Luxury watches are a significant investment, and therefore you need to consider carefully the brand you are buying from. Since 1853, Tissot has been making watches for the everyday person.
The company is based in Le Locle in Switzerland and has been a part of a larger group since the mid -20th century.
The brand has developed a relevant, consistent, and identifiable brand identity in the span of the last one and a half-century.
So, where does Tissot stand? Is it a high-end brand? This article seeks to provide an answer to this topic and an examination of the many collections that contribute to it.
Is Tissot A Luxury Brand?
Yes, Tissot is considered an entry-level luxury brand. The company is well-known for its trendy, one-of-a-kind, high-quality timepieces that are fairly priced compared to other luxury watch companies.
Tissot also has a wide choice of timepieces for men and women to wear, and as a consequence of their great value for money, they have many devoted consumers.
What Exactly Is A Luxury Watch?
It’s hard to imagine that “luxury” is a category in the watch industry. After all, watches have no mechanical parts and are only as functional as the time on your smartphone.
But there is a high-end watch culture, and high-end watch buyers are eager to pay exorbitant prices to get their hands on the latest and greatest from luxury manufacturers like Rolex, TAG Heuer, Breitling, and more.
A luxury watch is defined by its exclusivity, the artisanship that goes into making it, and the prestige that comes with wearing it.
You’ll find luxury watches in various price ranges, but they all share those same three characteristics above.
A luxury watch is a major status symbol. It indicates wealth, power, and success and can often be the most expensive single jewelry or accessory that a person owns. They are regarded as highly prestigious and are known for their quality.
A luxury watchmaker will make every effort to use only the highest quality materials, such as gold, diamonds, and sapphires, and will have their watches hand-crafted with intricate care and precision. Three factors are a part of what makes a watch luxurious:
Watch Movement And Material
The movement of a watch is a significant factor in determining its value, but the materials used to make it and how well they make it all play into the equation. The luxury watch movement must be hand-wound and decorated with precious stones.
Crystals
While extremely high-end watches are made from platinum, sapphire, and gold, lower-cost versions are mineral crystals.
Craftsmanship
Hundreds of components go into making a luxury watch. Luxury watches are made up of hundreds of tiny pieces that must fit and perform flawlessly together to power the watch.
An Overview Of Tissot
The company was founded in 1853 in Le Locle, Switzerland as a local watch producer. The company’s name is “Tissot & Fils,” meaning ” Tissot and son.”
The brand is known for its timepieces with Swiss-made movements, polished stainless steel cases, sapphire crystals, and other high-quality elements.
Many of Tissot’s timepieces feature detailed and complicated movements, the most notable being their award-winning Visodate line.
This line features a two-zone display with a small seconds subdial and a day-date window at 3 o’clock.
These complications are driven by the caliber SW200, based on the Valjoux 7750, the same movement used in many of today’s popular luxury watches.
However, over decades, the brand has become one of the most well-known Swiss watchmakers, with a reputation for great quality, style, and reasonable costs.
Today, Tissot offers a wide range of watches to meet the needs of all types of customers, from fashion-conscious consumers to active sports enthusiasts.
It is a part of the Swatch Group (as of 1953), which also owns Omega, Longines, Rado, and Breguet.
What Is The Tissot Brand Known For?
Precision
Tissot is synonymous with precision. While the company started making pocket watches, they made it their mission to make high-quality watches.
Notable Inventions
Tissot is well-known for its notable inventions. Tissot’s innovations include the first plastic watch case, the first timepiece with a square case, and the first model to have an automatically changing date display.
Affordability
They have an extensive line of timepieces targeted towards various consumers and budgets. You can buy great masterpieces for less than $1300, which is one thing that makes the brand so appealing.
What Is Swiss Luxury?
Switzerland is one of the most famous countries globally for producing quality products. The Swiss reputation for producing superior goods has been around since the 15th century, and it’s not going away any time soon.
The country is famous for watches, chocolate, banks, and precision instruments. What’s more, in the past century, Swiss manufacturers have become world leaders in the production of industrial machinery.
Swiss watchmaking and jewelry are known for their precision, accredited to their mountainous terrain. The Swiss Alps have extremely high peaks, with smaller valleys and dense forests dotted.
These conditions created a need for people to be precise about the time of day and their location.
And so, they developed watches with intricate movements that could tell the time in all kinds of conditions.
Today, luxury brands such as Rolex and Omega are synonymous with Switzerland, also the largest exporter of watches globally. However, in Switzerland, the watchmaking industry is not the only thriving industry.
Switzerland’s economy has grown steadily over the past few years, with low unemployment. It is one of Europe’s wealthiest countries, with a GDP per capita of $86,601 that ranks among the greatest in the world.
Not surprisingly, Swiss luxury brands have become symbols of wealth and status worldwide.
Why Buy A Tissot Over Other Brands?
Tissot watches remain true to their founding pillars. With a Tissot watch, you get:
- Swiss-made
- high-level precision
- quality
- affordability
- top-notch innovation
Tissot’s values have built its reputation and continue to stand for them today.
The Different Tissot Collections
1. Sport Collection
The design of Sports watches is for athletes to track their performance and complement their active lifestyles. The top choice in this category is the T-Race Chrono Quartz 316L. It’s:
- Water-resistant and suited for showering and swimming
- Has index dial type
- 316L stainless steel case
- Standard buckle closure
- Silicone strap
2. The Classic Collection
This collection presents an elegant look with slender straps and clean dials; models of this collection have unique details and precise lines and appearances.
A must-have Classic watch in this collection is the T-Classic Tradition Silver Dial watch which is a dream. It has;
- 30m water resistance
- Scratch-resistant sapphire
- Analog display
3. T-Touch Collection
Each piece in this collection has a touch screen that allows users to control settings, check the time, and access different modes without going through the watch’s menu or pressing any buttons.
The T-Touch collection is available in various models and styles, including leather bands and bracelet straps with a wide range of colors. With the T-Touch Expert Titanium Watch, you can never go wrong. It features;
- Both digital and analog display
- A satisfying amount of water resistance of 350ft
- Powered by solar energy and the 1st of its kind
- A unique clasp with push-button closure
4. Heritage
The design of watches in this collection pays homage to the brand’s history, and it comes with a retro look.
The Heritage collection offers affordable luxury for people who want a stylish watch with a vintage feel but a modern size.
These watches are bold in design, and they are easy to read. The Tissot Tradition Watch draws inspiration from the 1950s design. It features;
- Three subdials
- Anti-reflective sapphire window
- Significant water-resistance of 99ft
5. T-Pocket
T-Pocket refers to a small watch and can fit in your pocket. Its design meets the needs of the new generation of fashion-conscious people, who want a watch with a sleek and elegant design, yet sporty and versatile.
In addition, its lightweight design leaves quite an impression. The Savonnette Brass Pocket Watch screams elegance. It features;
- Rose, gold & silver band color
- Analog display
- GMT Bezel function
6. T-Gold
While most watches choose between case materials, the Tissot T-Gold series is made with a Gold or Stainless -Steel case.
7. Exclusive For Ladies
The brand has various wristwatches for trendy, innovative, and affordable women. If you have a habit of online shopping, you can get these watches from their official website or Amazon.
The is to die for. It has;
- Scratch-resistant crystal
- Leather bracelet
- 7.1mm case thickness
- Sleek elegance
Conclusion
Luxury watches are a costly commodity and an industry that big brands heavily saturate. The price of luxury watches can be prohibitive for most people, so the industry has grown to offer more affordable watches.
Tissot is one such brand that offers an affordable alternative to luxury watches and maintains the quality that consumers want. Expect to pay more than most high-street brands, but less than major Swiss brands like Longines, Omega, and Rolex.
