Has Tissot just released the perfect entry-level Swiss watch?

Tissot has launched a smaller version of its popular Gentleman watch. The new 38mm model joins the existing 40mm, giving buyers more choice, and I think this new 38mm version might just be the perfect entry-level Swiss watch.

At $850 in the US and £690 in the UK, it sits in a competitive sweet spot. It is Swiss-made, automatic, and built to last. It’s also really well designed, and can be dressed up or down. A combination that is hard to beat at this price, then.

The watch comes in four dial colours: silver, black, dark blue, and dark green. Each features a pyramidal sunray finish that plays nicely with the light. The blue is the standout of the bunch for me.

The dials are clean and unfussy. Perhaps a little too unfussy? Tissot plays it safe here, and while the sunray finish adds some texture, more adventurous dial treatments would make future models genuinely exciting.

Build quality looks solid throughout. The stainless steel case is water-resistant to 100 metres. A domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating sits above the dial, and a see-through caseback lets you watch the movement doing its work.

Ticking inside is the familiar Powermatic 80 automatic moment. It delivers up to 80 hours of power reserve. For anyone who rotates between watches, that is a great convenience.

A Nivachron balance spring adds resistance to magnetism and shocks – serious engineering at an accessible price.

The three-row stainless steel bracelet has a polished centre link. It connects via a quick-release system, making it easy to swap to one of Tissot’s 18mm leather or Milanese mesh straps.

For first-time buyers of a serious Swiss watch, it really is difficult to find fault.

The 38mm Tissot Gentleman is available now on Tissot’s website.

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Spencer Hart Buying Guide Editor

About

As Buying Guide Editor, Spencer is responsible for all e-commerce content on Stuff, overseeing buying guides as well as covering deals and new product launches. Spencer has been writing about consumer tech for over eight years. He has worked on some of the biggest publications in the UK, where he covered everything from the emergence of smartwatches to the arrival of self-driving cars. During this time, Spencer has become a seasoned traveller, racking up air miles while travelling around the world reviewing cars, attending product launches, and covering every trade show known to man, from Baselworld and Geneva Motor Show to CES and MWC. While tech remains one of his biggest passions, Spencer also enjoys getting hands-on with the latest luxury watches, trying out new grooming kit, and road-testing all kinds of vehicles, from electric scooters to supercars.

Areas of expertise

Watches, travel, grooming, transport, tech