Tissot – Innovators by Tradition

Tissot is one of the many luxury watchmaker from Switzerland that creates beautiful and one of a kind timepieces. Tissot has a rich and fascinating history since mid –nineteenth century up to this day.

Going back to its early history:

Tissot was founded in 1853 by father and son duo Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot in the Swiss city of Le Locle, in the Neuchâtel area of the Jura Mountains. Like other Swiss watch companies founded in that era, they begin as a comptoir d’établissage, an assembler of various parts acquired from independent workers in the region. Back then, Tissot timepieces are pocket watches, luxurious pendant watches or complication watches, destined mainly for the United States, which is the first market. Then, Russia becomes the main outlet of the brand. Tissot introduced the first mass-produced pocket watch as well as the first pocket watch with two time zones in 1853 and the first anti-magnetic watch in 1929–30.

The younger Tissot Charles-Émile headed to Russia in 1858, and with the blessing of the Czar, he was allowed to sell Tissot brand pocketwatches across the Empire. At the end of 1917, the limited company Chs. Tissot & Fils SA is created and becomes a manufacture with the introduction of movement-blanks production, which it will remain for decades. Before long, the company strengthens its presence worldwide. In 1930, Tissot and Omega merge to form the first Swiss watchmaking association, the SSIH (Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère). From this era Tissot-Omega watches are sought after by many collectors. In 1976, the name Tissot Marché Suisse SA appeared and in 1982, Tissot was doing business under the formal name of Tissot SA and in 1983 Tissot became a member of The Swatch Group Ltd.

Tissot became the official time keeper for a multitude of many sports including MotoGP, Ice Hockey, Cycling, International Basketball Association (FIBA), Fencing World Championships, and others. For early events, handheld stop watches were sufficient to provide official timings. Today Tissot works with various sporting bodies to develop systems to produce ever more accurate timings for specific events.

Tissot’s innovative creations:

1930: TISSOT ANTIMAGNÉTIQUE, the world’s first non-magnetic wristwatch.

1951: TISSOT NAVIGATOR, the world’s first self-winding wristwatch with 24 time zones displayed without manipulation.

1965: TISSOT PR 516: Particularly Robust (PR) with world’s first registered bracelet with holes.

1971: TISSOT ASTROLON, the world’s first plastic mechanical watch. It brings a new solution to the recurring problem of oil, as it is equipped with the “Sytal” system (Tissot auto-lubrication system).

1985: TISSOT ROCKWATCH, the world’s first wristwatch with a case made of natural stone (granite and other stones).

1986: TISSOT TWOTIMER, the world’s first wristwatch with analogue and digital time and seven functions operated via a single crown.

1989: TISSOT WOODWATCH, with a case made of wood.

1999: TISSOT T-TOUCH, the world’s first Swiss tactile watch with new instrumental functions (compass, altimeter, barometer, and thermometer).

2014: TISSOT T-TOUCH SOLAR, the world’s first tactile watch powered by solar energy.

Tissot is among those brands that continued to create history in the field of watchmaking industry. It has been worn by famous sports enthusiast and celebrities. Tissot’s creations are unique, accurate, high-tech with advanced functionality.

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