Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar

Tissot is a pioneer in touchscreen watch technology. In 1999, long before companies like Apple or Samsung started producing smartwatches, this Swiss manufacturer introduced their first Touch model. The watch developed into one of Tissot's most successful watches thanks to its functionality and touchscreen glass. One touch of your finger is enough to switch back and forth between the different features. Today, the watch is known as the first solar-powered touchscreen watch. Solar cells on the dial convert light into energy, thereby eliminating the need for battery changes. This is more environmentally friendly and also increases accuracy, as the watch won't suddenly stop working when it runs out of power. The models in the T-Classic collection are more appealing to those with simple, elegant tastes, while the watches from the T-Heritage collection pay homage to decades past with their retro designs.

Are you an adventurer who prefers spending your time outdoors? Then the T-Touch Expert Solar is the perfect watch for you. Features such as a barometer show you changes in air pressure and therefore in weather as well. You can navigate to the most remote parts of the Earth using the compass, and with the altimeter, you'll always know your elevation in the mountains. You can use the chronograph function to time your laps on the race track, and with the regatta timer, you'll be the first one to sail through the starting line. Thanks to all these functions, this watch is a real all-rounder and ideal for your next expedition. Since the watch is solar powered, it doesn't quickly lose its power either. A new, unworn model costs around 700 euros. The watch is comparable to the Pro Trek collection from Casio, whose introductory models cost a little over 200 euros. The Finnish manufacturer Suunto is also well known for similar specialty timepieces. Their prices range from 200 to 1,000 euros.

Tissot has set the bar quite high with the T-Touch Expert Solar. Almost no other manufacturer produces a solar-powered watch with a barometer, altimeter, compass, stopwatch, calendar, GMT function, and touch screen. Only smartwatches offer more functions, as you can connect them to your smartphone to display the most recent messages and notifications on the watch's screen. The first smartwatch from a luxury manufacturer was the TAG Heuer Connected, which costs around 1,300 euros. However, it's barely comparable to the T-Touch, as they're completely different types of touchscreen watches.

The Promaster Altichron by Citizen, however, is in the same league as the T-Touch Expert Solar. It features an altimeter which reads -300 to 10,000 m (-984 to 32,808 ft), assisting you not only at great depths, but great heights as well. Furthermore, the watch is waterproof to 200 m and has a power reserve of 330 days and a titanium case. Its power reserve display signals when the battery needs to be changed. Like Tissot's watch, the Promaster Altichron from Citizen features a compass. It does not, however, fully match up with the T-Touch: It lacks a chronograph, regatta timer, and barometer. The Promaster Altichron costs about 500 euros.

The Casio Pro Trek PRW-6000-1ER has almost the exact same functions as the T-Touch Expert Solar. The watch, which costs around 500 euros, also features a thermometer and radio signal receptor, which ensures the correct time is always displayed. The watch receives signals in North America, Europe, Japan, and China. However, like Citizen, the Casio watch does not have a touch screen.

An altimeter, a barometer, a compass, and more - the T-Touch has a wide variety of functions that make it superior to most other watches. Thanks to the altimeter, you'll always know your current elevation, displayed in meters or feet. The watch displays your average speed during ascent and descent as well as your cumulative elevation gain.

The barometer displays air pressure in hPa. Furthermore, it indicates changes in the weather, a very practical function when you're in the mountains. The weather is displayed using the central hand, while the air pressure is shown in an extra LCD display in the bottom half of the dial.

The compass function points you towards geographic north using the minute hand. Furthermore, the compass setting allows you to define and follow an azimuth, indicating which heading you should take.

The different timer functions are also impressive. The chronograph function allows you to time laps to 1/100th of a second. The split time chronograph function allows you to time up to 99 laps during one race. Another type of timer, the regatta timer - an adjustable countdown timer with a time signal - ensures that you'll be going over the start line at just the right moment during your next regatta. The usual timer function counts hours, minutes, and seconds backwards, making it also ideal for cooking and baking.

If you have to get up early, then you may appreciate the benefits of an alarm. The T-Touch Solar features two 24-hour alarms, as well as a perpetual calendar and GMT function. It displays the time in the second time zone in a small digital display, while the analog central hand indicates the local time.

The Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar catches the eye due to its size. With a trendy diameter of 45 mm, it fits perfectly on larger wrists. However, its size doesn't mean it's heavy: Most versions weigh less than 100 g thanks to the titanium cases. This light weight makes the watch the perfect companion for mountain climbers who need to think about every gram they carry. For the band, you have a choice between titanium, leather, or red, orange, or black silicon. The bezel is available with the numbers 3, 6, 9, and 12 as hour markers or with a compass rose with the letters N, E, S, and W. An optional red arrow-tipped minute hand is reminiscent of a north-pointing compass needle and is a fitting match for the compass rose bezel.

The case is available with a black coating or, in the case of the NBA Special Edition, a rose gold one. Dials are predominantly dark, either black or blue, and have a carbon effect. One defining feature of this collection is the watches' triangular lugs. Sapphire glass, a highly scratch-resistant material, protects the display from any damage and allows a clear view of the hands. Tissot adds a layer of anti-reflective coating as well in order to minimize reflection. The watch is waterproof to 100 m (10 bar) and thus can be worn while swimming.