sons. As such, Tissot offers not only beautiful watches, but also supplies spare parts, keys and oils, thanks to a very well thought out network of suppliers. A rarity at the time!
Charles-Emile does not hesitate to travel Europe, particularly the United States and Russia, to set up counters in new countries. Thus the Tissot brand quickly crosses Swiss borders. Ever the avant-gardist, Charles-Emile also advocates for the creation of watchmaking schools, so that Swiss expertise can be perpetuated from generation to generation.
Known for its reliable and precise pocket watches, Tissot brand had no choice but to reinvent itself during World War I (and the Russian Revolution of 1917). This involved the creation of new wristwatches, of which the brand remains one of the pioneers. The family workshop then transformed into a true watchmaking factory, producing all components of its timepieces. And a few years later, it partnered with Omega within SSIH (Swiss Society for Watchmaking Industry) to strengthen its distribution network.
With the development of electricity in the 1920s, electromagnetic waves tend to disrupt watches. It was Tissot who found the solution first, manufacturing the world’s first anti-magnetic wristwatch. A feature quickly adopted afterwards by all its competitors (Alpina, Rolex, IWC…).
Always in search of new innovations, the brand developed its first waterproof watches as early as 1938 and then attempted to use new materials to develop its products. This is how the Astrolon arrived in 1970, with its machined-free movement in synthetic materials. This same decade was marked by the arrival of electronic watches and the quartz crisis. A real setback for Tissot, until the intervention of Nicolas Hayek in 1983 and the creation of the Swiss Society of Microelectronics and Watchmaking (SMH), predecessor of the Swatch Group, which then included brands such as Omega, Blancpain, Longines and Rado.
Swiss watch houses can then move forward again, and Tissot reasserts its taste for innovation by creating, for example, the T-Touch in 1999, the world’s first touch watch.
Continuing to benefit from its excellent distribution network, partner of the most prestigious sporting events, Tissot is back on top. In 2021, it presents itself as the “Swiss traditional watch brand that sells the most watches in the world”. A remarkable success 170 years after the start of Charles-Félicien and Charles-Emile Tissot’s adventure.
Our opinion on Tissot
By being one of the first players to develop “watch marketing”, by associating with sports competitions and prestigious ambassadors around the planet, Tissot has become one of the most well-known brands in the world.
But beyond the image, the Swiss brand also offers quality watches (quartz and automatic), offering excellent value for money. To get a first “beautiful watch” or simply out of love for the sporty-chic watch style, Tissot therefore remains an essential reference.
The iconic watches of Tissot
At Tissot, stainless steel watches are highly sought after and among them, the PRX is one of the most emblematic. PR stands for “Precise” and “Robust”, X, 10 in Roman numerals, for its water resistance up to 10 ATM, approximately 100 meters. Reinvented since the early 2020s, it is now one of the most coveted models of the brand, having notably won the watch of the year award in 2023.
In an even more sporty spirit, Tissot continues to reinterpret its most iconic models. After the PRS 516 which was “just” inspired by it, the new PR516 pays direct tribute to a Tissot model from the 1960s.
This collection is tailored for motor racing enthusiasts, as evidenced by its engraved back and push buttons evoking pistons. Available in numerous variants today, it is one of the preferred references for men in the Swiss brand’s collection.
For sea bed enthusiasts, it’s rather towards the Seastar that they should turn! It also still has countless iterations, but this iconic diver has not lost any of its charm more than 60 years after its creation!
Finally, in a “vintage chic” style, we also have a penchant for the Visodate, particularly its automatic version equipped with the Powermatic 80 movement.
Current Tissot promotions
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Where to buy Tissot watches?
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From the end of the 19th century, Charles-Emile Tissot made sure that his watches were sold almost everywhere, from Switzerland to Russia, via the United States. So, it’s no surprise today to see the brand present in all jewelry-watch stores, with shops and resellers spread out across the globe!
The same network logic has accompanied the development of e-commerce, since we find Tissot watches on all specialized sites such as Ocarat, Watches & Co, Watchmaster, Chic Time, Watchshop, Maty, Conteenium…
The latest news from the brand
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Everything to know about Tissot: reviews and most beautiful watches - Born in 1853, the Tissot brand remains one of the most popular in the world. It’s also one of the most iconic of Swiss watchmaking. The family workshop has become a veritable empire within the Swatch Group. But what are its products worth? Is it “a good brand”? We give you our complete opinion on… Continue reading Everything to know about Tissot: reviews and most beautiful watches
Tissot PR516: The grand comeback of a forgotten icon in sports watchmaking - It is probably not the most well-known watch in Tissot’s heritage. Yet, the PR516 had its moment of glory in the 1970s, greatly appreciated by men in search of a robust and sporty chronograph. After having a huge success in reinterpreting its iconic PRX, the Locle brand has thus chosen to give a new chance… Continue reading Tissot PR516: The grand comeback of a forgotten icon in sports watchmaking
Do you really know all the watch brands of the Swatch Group? - If Rolex remains year after year the number 1 in the watch market with a turnover of 5 billion euros, this figure is lower than that of another giant: the Swatch group. It must be said that it can count on an impressive portfolio of 17 watch brands: Swatch of course, but also Omega, Longines… Continue reading Do you really know all the watch brands of the Swatch Group?
These 3 beautiful Tissot watches under 500€ are perfect to start a collection. - A key figure in the Swatch Group, Tissot is a watch brand highly appreciated by men. It must be said that it offers in its collections some very beautiful models, with a timeless chic sporty look and an excellent quality-price ratio. If you want to invest in a beautiful watch without breaking the bank, here… Continue reading These 3 beautiful Tissot watches under 500€ are perfect to start a collection.