If there’s one watch brand typically in my good books every year, it’s Tissot. I’ve always had a love of Tissot watches, but 2023 in particular has really cemented that love. The Swiss watchmaker has impressed with a slew of new releases; from chronographs to time-only models, quartz watches to automatics and designs suited for wrists of every gender.
The company was first founded in 1853 in Le Locle within the Jura Mountains in Switzerland by father and son duo Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot. Over the years, they’ve become one of the best-known Swiss watch manufacturers in the industry.
Tissot is one of those brand’s I truly believe the watch world would be amiss without. Sure, they’re not huge investment pieces and equipped with haute horology complications. But, Tissot has mastered the art of affordable Swiss watchmaking. Their watches are robust, beautiful and Swiss made, all at an extremely accessible price point. As for my favourite Tissot watch releases of 2023, here’s what I chose…
Tissot Chemin des Tourelles
Tissot Chemin des Tourelles - Credit Tissot
Starting us off in today’s rundown of best Tissot releases for 2023 is their recently unveiled line-up of Chemin des Tourelles watches. Taking its name from “Turret Road” in French, the name of the street in Le Locle where the brand’s factory was established in 1907, the collection is an elegant range of dress watches. These are truly no-frills, sleek yet simple timepieces for the everyday and there’s no shortage of models to choose from.
You can find cases in 34mm, 39mm and 42mm in stainless steel or with gold plating. For me, the most satisfying feature is the dial which aims for complete minimalism, typically with sunray-brushed finishes and domed surfaces. There are timeless alpha-style hands, a date display included at 6 o’clock and in some instances applied Roman numerals. All of the Tissot Chemin des Tourelles watches, even the smallest 34mm models, are powered by the brand’s Powermatic 80 movement which impresses with an 80-hour power reserve and anti-magnetic technology.
Tissot Chemin des Tourelles - Credit Tissot
Technical Specifications:
- Size: 34mm, 39mm or 42mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel or rose gold PVD
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Dial: Available in a variety of colours
- Movement: Powermatic 80 automatic winding
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Strap: Leather or 5-link steel bracelet
- RRP: Starts from £730
Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda
Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda - Credit Tissot
This time, rather than choosing an entire collection, I’m picking a specific model. The Tissot PRX collection has a whole range of incredible watches, many of which debuted this year. But from the chronograph line-up, one particular model caught my eye: the Tissot PRX Chronograph with a “blue panda” dial. Following on from the two inaugural PRX chronographs of last year, Tissot have taken the popular integrated architecture of the sports watch and combined it with a silvery white dial and contrasting navy blue counters.
It's a really handsome combination of colours and together with the brushed stainless steel surfaces of the 42mm-wide PRX case, creates a wonderful sports watch. The specs of the Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda are like those before it. The case sits at just 14.5mm high and delivers rectangular pushers for manipulating the Valjoux chronograph movement. The exact movement is the calibre A05 H31 which arrives with the classic 3,6,9 layout for the 30 minutes, 12 hours and small seconds and a power reserve of 60 hours.
Tissot PRX Chronograph Blue Panda - Credit Tissot
Technical Specifications:
- Size: 42mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Dial: Silver with navy blue counters
- Movement: Calibre A05 H31, automatic winding
- Power Reserve: 60 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes, central chronograph seconds, 30 minutes, 12 hours, small seconds, date
- Strap: Integrated steel bracelet
- RRP: £1,695
Tissot Sideral
Tissot Sideral - Credit Tissot
One of the most unexpected watch releases from Tissot for 2023 was the Tissot Sideral collection. This is one of those watches that’s hard to explain without showing images, but it’s a funky, brightly-coloured, retro-inspired timepiece with plenty of spec for its price. It was launched rather perfectly during the summer and honours a particular Tissot model from the 1960’s that made history as the first watch to use a monobloc fibreglass case. The new redesign for 2023 is faithful in its looks but swaps out the original fibreglass case for one a little better suited to modern day.
The 2023 Tissot Sidereal exchanges the fibreglass case for one of forged fibre carbon with a barrel-shaped architecture measuring to 41mm wide. There are three models to choose from, two classic black and grey carbon fibre cases and a third with blue specks embedded into the material. The groovy dials and perforated straps follow suit, offering bright colours of blue, red or yellow. There’s also unidirectional rotating bezels with graduated regatta scales, 300 metre water resistant ratings and multi-coloured Superluminova across the time-and-date dials.
Tissot Sideral - Credit Tissot
Technical Specifications:
- Size: 41mm
- Case Material: Carbon fibre
- Water Resistance: 300 metres
- Dial: Black with blue, yellow or grey minute ring
- Movement: Tissot Powermatic 80 automatic
- Power Reserve: 80 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Strap: Perforated rubber
- RRP: £960
Tissot Heritage COSC 1938
Tissot Heritage COSC 1938 - Credit Tissot
There aren’t all that many chronometer-certified watches in Tissot’s current portfolio, so when one of such makes its debut – especially one with a date-less, vintage-inspired dial – it usually gains some attention. The duo of Tissot Heritage COSC 1938 watches launched back in August remain one of my favourite Tissot watches of 2023. These are simple, time-only timepieces with an aesthetic inspired by 1930’s and 1940’s watchmaking. They’re compact at just 39mm in diameter and 11.1mm tall and have polished finishing, an onion-style pull-out crown and a smooth, unadorned fixed bezel.
The dials are available in black or my personal favourite – salmon pink, with raised numerals, printed minute tracks and the Tissot logo in vintage font. At 6 o’clock, the dial is also marked with ‘Chronometre’ as a nod to the COSC-certified ETA 2824-2 automatic winding movement housed inside. The Tissot Heritage COSC 1938 watches are finished by brown or grey leather straps. To find a chronometer-certified watch built to this standard for just £780 is no easy feat, and if you’re like me and you have a penchant for these antique-looking timepieces, then you’ll no doubt love these too.
Tissot Heritage COSC 1938 - Credit Tissot
Technical Specifications:
- Size: 39mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Water Resistance: 50 metres
- Dial: Black or salmon pink
- Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic, COSC-certified
- Power Reserve: 38 hours
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
- Strap: Leather
- RRP: £780
Tissot PRX 35mm
Tissot PRX 35mm - Credit Guest Author
Normally, when I’m tasked to write one of these Top Choice features, it takes me several hours, if not days, to fully commit to the watch going in first place. However, for this particular piece, that choice was very easy. The best watch from Tissot for 2023 for me, is without a doubt, the Tissot PRX 35mm. And yes, I’m grouping both the quartz and Powermatic 80 automatic models into one because they’re both brilliant in their own way.
If you’ve already read my hands-on review of the Tissot PRX 35mm Quartz with the “Tiffany Blue” dial, you probably already know why this model is here. It’s compact, 35mm-wide barrel-shaped case, integrated bracelet and bold turquoise green dial has made this watch my go-to of recent months. It’s beautifully executed, easy to wear and retails from just £320 for the quartz model; it really is a no-brainer for those looking for their first Swiss watch.
Of course, for those with a preference for automatic movements, the Tissot PRX 35mm Powermatic 80 watches are also fantastic. They have the same 35mm wide, 1970’s inspired cases and 100 metre water resistant ratings but offer waffle-like textures on an array of colourful dials and exhibition case backs so you can admire the Powermatic 80 movement within. The movement has an 80-hour power reserve and a Nivachron balance spring for advanced anti-magnetic properties.
Tissot PRX 35mm - Credit Guest Author
Technical Specifications:
- Size: 35mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Water Resistance: 100 metres
- Dial: Available in a variety of colours
- Movement: Quartz or Powermatic 80 automatic
- Power Reserve: 80 hours (automatic)
- Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
- Strap: Integrated steel bracelet
- RRP: Starts from £320
So there you have it, my top Tissot watches from 2023.
But these are just my picks, and I know there are many other models and collections worthy of praise.
Do you have a Tissot in mind that should have made the top spot?
Comment below and let us know your thoughts.
