Tissot, a Swiss watch brand known for its affordable watches, has launched three new men’s watches with mechanical movements at Baselworld 2014: Tissot le Locle Small Second, Tissot PRS 516 Extreme, and Tissot T-Complication Chronometer.
Tissot’s Le Locle collection is named for the village in the Swiss Jura where the brand is headquartered. The latest in the line is the Tissot Le Locle Small Second, which contains Tissot’s all-new Caliber 2825, an innovative, automatic movement that allows the placement of any type of counter subdial (hour, minute, or second) anywhere on the dial. In this model, both the small seconds subdial and the date are located in unconventional spots, at the 5 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions, respectively. The dial features Roman numerals and the traditional Le Locle signature. The 316L stainless steel case has a scratch-proof sapphire crystal and a see-through caseback. The watch comes on a leather strap with butterfly clasp or a steel bracelet with push-button butterfly clasp. Bicolor and rose-gold PVD versions are also available.
The sporty Tissot PRS 516 Extreme is based on a motorsport-inspired Tissot timepiece from the 1960s but adds some contemporary touches. The smooth lines of the case evoke the bodywork of modern automobiles and the details on the dial and bezel echo those on car dashboards. The strap (available in leather or rubber) has a racing-stripe design with a honeycomb pattern reminiscent of an automobile’s ventilation system; there is also a version available that has the original model’s famous bracelet, with cut-out circles illustrating the steering wheels of racecars. The automatic movement, visible through a clear caseback, powers a chronograph and date display. The black PVD-coated stainless steel case is water-resistant to 100 meters.
That first watch is one incredibly slick looking piece of art. What I wouldn’t do for one of those.