Thoughts on these Tissots

[i'm no superhero]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GENTS-TITANIUM-CASE-ANTHRA...

and

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tissot-Mens-Automatic-Watc...

To be used as daily beaters as you call them on PH.

Just a watch for general time telling. Will be using it when I go travelling to India and Thailand. I will, however, be doing a PADI open water qualification, so do you think I should go for a sportier model? I just think these are decent, usable daily watches if you know what I mean...

What do you think? I don't want to spend over £200, and don't want to get a so called "designer" piece of crap.

On a side note, how are Tissots generally regarded? Are they a lower end brand, or good?

Edited by i'm no superhero on Thursday 14th January 22:56

[mattley]

I rate Tissot hugely even though they're now part of the Swatch conglomerate I still think they do very nice watches at a good price.

If you're actually going diving though you need a proper dive watch. Water resistance to 165ft doesn't mean much, At your budget I think you need to look at Seiko.

[deejuic]

Neither of these watches qualify as a diver's watch. I agree. If you want something for diving, look at a Seiko (I use a Seiko Monster) or perhaps a Citizen Ecodrive Diver's. Definitely something that is rated at 200m.

[digitise]

I have one of these:
http://www.bodying.co.uk/t17-1-486-34-tissot-t-spo...

I've been really happy with it. Never been diving, but it behaved itself on the occassion I forgot to take it off at the swimming baths

I've seen them around the £200 mark.

[lowdrag]

I second the Monster. Until those nice "gentlemen" visited my house without an invitation my beater was a Breitling Superocean but now, just as tough, more accurate and 10% of the price my Monster fulfills everything one could ask of it. You are now faced with the choice of metal or rubber bracelet and orange or black face. If balck and steel bracelet here would be a good place to look since the vendors come highly recommended here:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SEIKO-MONSTER-AUTO-DIVERS-SC...

There are a few orange ones on Fleabay too if that is your choice since, while I don't dive, I believe they are easier to read at depths. Oh, incidentally, the lume is fantastic on a Monster.

[ShadownINja]

I recently picked up a PR100 automatic dress watch. I am surprised how nice it feels. The bracelet is made up of solid links so it feels suitably weighty, too. The best bit is, I left it on my desk on Wednesday night after a day's use, checked it this morning and it's lost 6 seconds!! It also appears to change the day and date bang on midnight rather than taking the usual 6 hours to do its thing. The only thing I don't like is the detail on the bezel doesn't line up with the detail on the end-pieces. It's out by 1mm but it is obvious it should line up. And the end-pieces are a bit Rolex (they are indented by about 1mm at the tips of the lugs rather than sitting flushed with the tips of the lugs as any professional designer would do...).

Only pic I have at the moment:

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 15th January 10:04

[blueg33]

I have a PRC 200 which is rated to 200 metres. Good watch and you can normally find them for about £200. I rate Tissot's I also have 2 vintage ones, the gold one is a dress watch the other I am wearing as my daily at the moment whilst the PRC200 is being serviced

[whoami]

mattley said:

even though they're now part of the Swatch conglomerate I still think they do very nice watches at a good price.

I never understand comments like that.

Breguet, Blancpain, Glashutte Original anyone?

[bikemonster]

A watch for scuba diving needs to be rated to 200 metres, should have a screw down crown and must have a uni-directional bezel.

The Monster meets these criteria and has the added advantage that you will never need a weight belt, but you will find any number of other watches at similar and even cheaper price points that also qualify.

If you are diving somewhere cold, bear in mind that your watch will need to be visible over your wetsuit (or drysuit). Some watches on bracelets (again, the Monster ticks this box) have an extension to allow the watch to be worn over a wetsuit, but a simpler option is to find a watch on a rubber/urethane strap which can be adjusted to suit. (Badoom-tish!)

If you haven't already discovered, watch manufacturers' depth ratings are in metres that have no real meaning. Even though as a new scuba diver you will not be going deeper than 25 metres, you will still need a watch that claims to be able to survive at 200 metres.

[blueg33]

bikemonster said:

A watch for scuba diving needs to be rated to 200 metres, should have a screw down crown and must have a uni-directional bezel.

The Monster meets these criteria and has the added advantage that you will never need a weight belt, but you will find any number of other watches at similar and even cheaper price points that also qualify.

If you are diving somewhere cold, bear in mind that your watch will need to be visible over your wetsuit (or drysuit). Some watches on bracelets (again, the Monster ticks this box) have an extension to allow the watch to be worn over a wetsuit, but a simpler option is to find a watch on a rubber/urethane strap which can be adjusted to suit. (Badoom-tish!)

If you haven't already discovered, watch manufacturers' depth ratings are in metres that have no real meaning. Even though as a new scuba diver you will not be going deeper than 25 metres, you will still need a watch that claims to be able to survive at 200 metres.

The Tissot PRS 200 is rated to 20atm, has screw crown and uni directional bezel. Warranty says its ok for scuba as long as the crown is screwed in and the pushers are not operated underwater.

[GC8]

Tissot watches arent particularly impressive now, compared to older products. I have a proper Tissot diver (Divermatic) and its insured against a Longines Hydroconquest, because Swatch have 'repositioned' Tissot to such a degree, that theyre rubbish now.

[blueg33]

GC8 said:

Tissot watches arent particularly impressive now, compared to older products. I have a proper Tissot diver (Divermatic) and its insured against a Longines Hydroconquest, because Swatch have 'repositioned' Tissot to such a degree, that theyre rubbish now.

Rubbish in comparison to what? Particularly what is comparable that is significantly better (in what way is it better?), as widely available, is a similar price. I can only think of some seiko's and the styling of those may not appeal to people who like the styling of Tissot watches

[andy tims]

Whilst I always say look at Seiko if you've only a limited budget, you could do much worse than those Tissots at that price point.

[GC8]

blueg33 said:

GC8 said:

Tissot watches arent particularly impressive now, compared to older products. I have a proper Tissot diver (Divermatic) and its insured against a Longines Hydroconquest, because Swatch have 'repositioned' Tissot to such a degree, that theyre rubbish now.

Rubbish in comparison to what? Particularly what is comparable that is significantly better (in what way is it better?), as widely available, is a similar price. I can only think of some seiko's and the styling of those may not appeal to people who like the styling of Tissot watches

As with most of my posts here that was rushed. Perhaps not rubbish, but theyre a shadow of their former selves. My Divermatic is far closer in quality to a TAG Heuer 400 automatic that I have: now unfortunately (most) Tissot watches barely qualify as 'Swiss' with far Eastern manufactured cases etc. and their quality is nothing like a good.

[blueg33]

GC8 said:

blueg33 said:

GC8 said:

Tissot watches arent particularly impressive now, compared to older products. I have a proper Tissot diver (Divermatic) and its insured against a Longines Hydroconquest, because Swatch have 'repositioned' Tissot to such a degree, that theyre rubbish now.

Rubbish in comparison to what? Particularly what is comparable that is significantly better (in what way is it better?), as widely available, is a similar price. I can only think of some seiko's and the styling of those may not appeal to people who like the styling of Tissot watches

As with most of my posts here that was rushed. Perhaps not rubbish, but theyre a shadow of their former selves. My Divermatic is far closer in quality to a TAG Heuer 400 automatic that I have: now unfortunately (most) Tissot watches barely qualify as 'Swiss' with far Eastern manufactured cases etc. and their quality is nothing like a good.

Ok I see where you are coming from. Back in the 50's and 60's Tissot were more of a prestige brand than Omega. I have an 18k gold Tisoot from the 1950's and when I took it to Birminghams jewelery quarter a watch maker was able to show me an original trade catalogue with the watch in. He told me that retail price was £1800 in the 50's! No sure if thats true though, the chap was pretty old!

Edited by blueg33 on Saturday 16th January 17:35

[ApexJimi]

ShadownINja said:

Only pic I have at the moment:

Fiver says that'll be on a NATO within a month

[ShadownINja]

ApexJimi said:

ShadownINja said:

Only pic I have at the moment:

Fiver says that'll be on a NATO within a month

Who do I make the cheque payable to? Did have it on a Nato the same day I got it but decided it was a bit too dressy and looked wrong so it's now sitting on a plain black leather strap.

[ApexJimi]

I just knew it!

[ShadownINja]

ApexJimi said:

I just knew it!

Why? Because you've seen my other posts? Or you have that exact model on a Nato?

[ApexJimi]

Yup - you're a great champion of the mighty NATO, so I knew it would be a fairly easy bet that you'd try it