Armed with modern technology, a quick-release bracelet and build quality that is pretty much unrivalled in the ‘under $2,000’ weight class, Tissot’s soft overhaul of the Chemin des Tourelles line comes as welcome news to those who are looking for a solid back-to-work companion.
The historic Le Locle brand has dialled in all the stuff that works for this chic-modern line: offering the updated Chemin des Tourelles in just three diameters (i.e. 34mm, 39mm, 42mm) in various champagnes, blues and jewel-tone greens; all registering solid wearability.
Now essentially bifurcated between two dial styles (tl;dr – one is decorated with applied Roman numerals, the other features batons) the collection still retains plenty of classic horological flair – something of a given when you realise it’s named for the ‘Turret’ road in Le Locle where Tissot first laid the foundation of its historic manufacture in 1907.
But enough about history – what do we mean when we talk about ‘classic horological flair’? Well, the dial feels like an apt place to start: regardless of whether you prefer Romans or batons, Tissot’s designers have opted to update the faces of each Chemin des Tourelles with a sloped curvature – a choice that has galvanized wider visual changes.
Viewed side-on, all of the indexes – but the Roman numerals especially – are now gently bent, so as to accentuate the arc of the dial. Handsets have been updated to a bold sword-shaped style too, reflecting Tissot’s desire for the Chemin des Tourelles to deliver outsized presence on wearers’ wrists – even within the nominal confines of the simple time-and-dater.
Minor tweaks of this nature (ergo, the faceted case flank; reinforced sapphire crystal; plus all sorts of other welcome additions) speak to the Chemin des Tourelles’ new spirit of classic watchmaking, invigorated by everyday appeal. It’s certainly the simplest explanation for a watch that feels like a refinement of its predecessor. More graceful, less cluttered, and almost certainly capable of rising (or chilling, as the case may be) to a plethora of dress codes.
The three new case sizes and duo of elegant/minimal dial executions have made it easier than ever to wear the Chemin des Tourelles in a way that amplifies your own style. Take the 42mm model in sunburst green, for instance: on the matching steel bracelet (embellished with a subtle taper and polished mid-link design) it instantly lifts the quality of most workaday uniforms, adding colour and visual punctuation to a mishmash of denim, cotton tees and similar wardrobe staples.
And when you’re feeling dressy? The aforementioned quick-release bracelet can be swapped out – at the pinch of a pusher – for a range of Tissot’s compatible leather straps. On ‘gator-style calfskin? This might as well be a whole different watch.
But since the crux of daily appeal hinges on convenience, we simply must have a discussion about how these watches perform – inarguably the arena where Tissot frequently sweeps away the competition.
Like the previous generation, the new Chemin Des Tourelles benefits from Tissot’s long track record of robust mechanical movement manufacturing. Regardless of whether you prefer a 39mm or 42mm daily wearer, all models now come equipped with the ‘Powermatic 80’: Tissot’s signature self-winding movement, laden with gadgetry meant to future-proof it in the 21st century.
Impressive 80-hour power reserve aside, these next-gen Powermatics have just been given new ‘Nivachron’ (Co7) balance springs: ensuring they remain free from the magnetic disturbances of laptops, smartphones and any other ephemera you’re bound to find in your garden variety office cubicle. Widely regarded as a superior alternative to the conventional hairspring, Nivachron combines the friction resistance of steel with antimagnetic and temperature-resistant properties. It’s just one more way in which Tissot is honouring its future commitment to the Chemin Des Tourelles: a watch with classic DNA, that ebbs and flows with the modern world.
This article is sponsored by Tissot. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Boss Hunting.
