Avantgarde and distinctly automative, the Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph is a celebration of the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s indelible bond with motor-racing.
Based on the 1973 Tissot Navigator, a model that was essential in connecting Tissot with motor-racing, this new, limited edition release, captures the brand’s rich heritage and pays special tribute to Swiss pilot Loris Kessel, with whom the brand began their Formula 1 journey with in 1976.
In 2018, Tissot rekindled its partnership with Kessel – multifaceted retail, racing, and restoration business operated by Loris’s son Ronnie – becoming the official partner of Kessel Classic. The 2020 Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph arrives in three dial variations: white with black sub-dials, black with white sub-dials, and blue with white sub-dials, all sharing a blue highlight between 0 and 5 mins on the chronograph register.
The Heritage 1973 Chronograph is not just a gorgeous expression of Tissot’s pedigree, but a brawny statement piece for the wrist that, through clever design, balances subtle details, colours and finishes to deliver a exceptionally well proportioned 43mm tonneau design.
In blue, the watch is a visual feast, with striking polished bevels running around the edge of the case, engraved crown and characterful pushers, matched to a vibrant blue dial with contrasting orange chronograph hands. Notably, the tachymeter scale is a separate piece that has been applied directly to the dial, reiterating the care and attention to detail that sits behind the Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph.
Brushed steel framing the tachymetric scale draws the eye towards the dial but also shifts your gaze to the iconic racing-style perforated leather strap (debuted by Tissot in 1965) designed to provide better circulation during intense activity. Offered in black, cognac brown and dark brown, the straps are complemented by deployment buckle for ease of use.
Powering the Heritage 1973 is the reliable self-winding Valjoux 7753 with date display and power reserve of roughly 60 hours – quite the punch for a watch that deftly straddles the line between modernity and history.
The Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph is priced at $3,400.
