Tissot Men's T17152652 review
Tissot Men's T17152652 PRC 200 Watch
The Tissot Story
For more than 150 years, Tissot has embodied the innovation and tradition of Swiss watch-making. Based in the Neuchâtel area of the Jura Mountains, in Le Locle, Switzerland, Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Emile created the watch making company Tissot in 1853. Whether in the technology of its movements, in the research for special materials or in the very functions of the watch itself, Tissot's engineers and watchmakers have developed pioneering timepieces over the years.
Some of Tissot's triumphs over the years include the the Idea 2001 (the world's first plastic watch) released in 1971, the Rock watch (which set the timepiece's movement in a stone case made from Swiss Alps granite) in 1985, and the Wood watch from 1988 (with a completely wooden case). Tissot uses the best movements (from ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse), the highest quality materials (316L steel, 18K gold, titanium) and scratch-proof glasses (sapphire crystal--at least 2500 Vickers).
The company has been involved with high profile sports events since 1974 when they sponsored a racing car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, France. Since then Tissot's timepieces have been chosen as official timekeepers for world championships in cycling, motorcycling, fencing and ice hockey. And Tissot is currently the the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR.
Tissot timepieces have been worn by a bevy of celebrities over the years--including Grace Kelly, Elvis Presley and Nelson Mandela--and James Stewart's character L.B. Jefferies wore a Tissot timepiece in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window." Today the company is represented in a variety of sporting fields by English soccer star Michael Owen, IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, and MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden. Today, Tissot is a member of the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch producer and distributor.
I love this watch. As subtle as it appears, it does seem to grab attention, and I enjoy the dressy-casual paradox it creates. While not pretentious, it is definitely bold, as one reviewer put it, and you should be prepared for strangers asking you what kind of watch it is. I'm not that familiar with Tissot watches, so in the way of metrics, I would say that it is nicer than a Bulova Marine Star (a solid watch in its own right) but a good step below a TAG Heuer Carrera (but the TAG has an automatic movement).
The strap and chronograph imply "working man's watch." No frou-frou here. But the massiveness, precision design and elegant finish tell you it's a little nicer than a simple workhorse timepiece.
One quirk is the layout of the hands and dials. The large yellow "seconds" hand in the central dial location is not the real-time seconds hand, but rather that of the chrono; this hand remains perpetually at 12 o'clock (until you start the chronograph). All chrono functions are color-coded with yellow hands, which is a thoughtful touch. The real-time seconds are actually marked by a secondary (white) dial at the 6 o'clock position. The casual observer, seeing the large stopped hand, might think your watch battery has stopped. I have a Lucien Piccard with this setup, so I guess I will just get used to it.
The reviewer who complained about the buckle-clasp makes a valid point. In theory, these buckle-clasps should work fine. However, on my wrist, the strap is tight enough to nearly take off skin when I slide it on, yet when I clasp it shut, it is still too loose to stay in place. I will also look into after-market straps with conventional buckles. There's no good excuse for spending more than ten seconds to put on a wristwatch, no matter how nice it looks. But straps come and go, so this isn't a huge deal.
Pro:
- Very elegant for a casual watch
- Size, mass and depth (the depth of the watch is thicker than a Sharpie-brand marker)
- Good overall design; looks like it could have been designed by an architect
- Internal tachymeter on a beveled ring; allows for a larger crystal and a cleaner look
Con:
- The chronograph "seconds" hand, at the home position, is slightly off-center against the 12 o'clock tick mark on the watch face, indicating a quality control issue at the factory. You would have to look very closely to notice this, however.
- The fancy clasp is over-designed and should be replaced with a more effective buckle design.
As a side note, I noticed today that Amazon shows the MSRP as $425, however, the retail tag attached to the watch I received through Amazon states $395. As of February 2008, the online price is still $273 with free UPS shipping (signature required).
Some of Tissot's triumphs over the years include the the Idea 2001 (the world's first plastic watch) released in 1971, the Rock watch (which set the timepiece's movement in a stone case made from Swiss Alps granite) in 1985, and the Wood watch from 1988 (with a completely wooden case). Tissot uses the best movements (from ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère Suisse), the highest quality materials (316L steel, 18K gold, titanium) and scratch-proof glasses (sapphire crystal--at least 2500 Vickers).
The company has been involved with high profile sports events since 1974 when they sponsored a racing car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, France. Since then Tissot's timepieces have been chosen as official timekeepers for world championships in cycling, motorcycling, fencing and ice hockey. And Tissot is currently the the official watch and timekeeper of NASCAR.
Tissot timepieces have been worn by a bevy of celebrities over the years--including Grace Kelly, Elvis Presley and Nelson Mandela--and James Stewart's character L.B. Jefferies wore a Tissot timepiece in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window." Today the company is represented in a variety of sporting fields by English soccer star Michael Owen, IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, and MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden. Today, Tissot is a member of the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch producer and distributor.
I love this watch. As subtle as it appears, it does seem to grab attention, and I enjoy the dressy-casual paradox it creates. While not pretentious, it is definitely bold, as one reviewer put it, and you should be prepared for strangers asking you what kind of watch it is. I'm not that familiar with Tissot watches, so in the way of metrics, I would say that it is nicer than a Bulova Marine Star (a solid watch in its own right) but a good step below a TAG Heuer Carrera (but the TAG has an automatic movement).
The strap and chronograph imply "working man's watch." No frou-frou here. But the massiveness, precision design and elegant finish tell you it's a little nicer than a simple workhorse timepiece.
One quirk is the layout of the hands and dials. The large yellow "seconds" hand in the central dial location is not the real-time seconds hand, but rather that of the chrono; this hand remains perpetually at 12 o'clock (until you start the chronograph). All chrono functions are color-coded with yellow hands, which is a thoughtful touch. The real-time seconds are actually marked by a secondary (white) dial at the 6 o'clock position. The casual observer, seeing the large stopped hand, might think your watch battery has stopped. I have a Lucien Piccard with this setup, so I guess I will just get used to it.
The reviewer who complained about the buckle-clasp makes a valid point. In theory, these buckle-clasps should work fine. However, on my wrist, the strap is tight enough to nearly take off skin when I slide it on, yet when I clasp it shut, it is still too loose to stay in place. I will also look into after-market straps with conventional buckles. There's no good excuse for spending more than ten seconds to put on a wristwatch, no matter how nice it looks. But straps come and go, so this isn't a huge deal.
Pro:
- Very elegant for a casual watch
- Size, mass and depth (the depth of the watch is thicker than a Sharpie-brand marker)
- Good overall design; looks like it could have been designed by an architect
- Internal tachymeter on a beveled ring; allows for a larger crystal and a cleaner look
Con:
- The chronograph "seconds" hand, at the home position, is slightly off-center against the 12 o'clock tick mark on the watch face, indicating a quality control issue at the factory. You would have to look very closely to notice this, however.
- The fancy clasp is over-designed and should be replaced with a more effective buckle design.
As a side note, I noticed today that Amazon shows the MSRP as $425, however, the retail tag attached to the watch I received through Amazon states $395. As of February 2008, the online price is still $273 with free UPS shipping (signature required).
