Featured Luxury Watch Brand: Tissot at Henne Jewelers
Swiss-made, sport-savvy, and remarkably accessible, Tissot has carved out a unique spot in the watch world by pairing genuine horological heritage with prices that welcome new collectors. Here's a quick look at where the brand came from, what it's making now, and why it keeps earning new fans at Henne Jewelers in Shadyside, Pittsburgh!
Tucked into the Jura Mountains of Switzerland sits Le Locle, a small town that has quietly shaped the course of horological history. It's here, in 1853, that father-and-son duo Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot founded the watchmaking house that still bears their name. More than 170 years later, Tissot has grown from a modest family workshop into one of the most recognized Swiss watch brands in the world.
Tissot's Legacy
Tissot spent much of the 20th century navigating the ups and downs of the Swiss watch industry, including a 1930 merger with Omega and a later restructuring in 1983 that brought the brand into what's now known as the Swatch Group. Along the way, Tissot built a reputation for experimenting with unconventional materials — plastic, stone, wood, mother-of-pearl — and for pioneering touch-sensitive watch technology with the T-Touch in 1999. That spirit of tinkering, combined with Swatch Group's backing, is a big part of why the brand is still around and thriving today.
Henne Jewelers' Featured Tissot Watches
Watch our video overview with David Clow, Watch Department Manager, Rolex Advisor, and Applied Jewelry Professional (GIA) at Henne Jewelers, as he talks about three of his favorite Tissot watches.
TISSOT SEASTAR GMT
overview
T120.852.11.051.00
40 mm
Quartz
Steel
$575
Key Details:
The SeaStar is a highly popular GMT model for Tissot watch enthusiasts. This sporty timepiece is affordable with its quartz movement and features a striking black and green bezel. It is water resistant up to 300 meters. Its dial will also be visible in the dark, thanks to Tissot's Superluminova ® dial. David loves it as a great first Swiss watch, suitable for everyday wear.
TISSOT SIDERAL S POWERMATIC 80
T145.407.97.057.00
41 mm
Automatic
Steel
$1,150
Key Details:
The Sideral S Powermatic 80 watch pays homage to its predecessor from the 1960s/1970s, originally made with fiberglass. Tissot revamped the watch in 2023 but with marbled forged carbon stainless steel, keeping the barrel-shaped case and offering it in 3 colors. David loves the black and yellow, as yellow is the iconic color of the Tour de France. This watch has the Powermatic 80 movement, an exhibition caseback, and a flexible perforated rubber strap that makes it comfortable as well as flashy.
TISSOT PRX POWERMATIC 80
T137.207.11.351.00
35mm
Automatic
Steel
$795
Key Details:
The PRX line is one of Tissot's most popular, and for good reason. They come in a variety of dial sizes and colors and feature an elegant waffle pattern on the dial, and they are available with quartz and automatic movements. This model is the 35mm Powermatic 80 version, making it unisex and versatile. It also features an exhibition caseback.
What Tissot Looks Like Today
Tissot occupies an interesting niche: genuinely Swiss-made watches, at price points that are accessible compared to the giants of luxury horology. Its current lineup spans several distinct identities:
- PRX — Perhaps the brand's biggest recent success story. Originally released in 1978, the PRX was revived in 2021 with its integrated-bracelet, retro-futuristic design and became something of a sleeper hit in the watch world, credited with helping reignite interest in the entire "affordable luxury" watch category.
- T-Touch — The brand's tech-forward line, carrying on the tactile, multi-function tradition first introduced in 1999.
- PRC 100 Solar — Known for its distinctive twelve-sided bezel, blending a sporty look with solar-powered movement technology.
- Chemin des Tourelles and Le Locle — More classically dressed collections that lean into traditional watchmaking aesthetics, some of which still nod to the brand's vintage chronograph designs with tachymeter scales and clean dial layouts.
Beyond the watches themselves, Tissot has built a strong public identity through sports timekeeping — serving as official timekeeper for MotoGP, the Tour de France, and the NBA, among others. All Tissot watches carry a two-year warranty.
Why Tissot Still Matters
It would be easy to file Tissot away as simply an "entry-level Swiss brand," and in terms of price point relative to its Swatch Group siblings (Omega, Breguet, Longines), that's not entirely wrong. But that framing sells short a company that has repeatedly pushed material innovation and managed to stay commercially relevant across nearly two centuries.
For collectors and casual buyers alike, Tissot represents something increasingly rare in the watch world: real Swiss manufacturing heritage without the five- or six-figure price tag. That combination is likely why the brand keeps finding new generations of fans, more than 170 years after two Tissots first started assembling watches in their family home.
FAQs about Tissot Wtaches at Henne Jewelers
Can I buy Tissot watches online with Henne Jewelers?
Yes! You can browse our current Tissot watches that are in stock here: https://www.hennejewelers.com/collections/tissot-watches
Do Tissot watches carry a warranty?
Yes - all Tissot watches carry a two-year warranty.
Can I special order a specific Tissot model from Henne?
Yes! You can request a specific model by contacting Henne Jewelers. We are happy to help you get your next favorite Tissot watch.
Will Henne Jewelers service my Tissot watch?
Henne Jewelers can service your Tissot watch with bracelet sizing, ordering replacement straps, and replacing batteries, among other watch services. If your watch isn't keeping time well, is acquiring moisture, or if you're experiencing another issue, please reach out to our watchmakers.
How much do Tissot watches cost?
Tissot watches offer great craftsmanship and Swiss-made quality at entry-level pricepoints, ranging from $400 to about $2,500 for men's and women's models. The less expensive watches will have a quartz movement and will require battery replacements periodically, while the higher end watches feature a Tissot movement.
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