If you are looking for an alternative watch brand of Omega and Rolex, we know a brand that has truly remarkable years in the industry of watchmaking. In the world of horology, the brand has achieved a number of impressive feats. They invented the first mass-produced pocket watch. In 1853, they were the first company to introduce a pocket watch with two time zones, making it the first company in the world. Impressive, isn’t it? It is none other than the Swiss brand, Tissot.
Tissot might sound new to you, but for watch lovers and enthusiasts, Tissot is one of the first brands they will get. If you don’t know these things about Tissot, you are on the right page. Whether you’re a new collector or you’ve never heard of Tissot, keep reading to learn more. You will certainly learn a lot about the Tissot watch brand after reading this.
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Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot
Tissot watches are one of the most sought-after watches. Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile Tissot started the firm in Le Locle, Switzerland, in 1853. A few years later, in 1858, Charles-Emile went to Russia, where he sold his pocket timepieces, the Savonnette, all across the Russian empire. From its beginnings in Neuchâtel in the Jurassic region of the Swiss Alps, Tissot earned its name by producing highly reliable, gold-cased pocket Tissot watches that gained a strong and enthusiastic following across the globe.
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The Original Brand Name
When the father-and-son tandem founded Tissot in 1853, they named it Chs Tissot & Fils. The name changes as time passes. During the transition from father to son, the company’s ownership shifted, and the company’s name changed as well. When the firm changed its name in 1865, it became Charles-Émile Tissot and Fils. In 1917, they renamed it again to Chs. Tissot & Fils–SA, and it has remained that way since. In 1982, Tissot became Tissot SA.
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Tissot and Omega
Because of the 1930 merger between Tissot and Omega, both companies now make luxury timepieces under the Swatch Group umbrella organization, of which they have both been a part since 1983. Charles and Paul Tissot signed an arrangement with Omega in 1930 to create SSIH in order to stave off the repercussions of the 1929 economic crisis. Eventually, they formed the Swatch Group 53 years after that day. Their client base grew as a result of the merger, resulting in greater revenues.
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Notable inventions
As early as 1853, Tissot developed the first mass-produced pocket watch, along with the first pocket watch having two separate time zones. In 1929, they also introduced the first anti-magnetic watch. This watchmaker was also the first to create watches from materials such as plastic, mother-of-pearl, stone, and wood.
There’s more to it than that, of course! With the introduction of the “T-Touch” technology in 1999, Tissot released its first tactile watch. Touch-sensitive sapphire crystals control numerous features, including a compass, barometer, altimeter, and temperature. A total of 25 functions were available on the 2014 models of the T-Touch Expert Solar and T-Touch Lady solar.
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Swissmatic and Powermatic
In the watch-making business, the Swissmatic and Powermatic movements are real innovations. The Swissmatic 72 movement has a power reserve of 72 hours, while the Powermatic 80 movement has a power reserve of 80 hours! If you don’t wear the watch for three days, you can still read the time properly thanks to both of these movements. With a power reserve of 1.5 days, it is an inventive movement that exceeds the competition.
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Tissot’s Watch Collections
The firm provides a wide range of watches. It spans from automated quartz movements to solar-powered timepieces. All of them feature stainless steel, titanium, or gold casing with distinct dials. Tissot now offers five different watch collections to its customers. They are the T-Touch, T-Sport, T-Lady, T-Gold, and Pocket Watch. The company’s drive to create better watches is seen in the company’s vast range of collections. You can never be wrong with a Tissot watch.
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Sponsorship
In 1974, Tissot began sponsoring race cars. Starting with cycling and ice hockey world championships, the brand increased its sporting operations in the 1990s. Tissot has now officially timed a number of high-profile sports in recent years. Longtime official timekeeper for MotoGP, ice hockey, FIBA’s Fencing World Championships, and the Women’s National Basketball Association, Tissot has a long history of providing accurate timing in a wide range of sports. The company has also sponsored Formula One teams such as Sauber, Lotus, and Renault.
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Famous Wearers and Brand Ambassadors
This mid-range company has an impressive clientele and a stellar line of ambassadors. Celebrities from basketball players to actresses to cricket players to MotoGP racers have endorsed the brand. Tony Parker, Liu Yi Fei, Virat Kohli, Marc Márquez, Huang Xiaoming, and Jorge Lorenzo are some of the Tissot brand ambassadors that have worn the brand’s watches. Angelina Jolie in Mr & Mrs. Smith and Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life both wore Tissot watches on their wrists. They also spotted the Duchess of Cambridge, Grace Kelly, Nelson Mandela, and Elvis Presley.
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Most Expensive Tissot Watch
The Tissot Heritage Navigator Limited Edition Men’s Timepiece is Tissot’s most costly watch. Tissot opted to bring back a traditional anniversary watch to celebrate their 160th anniversary. If you’re a fan of old timepieces, the Heritage watch can give you that look with new innovation powering it. It costs about $1700 USD for a brand new Navigator, which was released to mark the 160th anniversary of this model obtaining a COSC certification.
Conclusion
Tissot has a solid reputation and trust in the industry where it belongs, based on the company’s history. Tissot, a mid-range brand, is a powerhouse when it comes to producing high-quality watches. It is also a major participant in the business, deserving of high esteem among other big Swiss companies. If these facts have made you desire to acquire a Tissot watch, then head to WatchShopping.com. You can find there high-quality and awesome watches from Tissot.