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 From
a humble beginning in the small Swiss town of Le Locle in the Jura
Mountains, to being one of Swatch Group’s premier brands of
timepieces, Tissot has come a long way.
Since its origin over 150 years ago, the brand has made a mark with
its presence in numerous countries around the world. Its ability
to innovate and offer additional features in its timekeeping instruments
has given the brand a lasting reputation of being ‘Innovators
by Tradition’. Each year, Tissot lives up to this very image,
going way beyond what the founder originally had in mind for his
creation.
 The
visionaries
In 1853, Charles-Félicien Tissot established Tissot
in Le Locle, a small Swiss town in the Jura Mountains on the border
with France. Although it began as a small business, it was always
meant to be more than just a small-time venture set up to cater
only to the people of Le Locle and the areas around it. Charles-Félicien’s
son, Charles-Emile saw the potential of Tissot as an international
name and steadily planned its expansion. The initial inspiration
for taking the brand across Swiss borders came to him when he realised
that their first edition of watches appealed more to the Russian
bourgeoisie than Swiss locals. In 1858, he took a sample of these
heavy savonnette pocket watches to Russia, at a time when the country
was known for its patronage of art and technical innovation.
Russia opened up a plethora of opportunities for Tissot. The watches
had many high-profile takers like the Tsar and his officers. Even
today, a reminder of that prosperous era of Tissot exists in the
Replica collection — a replica of the watch was created for
the Officer of the Imperial Russian Guard, in 1904. The back of
the watch was embossed with the Order of the Star — ‘Faithful
to the Faith’.
 An
international status
Charles-Emile Tissot’s journey through the Russian empire,
increasing popularity of the watch that bore his name, was just
the beginning of a memorable adventure. After Russia, he intended
to enter the markets of the United States and Latin America. The
brand first started their commercial activities there in 1866, though
Charles-Emile had already made several trips to study the American
market even before the company had started.
While appealing to other continents, the growth of the brand in
its continent of origin was natural. Europe showered Tissot with
several awards at exhibitions throughout the late 19th century.
It even won the Grand Prix at the Great Exhibition in Paris in 1900.
In 1916, Tissot came out with the Prince ‘Banana’ Watches,
one of its first major collections.
 The
fresh design, with its curved case was thoroughly appreciated by
customers in Europe and in Russia. Of course, this was just before
Russia closed its borders after the Revolution.
A groundbreaking creation of Tissot in 1930 was the ‘Antimagnetic’
watch. This exceptional timekeeper was very well received. The watch
was introduced at a time
when the economy was witnessing industrial advancement in the invention
of electronic equipment that also saw the use of magnets. This watch
was designed to resist any interference that a magnetic force in
such environments could cause to the precise isochronism of the
watch.
 An
impressive following
The European showcasing of Tissot watches attracted the attention
of celebrities whose interest in the brand helped increase its glamour
quotient. Actress Sarah Bernhardt and singer Carmen Miranda began
sporting Tissot watches. Soon, even the likes of Prince Rainier
and Princess Grace of Monaco were wearing them.
However, it weren’t just celebrities and royals that represented
the brand. The ‘Innovators by Tradition’ even implemented
their innovation in their marketing techniques. In the 1940s, they
used a novel strategy. They displayed a picture of a balance-spring
fitter in the windows of their principal Swiss stores. These window
displays made an emphatic statement — the company’s employees
themselves are the best ambassadors. While this may not be a feature
currently in practice in Tissot showrooms, newer techniques like
video screens showcasing Tissot watches at selling-points have won
the company many merchandising accolades.
Innovation redefined
The 1953 ‘Navigator’ was a path breaking watch from
Tissot. Its dial featured a design that allowed the wearer to read
the time in 24 different time zones represented by corresponding
cities. Creating history, this watch is now in place at the UNESCO
site of the Salines Royales d’Arc et Senans in the French Jura.
Equally innovative was the 1971 ‘Astrolon’ watch that
had its movements in plastic, the first of its kind ever, in watches.
It was the result of the Tissot technicians’ mission to do
away with having to lubricate the metal parts of a watch.
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