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.
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1-8.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1-7-1.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
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.
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1-4.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
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.
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1-9.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
![](https://www.bosshunting.com.au/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/izM8XxyLg9MD6py1ribxJw/www.bosshunting.com.au/2023/03/Tissot-V1-10.jpg/w=857,h=1200)
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.