For at least the last four years, the Swiss company Swatch Group has been working on developing a “Swiss Made” smartwatch, debuting here as the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar. Tissot was chosen as the brand to showcase modern “smart watches,” but in reality, the 35 million Swiss francs spent by Swatch Group on the development of this watch platform (in Switzerland) is likely intended for use by other brands in the group in the future (brands like Swatch, Hamilton, Longines, Rado, Certina, and even Omega have a logical place for this product in the future). The T-Touch Connect Solar is not the first Swatch Group watch with Bluetooth (some of you may recall the Tissot SPOT watch released in collaboration with Microsoft). However, these watches feature an exterior and interior (including software) that were developed in Switzerland.
The company Tissot was kind enough to provide me with a pre-release version of the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar before the official release of the collection in the U.S. market. Why is this worth mentioning? Mainly because I was unable to fully explore the product's functionality (yet) and explain that Tissot will distribute the product regionally rather than globally at first. Moreover, in its initial marketing materials, Tissot emphasizes the compatibility of the T-Touch Connect with smartphones and platforms worldwide. Furthermore, the idea is to offer local versions with special features not available in other countries. For example, Tissot indicates that in the U.S., in collaboration with the NBA (of which they are a sponsor), they can transmit exclusive basketball game information live to people's wrists.
To better understand how the T-Touch Connect Solar watches reached this point, I spoke with Tissot's CEO Sylvain Dolla about the T-Touch Connect collection. One of the simplest misconceptions about the T-Touch Connect Solar watch is how much effort Swatch Group put into developing all systems from scratch and what makes this product internally different from many other smartwatches. In fact, Tissot prefers not to use the term “smartwatch,” instead opting for “connected sophisticated watches.” There is currently some misunderstanding that the T-Touch Connect Solar is simply a Bluetooth version of the existing Tissot T-Touch Expert Solar. This is not the case, but I can understand why people have come to this conclusion. First, Tissot themselves stated that the T-Touch Connect Solar will do everything the T-Touch Expert Solar does and even more. This is true, but that's because Tissot was creating a new platform from scratch and wanted to perfect the existing functions of the T-Touch family before adding new ones.
Secondly, Tissot designed the T-Touch Connect Solar to look very similar to the T-Touch Expert Solar. Both watches have the same 47 mm wide case, as well as a common case, bezel, and dial design. The case is water-resistant up to 100 meters, and the lug-to-lug distance is about 60 mm. As far as I can tell, they do not share any components, but Tissot initially wanted to give the current generation of T-Touch watches a “connected” look before exploring new design directions in the future.
The T-Touch Connect Solar is a large watch on the wrist, but it wears quite comfortably, especially on the snug rubber strap. The watch is also lighter than one might expect, given the titanium case with rose gold PVD coating. The bezel is made of black ceramic (with luminescent navigation markers applied) - this is important so that the antenna located directly beneath it can receive signals. Even despite a somewhat outdated design, the T-Touch case (especially on a bracelet) is an excellent foundation for modern connected watches.
What I find important to discuss regarding the T-Touch Connect platform developed by Swatch Group is that it really is more than just smart or connected watches. Several years ago, Swatch Group made it clear that in the future, many wristwatches would resemble consumer electronics more than traditional watches, although the company was not in a hurry to enter this market. Instead, Swatch Group reckoned that if the smartwatch category became “a thing,” the group would have no trouble entering this market in five or even 10 years. If the Group missed market opportunities and the market ended, it would not have been worth participating in the hype.
Although Sylvain Dolla worked at Hamilton for most of the time when Tissot was developing the T-Touch Connect (I personally was shown a series of prototypes over the years while Tissot was developing them), he worked at Swatch Group, which spent the last few years developing the product. Therefore, he had much to say about the overall market advantages of the product, as well as the broader efforts undertaken by Swatch Group to develop and refine the “connected watches” segment.
How exactly does a Swiss watch manufacturer like Tissot think it can compete in the smartwatch market? Tissot believes that by producing a well-made (and durable) Swiss Made product not intended for use as disposable electronics, it will attract buyers looking for a reliable and stable choice, just as they do when purchasing traditional mechanical Swiss watches. Tissot will never have the most advanced or expensive watches on the market. But they will have watches that, their engineers are confident, will do the same thing in 10 years as they do today. The same cannot be said for many other smartwatch products.
Regarding “longevity,” the main goal of the T-Touch Connect Solar platform was to create an electronic device along with an operating system that would work well but be extremely energy-efficient. This means about six months of battery life between charges - but it could be much less if you're an outdoor enthusiast. The T-Touch Connect Solar not only consumes electricity but also comes with two charging options. The first is a wireless charging stand, and the second is solar charging via the dial, which is also primarily a photovoltaic element. According to Tissot representatives, many people will probably be able to get by with just charging the watch from light. However, given the presence of GPS and Bluetooth, “advanced users” will be able to easily maintain the battery charge of the T-Touch Connect Solar. It is very important for Tissot that consumers understand that their goal was to offer a full-featured package that does not require regular charging.
Speaking of the photovoltaic element, here's a good example of what happens when you give Swiss engineers free rein. Compare these T-Touch Connect Solar watches with the previous T-Touch Expert Solar watches I referenced above. You'll notice that the photovoltaic element on the Expert Solar watches is much more noticeable, almost to the point of distraction. Swatch Group spent a lot of effort researching the technology for making photovoltaic elements that are also pleasant to look at! On the watch dial, the photovoltaic element is mostly unobstructed (without a dial prism/filter like companies such as Citizen do for their Eco-Drive watches), and you'll barely notice it. Only a deep purple dial above the full-color digital LCD screen.
Swatch Group helped develop the watch's operating system, which they call “SALPS,” or “Swiss Autonomous Low Power System.” You can see how energy efficiency is built into the software's name. Physical electronic components, such as the chipset, are produced in Switzerland, near Neuchâtel. Switzerland is home to many microelectronics companies, for example, those working in the medical equipment sector. These local talents helped Tissot develop completely new hand motors for the T-Touch Connect Solar watches, and, I must say, they are very fast. I have been a fan of T-Touch watches since their debut in 1999, and I've enjoyed watching the evolution of hand motors. These motors are not only strong enough to hold “heavy” full-size hands but also move the hands so fast that it seems almost instantaneous.
Today, the development of connected mechanisms and the components that go into them is big business for Swatch Group. Even the ETA division, a manufacturer of mechanical and quartz movements, is part of this fun. I think Swatch Group wants to replicate its success in the high-quality mechanical and quartz watch market with smartwatches, and to do so, they need to own the entire process, keeping much of it within Switzerland. This gives the group a serious form of independence, meaning the production and development of connected watches are less susceptible to external factors (very regal).
According to Mr. Dolla, in two years, Tissot will release women's Connect watches, which will naturally have a smaller case. For now, the new CEO of Tissot wants to draw attention to the T-Touch Connect Solar, as this product is just now hitting markets, and in most countries, will only appear in 2021. One can only admire the gentle care with which Tissot treats its new creation. The T-Touch Connect Solar is much more than standalone wristwatches, although they are also designed as full-featured standalone wristwatches. Along with the hardware, Tissot offers software that includes at least the firmware installed on the watches themselves, as well as the Tissot Connect app for smartphones, which also needs constant maintenance (something traditional watch companies have never done with most of their old products).
The last point that the company Tissot makes regarding the T-Touch Connect Solar watches and platform is their personal stance on privacy. Tissot and Swatch Group clearly swear never to sell confidential data and want to inform consumers that they are engaged in the development and sale of Swiss Made watches, not a data processing brokerage company. I'm not sure how many consumers are currently concerned about this point, but it is true that there have been many public data leaks and privacy issues in recent history. Enough for Tissot and Swatch Group to make their position on data collection as open as possible.
As a wristwatch and tool, the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar is certainly robust in its construction and responsive in operation. I won't lie, getting used to the new operating system takes time. Although the company Tissot stated it would continue to improve ergonomics, some ways of operating the watch are not obvious without studying the instructions. For example, sometimes the watch does not switch to a certain mode until the user presses the crown to activate that mode - although it's not always clear that an additional press is necessary. Another source of confusion is when exactly to use the electronic rotating crown, buttons, or touch-sensitive areas of the dial to control or adjust the watch. The good news is that all of this can be relatively easily fixed with software updates that can be installed after purchasing the product.
As in previous generation T-Touch watches, the sapphire crystal is “tactile,” meaning you first activate it (here - by pressing the upper button for a couple of seconds, and then touching certain zones on the dial with your finger). These zones now control several functions. For example, the “Activity” zone contains a step counter, as well as an altimeter (which, if you don't know, is not an obvious place to look for an altimeter). The T-Touch Connect Solar has long-known altimeter, barometer, and compass functions, as well as various timekeeping and calendar functions. Few of these functions really have to do with phone connection - which more or less matches Tissot's intent, as most T-Touch Connect Solar functions do not require phone connectivity.
As a smartwatch, phone connectivity is mainly related to the use of upcoming (currently unavailable) GPS navigation features, as well as basic notifications. Essentially, if there is a notification that will appear on your phone, you will be able to view it on the small screen. Otherwise, I believe that most of the “connected” functions imply transferring data from the watch to the phone (such as activity information). Fewer phone connections mean less power consumption, and therefore, the focus on standalone capabilities in the watch itself - something that represents significant value to the Swiss watch industry.
When using the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar watch, I found that the hardware and software work quickly and reliably, even when I didn't know what I was doing. This means that Tissot got all the complicated details right, even if ergonomic software changes need to be made here and there. When performing most tasks, the software worked very fast, and using traditional watch functions like the chronograph (in the Timing section) or compass was enjoyable and accurate. The watch case not only emits sound signals but can also vibrate, offering high-quality tactile sensations in addition to aesthetic charm on your wrist.
Tissot targets the younger generation with the T-Touch Connect Solar family, but it is on them that most modern watch brands rely when launching almost all of their products. I think it's safe to say that smartwatches are here to stay, and given the overall market volume, there will always be people wanting to buy a luxury version of this device. Luxurious smartwatches and other connected devices have already emerged - from Breitling's Connected B55 watch to the Hublot Big Bang e. Tissot enters the market with a completely different type of product, which can confidently be said to be Swiss-made and domestic.
On Tissot's side, there's also the price, as the retail cost of the T-Touch Connect Solar is about 1000 dollars. Given that the watch emphasizes long battery life, well-made construction, Swiss design standards, and easy-to-understand functions, I think Tissot will succeed when consumers truly get acquainted with this latest evolution of the T-Touch family. According to Sylvain Dolla, the Connect platform is the largest investment that he believes Tissot has made in the last 30 years. The parent company Swatch Group clearly believes in the future of this platform, and for now, the first products will be from Tissot. To summarize the product's philosophy in the words of Tissot representative Mr. Dolla, “for us, these are beautiful watches, but with the addition of connected features that are truly useful to the consumer.” The price of the Tissot T-Touch Connect Solar starts at 995 Swiss francs.