issot chose an unusual venue for the press presentation of the new T-Touch Connect Sport: a gym in the heart of Zurich’s old town. This location was appropriate, however, as the new version comes equipped with sport and wellness functions. The Swiss market will serve as a testing ground for its commercialisation, with a global rollout planned for 2024.

The new version has a reduced diameter of 43 mm and retains the functions of its predecessor. Its high-performance solar cells on the dial capture light and store energy in an accumulator, allowing the watch to run for several months without needing to be recharged. The watch combines materials such as ceramic and titanium with brushed and polished finishes, and features a tactile sapphire crystal with an AMOLED display that responds to direct touch or activation via the side push-pieces.

We took advantage of the launch to speak with Sylvain Dolla, CEO of Tissot since 2020. Based in Le Locle, Tissot is a leader in the Swiss made watch segment priced between 300 and 1,000 francs, and a heavyweight in the Swiss watch industry in terms of volume.

Europa Star: Can you tell us about your roadmap for this new version of the T-Touch Connect Sport?

Sylvain Dolla: Our goal was to create a model that would complement the previous version by incorporating more advanced measurement functions. At the same time, we wanted to reduce the dimensions, with a thickness of less than 13 mm and a diameter of 43 mm (compared to 47 mm previously) in order to appeal to female customers. In this way, the two versions complement each other: one doesn’t replace the other, but the range is extended. Both run on photovoltaic energy and are based on our in-house SwALPS operating system. The app has also been updated for both versions.

Have your production processes evolved?

Yes, we’ve brought in-house the solar cell manufacturing unit that we developed with CSEM, to a new 1,000 m² Nivarox site in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This brand new facility is capable of producing hundreds of thousands of components per year and is available to the whole Group. As a result, we have become Switzerland’s largest manufacturer of solar cells for the watchmaking industry.

The paradox is that your neo-vintage PRX model attracts a very young clientele, while the health measurement functions of the T-Touch appeal to an older demographic!

Indeed, this is the opposite of what we might have expected a few years ago. The monitoring needs of the T-Touch Connect Sport target group are significant, while the PRX has allowed us to completely rejuvenate Tissot’s customer base, with phenomenal success among 18-32 year olds. The PRX now represents 27% of our total sales, completing a truly global offer. Tissot is increasingly establishing itself as the brand of the “first fine Swiss watch” for many young people around the world, with the PRX offering accessible sport-chic, the Chemin des Tourelles or the Le Locle for a more traditional style, and the Seastar 2000 Professional for diving watches.

Given your price levels and long-standing presence in Asia, tourists have historically represented a significant proportion of your sales. How did you adapt to the interruption of these flows after Covid?

With great success. The local clientele has established itself, and we are now recording double-digit growth compared to 2019, with far fewer Asian visitors. Even on the Champs-Élysées, the majority of our customers are now French! The same is true in Switzerland, where the majority of customers are local, and we have a strong presence in malls and historic retailers. We are also in the process of redeploying our physical network in Europe, with new flagship stores opening in London, Amsterdam and Warsaw. We can count on a global multi-brand network of around 11,000 points of sale, which has now been stabilised. We’re not making any drastic cuts.

What about China?

Some points of sale in Hong Kong that had closed down are now reopening. China remains a priority for the brand, even after the very difficult period during Covid. We have a local team of 150 people there and have signed new ambassadors, such as Simon Gong.

What are your priority strategic objectives for 2024?

From February we’ll roll out the global launch of the T-Touch Connect Sport, which is currently exclusively available in Switzerland. We intend to consolidate our most important price segment, between 500 and 1,000 francs, but without abandoning the 250-300 franc segment, even if the strength of the Swiss franc makes this challenging. Above the 1,000-franc mark, we offer automatic chronographs, but this is not, of course, where we generate the highest volumes.

However, we have a wide range, and all the signals are green. I love working on our accessible range because it allows us to reach a large community, with millions of watches sold every year. It’s just as exciting, if not more so, than the top end of the market!