It only happens once or twice a year, but every now and then, a watch collection is released that makes you think, “Jeez… there’s a lot to love here.” The Tissot Sideral is one such collection, which arrives in Australia with a reliable 80-hour movement, forged carbon case, and $1,550 price tag.
That’s a helluva lot of bang for your buck, no matter how you cut it.
As with so many excellent watches that come from Tissot and its stablemates in the Swatch Group (especially from Longines and Omega), the new Sideral is a heritage-inspired range that dates back more than half a century to 1969.
The original Tissot Sideral was aimed deliberately at a younger buyer – it was the first watch to feature a fibreglass case – and was followed up by the distinctly colourful Sideral S in 1971.
In case the vibrant colours didn’t give it away, this new collection is a revival of the Sideral S collection and replaces the fibreglass case with 41mm of forged carbon that’s sure to be extremely lightweight on the wrist.
With sapphire crystal over the dial and the movement, it’s rated to an enthusiastically overengineered 300 metres of water resistance which, on paper, confirms it as one of the best affordable sports watches you can buy today.
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Available in your pick of bright blue, red, or yellow, all members of the new Sideral family feature stainless steel rotating 60-minute bezels and more colour on the dials in the form of regatta-inspired countdown tracks (which also happen to glow brightly in low light).
Powering each of the watches is the ever-reliable and antimagnetic Powermatic 80 movements, boasting an impressive 80 hours of power reserve.
All three watches arrive on comfortable-looking perforated rubber straps – another reference to the original Sideral watches – and are secured with a threaded pin closure that’s reminiscent of a modern Apple Watch (or its predecessor in Ikepod).
With such a solid movement, a lightweight forged carbon case, and bright colours that are a distinct callback to the fun of the brand’s yacht-racing history, the Tissot Sideral is an impressive new release that’s only made better with its Australian RRP.
We can’t wait to see these in the flesh/on the wrist.
