Ryan follows the herd and talks about a new watch release: Tissot Stylist

For the first time ever, I think, I have been blown away with a new watch release. In an earlier post, I almost vowed to never buy a new watch again. This watch would make me look right proper stupid, if it wasn’t for one thing.

This is a step in the right direction for us lovers of vintage watches. The case is 32mm by 32mm, which is quite perfect, to be honest; at 7mm thick it’s not too bulky either. The case is, as expected, stainless steel, and the crystal is flat sapphire — I would prefer (slightly domed) acrylic, but I am in a tiny, tiny minority of people on that front. That all sounds rather average for a modern watch, bar the size and aesthetic choices.

On a thread on another platform, I noticed that a lot of people don’t fancy the “Stylist” text below the pinion. I am going to ignore what those people think, because I like it. The vintage Stylists had the same branding. The Roman numerals are brilliantly executed, as is the dial gradient. I know this watch came out only yesterday or something, but more colour options will be welcomed with open arms and a semi. I would particularly love a red wine colour with the same gradient effect. The hands and dial also don’t feature luminous paint, which I really quite like, as lume tends to spoil the clean look of the hands. Maybe a blued set of hands could accompany a lighter dial colour. I can only dream of the possibilities…

I am shocked at how much I like this new release. Even if my aforementioned ideas aren’t considered, the current blue dial variant is good enough to have me itching at my bank card. That’s when it all goes to shit. The current retail price is 275 USD, or R4 800 for me. Now look, I know that The Swatch Group have ADs to stock and employees to pay and so on and so forth, but they are making a big profit on this. The movement is, according to ablogtowatch, likely to be a variation of the ETA F03 quartz movement. It’s a very nice movement, but I can buy one now for about 30 USD. Remember, that’s my price. Tissot gets it cheaper, far cheaper. So, there’s say another 245 USD that needs accounting for. The case: okay, yes, good stainless steel that is well-finished costs a lot and is money well-spent when designing a watch, but the case of the Stylist is not 245 bucks. Sapphire is also not the cheapest to make, (well, it’s more expensive than a piece of plastic,) but that still doesn’t balance the books for me. It’s markup. I know it, you know it, the Zimbabwean man living across the road from my grandmother knows it. It’s necessary for the company to survive.

Vintage Tissots are better made than current Tissots and are far cheaper too. I’ve done some digging and to find a vintage blue-dial Stylist, you will pay, no doubt because of scarcity and the hype (is there hype?) behind this latest release, but many watches are still fairly priced. I’m certain quite a few Stylists are rotting away in second-hand shops as we speak. The Stylist was never an expensive watch. The price for this reissue is by no means highway robbery or totally offside, but if I asked my watchmaker, my island of stability when it comes to modern pricing, what he would pay for a brand new quartz Tissot dress watch, I don’t think he would say 275 USD equivalent. To add insult to injury, I briefly saw a South African store having this model listed at R9 700. This video I stole from Instagram (be advised, the language is colourful, so get the kids out the room) encapsulates my reaction to that information.

The watch will no doubt get cheaper as time passes. At 225 USD I’ll start being honest with the salespeople. At 200 USD Tissot will have caught me hook, line and sinker. I may even buy two at that price. Seeing as South African dealers keep prices high (which I understand due to tax, renting storefronts and import duties) that may not happen soon. I want it to happen, very much so, but I might just stick with my vintage stuff.

Maybe it’s to do with me living in a third-world country or maybe I’m just too poor for a Tissot. Watches get cheaper to make, but prices have gone up. I don’t think I’m being too unreasonable.