This week, we are taking a look at a new interpretation on a modern classic: The Tissot Visodate (Quartz). This piece was quietly released by Tissot, and it received little to no attention. To me, it was a big deal. The (automatic) Visodate line is often revered as one of the best options for an affordable dress watch. It is a fan favorite, and with good reason. To hear a more affordable quartz piece was added to this line was something many would be interested in.
I pulled the trigger on one out of pure curiosity. I was pleasantly surprised.
Why This Watch?
As much as I can appreciate the automatic version of the Visodate, there were a few elements that stopped me from owning one. First, I was not a big fan of the thickness. For me, a dress watch should be thin. The automatic version, I found, was too “chubby”, meaning the ratio of diameter to thickness made it look thicker than it was. Secondly, I wasn’t a fan of the day/date complication. I prefer just the date displaying on a watch. These two things held me at bay. And the quartz version changed these two things. These things, combined with the lower price, were enough to convince me to give it a try.
Specs
As usual, here are the specs for anyone glancing over the article:
Diameter: 40mm
Case Thickness: 10mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Crystal: Sapphire
Complication: Day Display
Water Resistance: 30m
Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel (polished)
Movement: ETA F06 Quartz.
Strap: Leather
Right away, the glaring difference between the quartz and automatic versions are, you guessed it, my two qualms with the automatic version. The day display was removed, and two millimeters were shaved off the thickness. To add to this, about $250 were reduced from the price (depending on where you buy), though that’s expected moving away from an automatic movement.
On the Wrist:
This wears fantastically on the wrist. As a dress watch should, it slips well under cuffs and wears very nicely on its stock strap. To add to that, this is one of the few and only watches that I have worn most of the time on the stock strap. That speaks volumes of its quality. Overall, there are no complaints: It does what should do well. For a watch with this design and price range, I suspect it does what most buyers want.
The Good:
Most of what I have said can be classified as “good”, so it doesn’t need to be repeated. Some additional notes though, I found the price tag on this piece to be fantastic. It can be purchased through grey market sellers for $200. For a Swiss quartz watch from a reputable brand and line, that’s pretty good. Also, I liked Tissot used their usual big bright packaging with this affordable watch, as they usually do with their higher end pieces. I’m glad that wasn’t cut as a cost-saving efficiency. For most buyers, great packaging like this really increases the buying experience. Kudos. Finally, I really enjoyed the subtle dome to the sapphire crystal and the signed “Tissot” on the crown. It definitely adds to the quality feel of this watch.
The Bad:
Like a broken record, here I go again: I wish this were available in a slightly smaller size. Though I know I am the minority on the topic of wrist size, I feel a classic dress watch should be 38mm in diameter and below. Though I can’t blame Tissot for not wanting to alienate a big chunk of their market with that small of a diameter size, it definitely is something I wish would be an option. It’d make this go from great to fantastic.
Conclusion:
It’s great to see Tissot expand one of their most famous lines of watches to a more affordable market. Whether it’s this or the automatic version, both are fantastic options at different price ranges.
Below is an unboxing video that shows what you get when you buy this piece.