One is the watch world’s reliable workhorse. The other is a Swiss-made cheat code. Let’s compare Citizen vs Tissot watches and ask: Which brand is right for you?
If you’ve never compared Tissot to Citizen directly, I can understand why. Other than being in the same relative and wide-ranging price range, are they even comparable?
I think they are. Or rather, I think they can be more effectively compared and contrasted than people think.
Tissot is under a big watch group umbrella. Meanwhile, Citizen is the umbrella. And let’s say you’re considering a watch. Perhaps your budget is on the low-cost side of the spectrum. Or perhaps it’s in the lower thousands
Citizen and Tissot are undeniable contenders in either situation.
As such, it’s helpful to pit each brand’s strengths and weaknesses against each other.
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Tissot vs Citizen Watches: An Overview
Both Citizen and Tissot offer functional yet attractive workhorses as well as elegant everyday timepieces. Arguably, Citizen just leans more toward the former and Tissot the latter.
I’d say other more important overarching qualities that separate the two are as follows.
Citizen offers highly precise and well-disciplined constructions. They have a commitment to sustainability.
Even their tentpole technology, the Eco-Drive movement, powers watches with light, eliminating the need for battery changes. Impressively, this innovation is available at a wide range of price points, even in models in the $100-$200 category.
Tissot is a go-to brand for affordable Swiss-made timepieces. Their watches tend to be straightforward but tried and true. If you venture closer to the $400 to $1000 price points, you can find some great automatic movements.
Models powered by their Swissmatic and Powermatic 80 movements have democratized the world of Swiss mechanicals.
Tissot: A Little History
I’m going to go into a brief history of Tissot as it applies to its particular strengths as a relevant brand. This way, if brand history is an important consideration for you, you can side-by-side this information with Citizen’s.
We also go into their brand history here, so check that out when you’re done!
Tissot was founded in 1853 in Le Locle, Switzerland. This means they’re a true-blue Swiss watchmaker. Today, Tissot is part of the Swatch Group.
Fortunately, Swatch is also Swiss, so you’ll still find that coveted Swiss-made moniker on Tissot dial faces.
Reasons To Go for a Tissot Watch
Again, it’s pretty cool that you can find a Swiss-made mechanical watch at such low prices. The $400 mark is definitely a low price compared to most models on the market.
This is because Tissot brilliantly figured out how to take Swiss craftsmanship and translate it into the mass manufacturing realm. Their Swissmatic watches are a direct result of this. I also love how they usually offer exhibition casebacks.
Their Powermatic 80, meanwhile, boasts an 80-hour power reserve.
Still, Tissot has even lower-priced budget options with quartz movements. These models, like most Tissot models, usually exude a traditional aesthetic in the Swiss tradition. They even sell watch “pendants”, which are basically just pocket watches.
The Tissot Everytime subline, is easily found under $300. They tend to be classic everyday timepieces, ones that you can wear as a casual or dressy piece. Of course, ones with Roman indices look more ceremonial than ones with batons.
Even throughout their different lines, you’ll usually find pretty traditional-looking pieces.
The dress watches are simple and come in leather straps. The divers are robust, with a rotating outer bezel. As we mentioned in our analysis of Tissot, they aren’t reinventing the wheel, but none of their watches lack Tissot-specific character.
If you dig a bit deeper, you’ll find some extra distinct pieces rooted in their historical innovations. For example, Tissot got in on the slide rule game early in the ‘50s with their Navigator. Contemporary models like their Telemeter 1938 continue to dig into these archives.
Citizen: A Little History
Interestingly, a Swiss watchmaker named Rodolphe Schmid registered the Citizen brand in Switzerland. Technically, Citizen has been around since 1918.
However, in 1930, when Citizen took over Shokosha Watch Research Institute. That’s when their watchmaking really took off with the help of Japanese investors.
Today, Citizen is predominantly an electronics company, with watches being the main product.
This is why all of their watches are good, from the electronic quartz ones all the way up to the thousand-dollar mechanicals. They don’t skimp out on the cheap pieces and treat them like cash cows to support their expensive sublines.
They have the electronic know-how for the former, as well as the horological chops for the latter.
Reasons To Go for a Citizen Watch
One thing Citizen has over Tissot is that their innovations are available in a wider range of price points. Though Tissot’s $500 Swiss-made mechanicals are affordable from a market perspective, you can find Citizen’s Eco-Drive technology in models well under $200.
Eco-Drive is powered by light, which means you don’t have to change your battery. Talk about a major convenience.
If you want to learn more about Eco-Drive, we’ve got you covered.
Citizen watches are straightforward, disciplined, and well-built workhorses. They make the perfect beater. And their aesthetic is usually rooted in that utilitarianism.
So, you might think that Tissot is the better option for higher priced models, considering their Swiss heritage and innovative mechanicals.
Not necessarily.
I’ve heard people complain that Citizen, as an electronics company, doesn’t imbue their watches with a brand “identity”. They have an anonymity to them.
First of all, some guys like that. Second, this is why it’s been easy for them to lock down cool partnerships, like the long-standing one they have with Disney.
Yes, these brands work creatively with Citizen to create meaningful collaborations. Still, even if all Disney did was slap a mouse on a core Citizen watch, its solid construction would ensure its worlds above any piece of fashion watch merchandise.
And many critics might be surprised to know that if you dig a bit, you’ll find some pretty artistic models.
Reference AQ4100-65W is a good example. It’s made of light, strong titanium, and its movement is accurate within five seconds a year. Even more, it’s a limited edition featuring an elegant Japanese washi paper dial, which is hand-made using Japanese tree fibers.
Is Tissot better than Citizen? It’s All About Preference
Is Tissot better than Citizen? Is Citizen better than Tissot? The Tissot vs Citizen question is really a matter of your priorities.
If you’re looking for an affordable luxury watch, many point to Tissot. But this has more to do with the fact they’re Swiss watches with a bigger focus on mechanical movements — two coveted qualities to many consumers.
However, you can’t deny Citizen’s watchmaking chops. They’re more than just a workhorse.
That said, the workhorse quality is why their cheapest timepieces are functionally better than Tissot’s cheapest timepieces. And their expensive, limited edition models are surprisingly artistic.
Which do you prefer, Citizen or Tissot? What are your experiences with each brand? Let me know in the comments below!
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