Tissot

About Tissot

Tissot was founded in Le Locle in 1853 and has spent its history making Swiss watches that ordinary people can buy — including the first anti-magnetic wristwatch in 1930 and the first watch with a plastic movement in 1971. As part of the Swatch Group it has access to the Powermatic 80, an automatic with an 80-hour power reserve, and the 1978-derived PRX has become the default answer for an affordable integrated-bracelet sports watch.

Signature models

The references that define the house — and the ones you are most likely to meet.

• PRX Powermatic 80
• Seastar 1000
• Le Locle
• Gentleman
• T-Touch
• Chemin des Tourelles

What to look for

Details worth checking before you trust a dial. None of them certify authenticity on their own.

• 'Powermatic 80' on the dial, indicating the long-reserve automatic — the seconds hand sweeps at a slightly lower beat rate than a standard ETA
• A Swiss cross in the logo and 'SWISS MADE' at the base of the dial
• PRX bracelets are integrated into the case; the first link should meet the case with almost no gap
• T-Touch models respond to taps on the sapphire crystal — the crystal itself is the sensor

Facts

• Tissot's 1930 Antimagnétique was the first anti-magnetic wristwatch, decades before magnetism from consumer electronics became a daily problem.
• The PRX revives a 1978 design almost unchanged, down to the quartz-era case proportions and waffle dial.