Tissot is originated from Switzerland and like all watch brands from Switzerland, you can be guaranteed of its reliability and performance. Unlike its Swiss counterparts, Tissot mostly produce high-quality and affordable watches that are under $1,000. Tissot watch brand is definitely one of the most respected Swiss brand in the market.
The company was founded in Switzerland by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son, Charles-Émile Tissot, in 1853. Since 1983, Tissot has been a subsidiary of the Swiss Swatch Group.
You will probably see Tissot brand notably used for downhill skiing. Tissot’s first showed up as an official timekeeper in 1938 for a downhill Ski race and subsequently moved on to be official timekeeper for international championships like ice hockey, cycling, racing, fencing and so on.
Beyond producing watches, Tissot is well-known for its latest development of accurate timekeeping for specific events such as having sensors placed on bikes and track which are then interlinked by computers to display real-time performance data.
Do Tissot make good watches?
Tissot not only make good watches but also affordable ones. No real Swiss brand can even come close to Tissot’s price point when it comes to its high-quality watches. Tissot made this possible mainly because of its efficient manufacturing and being in Swatch Group.
Swatch Group is a massive Swiss conglomerate that owns numerous brands – Brands such as Omega, Longines and Blancpain. And brands that belong to Swatch Group will have its benefits of having low manufacturing cost while maintaining its high Swiss watch quality.
To put things into perspective, most of Tissot watches comes in at entry-level price (~$200-$1,000) but quality and build wise are often beyond its price point.
- The same movements used in Tissot watches can be found in much more expensive watches. An example can be found in the Omega Seamaster (~$1,100) and the Tissot Seastar 1000 (~$430) using the same movement.
- Glass is made of Sapphire Crystal, which is one of the best scratch-resistant glass and only expensive watches have them. The Sapphire Crystals are often found from the front and back of the watch, which feels absolutely secure even with a few knocks.
- Thick and high-quality leather straps that assures comfort and security. Along with a great looking ‘T’ logo on its deployment clasp, it allows good adjustment to the watch.
Check out here for the latest Tissot which we recommend!
Are all Tissot watches made in Switzerland?
Tissot watches are all made in Switzerland. But to qualify as a Swiss Made watch, the requirements are basically:
- Movement of the watch must be a Swiss movement, with at least 60% of its value from Switzerland
- The watch must be assembled and inspected in Switzerland
For Tissot to maintain such a competitive price even though it is Swiss Made, the components are sourced elsewhere as much as possible to bring down the cost. As part of the Swatch Group, Tissot produces massive amount of watches that also allows them to achieve economies of scale that explain their competitive prices.
The Swiss Made label on the Tissot watches symbolises the high Swiss quality and reliability that Tissot has shown since 1853. Tissot continues to be the leader in the traditional Swiss watch industry with over 5 million watches export every year. With the Swiss Made label, you can be sure of its high quality of the watch.
However, recent news surfaced that some Tissot watches have no ‘Swiss Made’ label on its watches – With this in mind, do ensure that you check with your local distributor if the watch is Swiss Made.
The latest Swiss-made Tissot watches featured can be found in this link.
Is Tissot a luxury watch brand?
Tissot is not a luxury watch brand, it is considered a middle level watch brand instead. This can be found in the Swatch Group Portfolio where it shows where individual brands stand in terms of level. Tissot can be seen just above the entry-level watch brands like Swatch and Flik Flak.
At the price segment for Tissot, it is at the middle level of USD 500 to USD 1,000 and this is generally applicable for both mechanical and quartz watches.
Different people may have a different opinion on where luxury stand, the Swatch Group Portfolio gives a good benchmark of the brands on exactly where they stand.
Is Tissot better than Seiko?
Assuming we are looking at watches under USD 1,000 for both watch brands and the intent is for durability, reliability and appreciation of the watch – I would personally think the Seiko may come up slightly above Tissot. Comparing brands like this is really difficult because of the wide range of models and technology the brands offer.
On one hand, Tissot is well known for its competitive price point while its watches are packed with high-quality and cutting-edge technology movements such as the Powermatic 80. While on the other hand, Seiko is known for its reliability and its watches appreciates over time – Seiko has got limited edition watches that have gotten much attention and the resale value of such watches can skyrocket over time.
Regardless, both brands do offer really good watches at its price point and they are definitely great choices with it comes to their watches. With such close competition, it doesn’t really matter which has the better quality of build or movement. What’s important is that the style suits you and you feel comfortable wearing it.
How long do Tissot Watches last?
Tissot’s automatic watches can last up to 80 hours when fully winded. While the majority of the automatic watches in the market can only last up to 36 hours. This is Tissot’s latest Automatic caliber, the Powermatic 80 which Tissot’s R&D developed in collaboration with ETA.
This 80 hours power reserve caliber design is made possible due to the following reasons:
- New spring barrel design integrated for an additional boost of power reserve.
- The newly designed movement is micro-second precise and this improves the regulator system, thus less power is needed to run the watch.
- The material of the movement is entirely made of ARCAP, a special combination of elements that has anti-magnetic qualities.
One of my favorite Tissot Powermatic 80 watch is the Le Locle. This model displays not just exquisite elegance with details such as the Roman numerals and the classical Le Locle signature, the finishing of the watch is simply everything you can ask for. Best of all, this watch retails for less than $500 and you can get it at a better price in this link here.
Does Tissot make their own movement?
Tissot does not make most of their own movement. ETA movements are mostly used in Tissot watches. This can be commonly seen for brands that belong to the Swatch Group. However, there are brands in Swatch Group such as Omega, Brequet and Blancpain that do develop and manufacture their own movements.
Because Swatch Group is such a massive Swiss conglomerate, it is common for research and development to be shared among the brands under the group.
The reason for using the standard ETA movements is to keep the cost low and the price competitive. Don’t get me wrong, ETA movements are by no means a lack of quality nor a definition of ‘cheap’ movement. Any in-house movement might make a watch more interesting in terms of craftsmanship and innovation – However, the downside comes when the movements are not tested through time and may have flaws in the early generations.
Hence, it is important to do your own research on the movement that you are getting in order to avoid any disappointment. Flaws from movements usually doesn’t take long for it to surface on watch forums and blogs.
