Tissot

Product brand

A Swiss watch brand combining traditional Le Locle watchmaking with accessible pricing, technical experimentation and extensive sports timekeeping partnerships.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

Tissot is a Swiss watch brand founded in 1853 in Le Locle, in the canton of Neuchâtel, by case maker Charles-Félicien Tissot and his watchmaker son, Charles-Émile Tissot. The family initially operated a small workshop from their home. Charles-Émile expanded the company internationally, traveling to Russia in 1858 and developing a substantial market for Tissot savonnette pocket watches across the Russian Empire. His son Charles later moved to Moscow in 1885 to manage the family’s local operation. This early export orientation helped establish Tissot as an internationally minded Swiss manufacturer rather than a purely domestic workshop. The brand’s history is marked by technical experimentation and a willingness to apply watchmaking to new materials, functions and forms. Tissot is associated with early pocket watches offering two time zones, anti-magnetic watches introduced around 1929–1930, and a series of unconventional products made from plastic, stone, mother-of-pearl and wood. The Idea 2001 plastic watch appeared in 1971, the Alpine granite RockWatch in 1985, the Pearl watch in 1987 and the Wood watch in 1988. In 1999, Tissot introduced T-Touch, a tactile system using a touch-sensitive sapphire crystal to control functions such as a compass, barometer, altimeter and thermometer. Later T-Touch models expanded the number of available functions and incorporated solar power. Tissot’s corporate history is closely connected to the consolidation of the Swiss watch industry. During the crisis that followed the 1929 global financial collapse, Tissot formed an alliance with Omega. The arrangement contributed to the creation of Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère, or SSIH, in 1930. SSIH later became part of the restructuring and consolidation that produced SSIH-ASUAG and then SMH in the 1980s. SMH adopted the name Swatch Group in 1998, and Tissot remained a Swatch Group brand headquartered in Le Locle. Within the group’s portfolio, Tissot is generally positioned in the mid-range segment: above entry-level fashion and basic watch offerings, but below the group’s high-luxury maisons. Sport timing is central to Tissot’s identity. The company began official timing work with ski races in Villars-sur-Ollon in 1938 and later timed the Davis Cup in 1957. It has subsequently served as an official timekeeper or timing partner in cycling, motorcycle racing, fencing, ice hockey and basketball. Its partnerships have included MotoGP, the Union Cycliste Internationale, the International Ice Hockey Federation, the International Fencing Federation, FIBA, the NBA, the WNBA and the NBA G League. In modern sport, Tissot’s role extends beyond branded stopwatches: timing systems may use sensors, track equipment and computer networks to produce official results. Among Tissot’s best-known contemporary collections are T-Touch, Le Locle, PRX and a broad range of chronographs and sport watches. The PRX, originally launched in 1978 and discontinued during the 1980s, was revived in 2021 with an integrated-bracelet design. Its combination of retro styling, multiple dial options, durability and comparatively accessible pricing made it one of the brand’s most prominent recent successes. Tissot markets through its own channels, authorized retailers and international distribution, supported by ambassadors from sports, entertainment and regional markets. Its long-standing slogan, “Innovators by Tradition,” summarizes the brand’s attempt to balance Swiss heritage with functional innovation.

History

Tissot was established in 1853 in Le Locle by Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile Tissot. The founders combined case-making and watchmaking skills and began in a small workshop located in their home. Charles-Émile quickly pursued foreign markets. His 1858 journey to Russia helped Tissot sell savonnette pocket watches throughout the Russian Empire, which became one of the company’s most important export territories. In 1885, his son Charles moved to Moscow to oversee the family’s local presence. The company developed a reputation for combining conventional Swiss production with unusual technical and material experiments. Tissot is credited with early two-time-zone pocket watches and with anti-magnetic watch development around 1929–1930. It later produced watches using plastic, granite, mother-of-pearl and wood. These experiments included the Idea 2001 in 1971, the Alpine granite RockWatch in 1985, the Pearl watch in 1987 and the Wood watch in 1988. The products helped distinguish Tissot from manufacturers focused solely on traditional precious-metal and steel cases. The worldwide economic collapse of 1929 placed pressure on Swiss watch manufacturers. Tissot and Omega responded with an industrial alliance that contributed to the formation of SSIH in 1930. Tissot-Omega watches from this period remain of interest to collectors. Further industry consolidation led to SSIH-ASUAG and SMH in the 1980s. SMH was renamed Swatch Group in 1998, making Tissot part of one of the world’s largest watch groups while preserving its Le Locle base and distinct brand identity. Tissot also built a long-term association with precision sport timing. It timed ski races in 1938 and the Davis Cup in 1957, then expanded into cycling, motorcycling, fencing, ice hockey and basketball. In contemporary events, its systems combine branded clocks and watches with sensors, computers and event-specific results infrastructure. Partnerships with MotoGP, international cycling, fencing and ice hockey bodies, FIBA, the NBA and the WNBA have made sport a major channel for demonstrating the brand’s precision claims. Product innovation continued with the T-Touch tactile watch, introduced in 1999. Its touch-sensitive sapphire crystal allowed users to activate functions including navigation and environmental measurements. Solar-powered T-Touch models later broadened the system’s practical appeal. The PRX provided another major turning point. First released in 1978, it returned in 2021 as an integrated-bracelet watch with a strong late-twentieth-century design reference. The collection’s broad sizing, dial selection, durability and relatively accessible price helped it become one of Tissot’s most visible products in the 2020s. Today Tissot operates internationally under Swatch Group ownership and presents itself as a Swiss brand that links traditional craftsmanship with functional innovation and mass-market reach.

2021
PRX is relaunched
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot revives the integrated-bracelet PRX design originally released in 1978.
1999
T-Touch is introduced
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot launches its tactile watch technology, using a touch-sensitive sapphire crystal to operate multiple functions.
1998
SMH becomes Swatch Group
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot becomes part of the corporate group operating under the Swatch Group name.
1985
RockWatch launches
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
The Alpine granite RockWatch demonstrates Tissot’s use of unconventional case materials.
1971
Idea 2001 plastic watch
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot introduces the Idea 2001, one of its early watches made from plastic.
1957
Davis Cup timing
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot provides timing for the Davis Cup.
1938
First official sports timing engagement
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot times ski races in Villars-sur-Ollon, establishing a long-running relationship with competitive sports timing.
1930
Tissot joins the Omega alliance
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Tissot and Omega form an alliance during the watch-industry crisis, contributing to the creation of SSIH.
1885
Moscow branch receives family management
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Charles Tissot moves to Moscow to manage the branch established by his father.
1858
Expansion into the Russian Empire
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Charles-Émile Tissot travels to Russia and develops sales of Tissot pocket watches across the empire.
1853
Tissot is founded in Le Locle
[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Émile Tissot establish the watchmaking business in Le Locle, Switzerland.

Products and positioning

Accessible and mid-range Swiss watchmaking, combining heritage, technical innovation, sport timing and broad international distribution.

Integrated-bracelet watch · 1978
PRX
The PRX is Tissot’s best-known recent design revival. Originally introduced in 1978, it returned in 2021 with a slim integrated-bracelet profile, multiple dial treatments and quartz and mechanical variants. The collection links a vintage-inspired silhouette to contemporary production and accessible Swiss positioning. Its combination of versatility, durability and comparatively attainable pricing made it a prominent entry point into the brand during the 2020s.
Tactile multifunction watch · 1999
T-Touch
T-Touch is Tissot’s multifunction tactile platform, introduced in 1999. Users activate functions through a touch-sensitive sapphire crystal rather than relying solely on conventional pushers. Depending on the model, functions have included a compass, barometer, altimeter, thermometer, chronograph and alarm. Later versions, including solar models, positioned the collection as a technical outdoor and travel-oriented line.
Mechanical and dress watch collection
Le Locle
Le Locle is a collection named for Tissot’s Swiss home and watchmaking location. It emphasizes traditional styling, mechanical movements and details associated with classic Swiss watchmaking. The line serves customers seeking a formal or everyday mechanical watch with a direct connection to Tissot’s regional heritage.
Sport and dive watch collection
Seastar
Seastar is Tissot’s water- and sport-oriented collection. It typically emphasizes robust cases, legible displays, chronograph or diving functionality and design features suited to active use. The range extends Tissot’s precision positioning into recreational and aquatic settings.
Material innovation watch · 1985
RockWatch
RockWatch was an experimental Tissot watch using Alpine granite for the case. Introduced in 1985, it formed part of a broader series of material experiments that also included plastic, mother-of-pearl and wood, demonstrating the brand’s willingness to challenge conventional watch construction.

Marketing campaigns

2019The World Games timing partnership
International
Tissot was announced as official timekeeper and results-service provider for the 2022 World Games.
Outcome. The agreement extended the brand’s sports timing portfolio beyond its established cycling, motorcycling, fencing, hockey and basketball relationships.
Source
2015NBA and WNBA official timekeeping partnership
United States · Canada · International NBA and WNBA markets
Tissot became an official timekeeper of the NBA and WNBA, supplying visible arena timing equipment and using league partnerships to connect the brand with professional basketball audiences.
Outcome. The partnership expanded Tissot’s global sports-marketing profile and supported league-specific watch products.
Source

Brand decisions

2021
PRX revivalGeneration change
Background
Integrated-bracelet watches and vintage-inspired designs were receiving renewed interest in the broader watch market.
Action taken
Tissot relaunched the PRX, a model first released in 1978, with updated construction and a range of dial and movement options.
Aftermath
The PRX became one of Tissot’s most visible contemporary collections and broadened the brand’s appeal among enthusiasts and younger buyers.
Source
1999
Launch of T-Touch tactile technologyProduct launch
Background
Tissot sought to combine Swiss watchmaking with electronic functionality and a more interactive user experience.
Action taken
The company introduced watches operated partly through a touch-sensitive sapphire crystal.
Aftermath
T-Touch became a signature technical platform and was later extended with additional functions and solar-powered models.
Source
1930
Alliance with Omega during the watch-industry crisisM&A
Background
The global economic collapse severely disrupted watch manufacturing and distribution.
Action taken
Tissot and Omega formed an industrial alliance that contributed to the creation of SSIH.
Aftermath
The alliance became an important stage in the consolidation that ultimately connected Tissot to the modern Swatch Group.
Source

Recent events

2025
Tissot announced 38 mm PRX models in Damascus steel and titanium[1]Tissoten.wikipedia.org
Product launch · Product generation
Tissot announced smaller 38 mm PRX variants using Damascus steel and titanium, extending the revived collection with new case materials and a size favored by many collectors.
2025
Tissot identified as a strong Swatch Group performer in 2024[3]Tissot identified as a strong Swatch Group performer in 2024swatchgroup.com
Other
Swatch Group's 2024 key-figures communication reported strong growth for Tissot alongside Omega and Longines, while noting difficult conditions in China and adjacent markets.
2025
Tissot launches The Gift of Time campaign[4]Tissot launches The Gift of Time campaignpressroom.tissotwatches.com
Campaign
Tissot presented a gifting-focused campaign built around the symbolic value of time and a cinematic view of the brand’s past, present and future. The campaign was distributed through international-language press materials.
2024
Swatch Group reports Tissot strength in Japan and other markets[3]Tissot identified as a strong Swatch Group performer in 2024swatchgroup.com
Other
The Swatch Group’s 2024 key-figures material identified Tissot among the group’s brands with strongest growth, alongside market-share gains in the United States, Japan, India and the Middle East.
2024
Swatch Group reports strong Tissot performance in selected markets[3]Tissot identified as a strong Swatch Group performer in 2024swatchgroup.com
Other
The Swatch Group’s 2024 key-figures release said Tissot was among the group brands contributing to sales and market-share gains in the United States, Japan, India and the Middle East, while China and related markets remained difficult.
2023
Tissot uses youth-oriented marketing to support growth[5]Tissot uses youth-oriented marketing to support growthnytimes.com
Campaign · Other
The New York Times described Tissot's increased emphasis on sporty products, digital video and younger consumers as the brand competed with smartwatches and other watches priced below the luxury tier.
2023
Tissot PRX becomes a major contemporary growth driver[5]Tissot uses youth-oriented marketing to support growthnytimes.com
Product generation · Other
Industry coverage linked the PRX collection's integrated-bracelet design and retro styling with Tissot's renewed visibility among younger watch buyers.
2023
Tissot reports strong growth while targeting younger consumers[6]Tissot reports strong growth while targeting younger consumersnytimes.com
Other
Chief executive Sylvain Dolla said the brand was experiencing double-digit global growth and had concentrated content production on younger and ambitious consumers. The article also discussed pressure from smartwatches in the sub-$1,000 traditional-watch segment.
2023
Tissot emphasizes youth-oriented marketing and PRX momentum[6]Tissot reports strong growth while targeting younger consumersnytimes.com
Campaign · Other
The New York Times reported that Tissot was emphasizing content for younger and ambitious consumers and that its chief executive attributed strong performance to sporty designs and intensive video marketing. The article noted that Tissot and Swatch Group do not disclose standalone brand sales.
2023
Tissot reports strong growth from youth-oriented marketing[6]Tissot reports strong growth while targeting younger consumersnytimes.com
Campaign
Chief executive Sylvain Dolla told The New York Times that sporty designs and increased content aimed at young, ambitious consumers had supported double-digit growth. The article also noted that Tissot and Swatch Group do not disclose standalone brand sales.

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