No less than nine new models presented at BaselWorld by Tissot will help the brand towards its sales target of four million pieces for this year. The newcomers are a balanced mix of classic elegance and sportiness, showcasing Tissot’s watchmaking prowess and its sports credentials as a brand that is heavily involved in sports sponsorship, from basketball to car and motorbike racing.

In October last year, a Tissot watch equipped with the “Le Locle” calibre 2824-2 won the classic watch category in the International Chronometry Competition, with a score of 794 points out of 1000. A new Le Locle automatic chronometer edition pays tribute to this victory and is fitted with a COSC-certified self-winding movement in a classic round stainless-steel case with see-through case back. A Classic Gent Gold model complements the Le Locle chronometer with a self-winding movement in a stainless-steel case with an 18-carat rose gold bezel and a discreet small seconds counter located between the centre of the dial (available in silver or black) and the minute track. Both of these models are available with a leather strap, with additional executions in rose gold or two-tone PVD coatings available for the Le Locle Chronometer.

CLASSIC GENT, LE LOCLE CHRONOMETER

The T-10 and T-12 models for ladies continue the heritage of Tissot’s T-Collection, which was launched in 1999 as the brand’s first collection exclusively for ladies. The rectangular T-10 model in polished stainless steel features clous de Paris decoration in the centre of the dial, which is available in white, black, two-tone or mother-of-pearl. The T-12 has a round case in stainless steel with a PVD bi-colour version and a fully integrated stainless-steel bracelet. A total of 79 Top Wesselton diamonds are set on the case with a further four stones set on the dial. Both of these ladies models feature a Swiss Made quartz movement, domed sapphire crystal and a pushbutton butterfly clasp.

T-10, T-12

The nostalgic Heritage PR 516 model perfectly bridges the gap between classic and sports, between historical and modern. It is a re-designed version of a 1960s classic that bears strong design elements from the world of the automobile. The rotor on the self-winding movement, visible through a transparent case back, takes the form of an old three-spoke steering wheel, with holes drilled into the spokes. The same theme recurs on the stainless-steel bracelet, whose large holes confer a distinctive lightness upon the design. It is available in stainless steel or as a PVD yellow-gold version with a black, blue or silver dial.

The Titanium Chrono Quartz is one of three quartz chronographs added to Tissot’s sports offering this year and features a particularly pure design with an all-over brushed titanium look that is complemented by matching hands, hour markers and chronograph counters on the dial (which is available in silver, dark blue, black or anthracite). A matching titanium bracelet, or rubber strap, complete the elegantly sporty look.

HERITAGE PR 516, TITANIUM CHRONO QUARTZ

Two limited-edition quartz chronographs celebrate Tissot’s affiliation with motorsport. For ladies there is the T-Race Danica Patrick Limited Edition, which bears the logo of the NASCAR driver (the first woman to win an IndyCar race in 2008) on its case back. Despite its feminine design, it nevertheless bears all the usual T-Race motorsport traits, with the white ceramic bezel, whose magnification lens for the date also recalls brake callipers on a ceramic brake disc. The white dial is set with twelve Top Wesselton diamonds as hour markers and is complemented by a matching white silicone strap. Its polished stainless-steel case further accentuates the femininity of the piece, whose production is limited to 4999 pieces.

A second T-Race model is dedicated to Tissot’s association with the MotoGP series, which dates back twelve years. This limited edition of 8888 pieces in stainless steel features the MotoGP logo on the case back, a black carbon dial and black bezel with a striking black and yellow silicone strap. Tissot’s most exclusive model is the T-Race MotoGP C01.211 limited edition, which features a similar design to the quartz MotoGP model but with the self-winding C01.211 calibre visible through the spokes of a stylised motorbike wheel that form the case back. It comes in a MotoGP presentation box with a watch winder and is limited to 2012 pieces.

T-RACE DANICA PATRICK, T-RACE MOTOGP

With this broad base of new models Tissot is firmly on track to hit its multi-million target for watch deliveries this year.

Source: Europa Star April - May 2012 Magazine Issue