Quartz watches sometimes get a bum rap in the world of watchmaking. This reality is not surprising when considering the watershed introduction of quartz in the 1970s. Quartz was/is cheaper to build and typically more accurate than mechanical timekeeping—so it became popular. So much so that mechanical watchmaking took some big hits through the late 20th century.
While modern quartz critics are frequently referred to as snobbish, in online watch forums and blogs, we here at TimesTicking happen to reserve a professional respect for both quartz and mechanical engineering. Combining a history of traditional creation with quartz innovation is the brand Tissot. This includes one of their most popular wristwatches—the “T-Touch”. Tissot brought their name and watchmaking prowess into the 21st century with tactile flair by releasing this piece. While some were surprised to see this long-standing watchmaker deliver a quartz watch—with touch-capable functions to boot—many were refreshed by its forward-thinking design (at a fair price tag). 20 years after the original release it still sells incredibly well. Aside from a few fresh coats of paint and tweaks to the inner workings, it’s remained relatively unchanged after two decades.
Interfacing Via Touch
One touch of a button on the Tissot T-Touch gives way to accessing six key features on the watch. Before the touch screen times out—within about 5-6 seconds—one can begin accessing the compass, barometer, temperature readout, the (usefully audible) alarm, and stopwatch (chronograph). Once all of those features are set to the wearer’s needs the touch capability goes into a locked standby mode. It’s an ease of use that allows for simple time setting alongside dialing in the more adventurous features. The barometer function is linked smartly to the altimeter function of the T-Touch. Needing some fair scrutiny, in terms of functionality, are the altimeter and temperature readout. With the altimeter, it has to be set to the current altitude of the wearer. On top of that, if one wants an accurate temp readout, it’s important to remove the watch to avoid affecting the function with body temperature. Otherwise setting the time, date, alarm, and stopwatch are essentially the same as setting a digital watch. Tissot’s T-Touch has an ana-digi readout, in fact. The hands act as part of the compass feature, as well as a simple redundancy for time telling.
Tissot’s T-Touch Moves Forward
Appearances are fairly standard for a men’s stainless steel wristwatch on the T-Touch. While there are a few stylistic and strap variants, what we’ve written above holds up for both 2000s T-Touch watches and today’s models. Staying on top of multi-functional digital and combining it with Swiss watch engineering has paid off well for Tissot. It’s still one of the most searched and purchased men’s watches globally. With a roster that now features the T-Race, T-Touch Expert, and T-Touch Expert Solar (yep, they even come with solar powered movements), the Tissot T-Touch watch got on its feet when the Swiss watchmaking industry was bouncing back from the Quartz Revolution. Most models cost under 1K, making them more accessible than other Swiss watches. Continued popularity may see new variations in this ubiquitous watch model. Until then, the tried-and-true is still a testament to the ever-changing evolutionary world of watchmaking. We’ll stay in “touch” with the Tissot T-Touch for any new updates.
Times Ticking has been in operation for more than 30 years, since 1982. We have performed watch repair for customers both locally and internationally. If it Ticks! We KNOW it! Our team of watch repair technicians have a combined experience in watchmaking of over 120 years.
