Tissot watches are truly masterpieces and have been for well over a century. Since 1853, this timeless company has produced watches that relied on various technologies. Many of the more modern Tissot watches rely on automatic movement. Unlike watches that rely on batteries or charging docks, a Tissot automatic watch stores the kinetic energy from your arm. Over time, the watch releases that stored kinetic energy, which keeps your watch ticking.
Storing kinetic energy sounds ingenious, except that watch collectors often find it hard to wear all their watches regularly. Unfortunately, if a watch sits too long on a shelf or in a drawer, it uses up all its kinetic energy and stops ticking. Watch winders can solve this problem. By automatically rotating and moving the watch while not wearing it, these devices feed the watch the kinetic energy it needs to keep working. Let’s delve deeper into these watches and uncover some finer details about keeping your timepiece working even when resting in your home.
A Brief History of the Tissot Automatic Watch
Tissot has a fascinating history. As noted earlier, the father-and-son duo founded Tissot over 170 years ago. The brand initially created pocket watches, and the father successfully sold them across the Russian empire. Russia was Tissot’s biggest market, and eventually, Tissot’s son moved to Moscow to manage the branch his father had set up.
Business was booming until the Great Depression, which caused financial difficulties for all companies, including Tissot, and they joined forces with Omega to form the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH). This joint partnership produced many highly collectible timepieces.
Throughout history, Tissot has had many firsts in the watchmaking world, including:
- The first mass-produced pocket watch,
- The first antimagnetic wristwatch,
- One of the first makers to experiment with alternative materials, like plastic or stone
Watch enthusiasts, celebrities, royals, and more collect these timepieces today. Who wears Tissot watches? Fitting for a brand synonymous with luxury, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Elvis Presley, Nelson Mandela, and more famous people have all worn Tissot timepieces.
How Much Is a Tissot Automatic Watch?
The short answer to “how much is a Tissot watch,” is simple: less than competing brands! While other luxury manufacturers sell their timepieces for thousands of dollars, the Tissot watch price tends to be far less expensive. For example, you can often get a:
- PRX Tissot mens watch model for between $300 and $700
- Powermatic model for between $500 and $1000
- Seastar for about $500
Collectible watches from this company can sell for quite a bit more. Some can fetch tens of thousands or more on the open market. Usually, these watches have some distinguishing feature or material that increases their value.
How Do you Wind a PRX Watch?
To wind a Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 watch, follow these steps:
Ensure the Crown is in the Correct Position: Make sure the crown is pushed all the way in towards the case. If your watch has a screw-down crown, unscrew it first.
Manual Winding: Rotate the crown clockwise. You should do this for about 30 to 40 full rotations to fully wind the watch. You will hear a slight clicking sound as you wind, which is normal and indicates the ratchet mechanism is working.
Automatic Winding: The PRX Powermatic 80 is an automatic watch, meaning it also winds itself when worn on the wrist due to the movement of the rotor. However, manual winding ensures the watch is fully powered, especially if it hasn’t been worn for a while.
Tissot PRX Watch Winder Settings
Winding Direction: The Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 uses the ETA caliber C07.111 movement, which requires bi-directional winding. This means the watch winder should be set to rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise.
Turns Per Day (TPD): The optimal TPD setting for the Powermatic 80 movement is around 650-800 TPD. This ensures that the watch remains fully wound without over-stressing the movement.
By following these steps, you can ensure your Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 is properly wound and ready to keep accurate time.
Example Tissot Models and Watch Winder Settings
To illustrate what settings you might need for your particular model, here are a few standard Tissot models and the best watch winder settings.
- Bridgeport: Clockwise direction, 800 turns per day
- Heritage 150 and 2008: Both directions, 650 turns per day
- Heritage 2009: Clockwise direction and 800 turns per day
- Heritage Navigator: Both directions at 650 turns per day
- PR 100 X: Rotation in both directions, 650 turns per day
Finding Your Watch’s Settings
Don’t worry if you don’t know what settings to use for your Tissot automatic watch. Finding the correct settings is relatively easy through some experimentation. Start with the lowest turns per day setting possible on your winder and pick one direction, clockwise. Typically, this will be 650 turns per day. Leave your watch on that setting for a while. If it ceases to work after a while, gradually increase the turns per day or change the rotation direction until you find a setting that works for your timepiece.
Please note that modern watches have numerous safeguards to prevent damage if you have the turns per day set too high. Start slow, though, to be safe, and don’t overdo it.
Recommended Watch Winders
When selecting a watch winder for your Tissot PRX, consider the following features:
Programmability: A programmable watch winder allows you to set the exact TPD and winding direction, which is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and longevity of your watch.
Quality and Build: Choose a winder made from high-quality materials to ensure durability and reliability.
Quiet Operation: Since the winder will likely be used in living spaces, opt for one that operates quietly.
Best Watch Winder for Tissot Automatic Watch
Mozsly Watch Winder: This brand offers programmable watch winders that are suitable for the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80, allowing you to set the TPD and winding direction as needed.
Wolf Watch Winders: Known for their quality and reliability, Wolf watch winders offer programmable settings and quiet operation, making them a good choice for maintaining your Tissot PRX.
Your Elegant Timepiece Deserves the Best
Ultimately, owning Tissot automatic watches means having some of the best timepieces on the market today. Very few companies come close to Tissot’s quality, precision, and history. Like any prized collectible, you want to ensure your watch keeps working and is ready to wear whenever you want to put it on your wrist.
At Mozsly, we produce some of the best watch winders around. Our devices have the finest materials, so you can rest assured that your collectible timepiece will remain pristine even as our winder keeps it working for you. Additionally, all our winders are configurable, with settings ranging from 650 turns per day up to 1250, in clockwise, counterclockwise, and both directions. No matter what type of Tissot you have, our elegant watch winders can keep it running for you. To learn more about these winders, check out our collection.
Precision engineering and superb craftsmanship are standard with each Tissot automatic watch. With a watch winder, you no longer have to worry about wearing your watch to keep it running or manually resetting it after sitting too long. Your watch will always be ready, making each one of your timepieces that much easier to enjoy.
