A Brand Profile: Tissot Watches

In any endeavor where intricacy is a hallmark of the process and an emblem of the final product, longevity matters more than most other attributes. Perhaps this is why the timepieces crafted by Charles Felicien Tissot and son persist to this day as a well-respected brand among the cognoscenti of luxury watches.

From 1853 onward, in the generally-accepted hotbed of exceptional chronographs – Switzerland, for the uninitiated – Tissot started out with pocket-watches for the gentleman. As their skills grew and understanding of the consumer marketplace sharpened, Tissot assimilated with Omega and started their most successful line of Tissot-Omega watches to date. Although they continue to be a distinct and recognizable brand unto themselves, Tissot is today a part of the Swatch Group Ltd.

Brand Extension Extraordinaire

Many luxury watches have celebrities, events and even institutions adopt their visage; Tissot, however, may enjoy the most prolific sponsorship portfolio of them all. NBA superstar point guard Tony Parker swears by Tissot, as does NASCAR performer Danica Patrick. Even the Lion of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was known to proudly adorn his wrist with a timeless Tissot le Locle!

A few of Tissot Watches’ other ambassadors are Chinese superstar singer and actor, Huang Xiaoming, English motorcycle racer Bradley smith – who regularly competes in the MotoGP World Championship and Venezuelan Grand Prix, and Tito Rabat, a Spanish racer in the Motorcycle World Championship. Clearly, Tissot envisions a strong sports relationship with its brand, and even ahs a sub-collection devoted to classic styles reminiscent of motorcycles.

There’s no doubt a very strong racing theme with Tissot watches; but they’ve made sure to extend their reach to other arenas. Among these are the Australian Football League, FIE Fencing and IIHF Ice Hockey; they also serve as the official timekeeper for a healthy number of the major sports – ensuring that their brand visibility survives any downturns in the economy. Tissot boasts a level of diversification robust enough to make any portfolio manager proud, and is further backed by an undeniable level of technical quality.

Watch Options

Staying true to their original form, Tissot offers several pocket watches, including one with a mechanical skeleton and gold bezel for the high-roller, and another quart pendant with an elegant silver dial and chain for the understated gentleman. They are all very well-made and in adequate demand; with the Tissot Savonnette Pocket Watch with white dial and chain being sold out rather frequently. The men’s best-sellers include the mechanically impressive Chemin Des Tourelles Squelette, and the urgently classic Quart Silver Dial with Brown Leather Strap. Along the same vein, but exuding more of the powerful, sportman’s look, there’s the Tissot V8 Ivory Dial Quart.

For the women’s Tissot watches collections, it’s difficult to tear one’s vision away from the 18K Rose Gold Quartz White Dial Diamond Watch with Dark Brown Leather Strap. It is a unique mesh of classic and high-brow modern, with ample rose gold presenting a lovely juxtaposition with the sleek dark brown. This may very well be the visual champion of the women’s contribution to the Tissot brand of the modern age. With success like this moving forward, the centuries-old company is sure to carve an even deeper niche into the public consciousness.