Patrimony As A Watchword

The new Tissot Le Locle models might bear the gleam of luxury and 21st century watchmaking, but look deeper, and you will find an excellent study in combining tradition, heritage, and innovation.

- SUFFIAN HAKIM

PATRIMONY IS A WORD that gets thrown around a lot in the watch world. You’ll hear it in watch fairs, in gatherings of enthusiasts, and in publications with horological slants such as ourselves. Outside the watch world, the word refers to anything passed down from father to son, usually referring to property, wealth or knowledge. Within the watch world, it refers to elements of craftsmanship and watch engineering whose origins are deeply rooted in a brand’s heritage.

In that sense, every brand has its own expression of patrimony. Tissot, especially in its Le Locle collection, lives and breathes patrimony. From its origins in 1853 in the Le Locle region of Neuchâtel, through its acquisition by the Swatch Group, Tissot has always stayed true to its roots.

For over 170 years, each Tissot watch informs the next. Take the PRX for example. While it has updated the collection to meet modern sensibilities, it builds upon the 1978 original, a luxury sports watch with a slim silhouette, an angular case, and an integrated bracelet, as was the rage at that time.

The Le Locle Collection goes further back. As its name suggests, the collection draws inspiration from the mountainous locale in which the brand was conceived, and the town’s centuries-old iconic church clock tower and its distinctive Roman numerals. They are powered by Swiss automatic movements, with a state-of-theart Nivachron balance spring, a result of generations of patrimony.

Recently, Tissot has added two new models to the collection—both in 316L stainless steel cases, but one with an 18K rose gold fluted bezel, and another with a rich green dial. Both come in a 39.3mm case and a 29mm case.